Photo of the day

[Brightraven]

Nice one, the first link below has more details as you probably know. The second link has more information about the similarities between the early Kennebec and Morris canoes.

Benson

KENNEBEC build information request

Kennebec #3139 measures over 15 ft and under 16 ft approximately 15'6". Closed gunwale and splayed stem. Don't know what you would call it for length. I have had it for about 40 years and use it regularly. Build information would be very interesting to me. Please help. Thank you, Robert

forums.wcha.org

Kennebec and Morris connections

A recent Facebook message claimed that some Kennebec canoes have flared stems because a Waterville fire led them to sub-contract with Morris for some canoes. Similar ideas have been debated in these forums for many years. It may be worth consolidating all of these theories in one place to help...

forums.wcha.org

Thanks, Benson! I love knowing the history and feeling connected to that time while paddling this wonderful canoe!

 

[lowangle al]

I haven't seen too many fawns this year and was happy when this one showed up in my yard yesterday.

 

[CaptainOllieWest]

Some ancient trees for your viewing pleasure.

 

[Boatman53]

What fabulous trees.
Jim

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

Some ancient trees for your viewing pleasure.

Impressive! What are they? Coastal redwood, giant sequoia, Douglas-fir, Sitka spruce?

 

[CaptainOllieWest]

They are Cedars and Sitka Spruce. I read that the Cedars may be over 1,000 years old. @ppine may be able to give more information. We are lucky Paul Bunyan left a few old growth trees!
For reference, the guy hugging the tree is me. I am 6'-1".

 

[Penns Woods]

The past few weeks was a sad time when the local historic courthouse Elm tree in Wellsboro Pa had to be removed after 300 years. The tree is believed to have been a mature young tree before the Revolution war. The tree was a fixture for generations of residents and visitors. Arborists found to the tree had to be removed due to Fungal Disease.

Not recent but This is the best picture of the Elm by the courthouse.

 

[ppine]

Western red cedar, WRC, Thuja plicata. Good for shakes, shingles and building canoes.
Sitka spruce Pices sitchensis is the preferred wood for building airplanes. It is very light for it strength. The Spruce Goose was made from Sitka spruce.

Both are very large and long lived conifers. They like cool and wet with a long growing season. They are not affected by fire much. The Olympic Peninsula is a good place to see them. I worked in SE Alaska around these trees in forests that have never been logged. Further north in Canada and Alaska they associate with Alaska yellow cedar. It is a preferred wood for boat building and repair. The salmon fishermen used to bring back yellow cedar logs for the boat wrights in Seattle working on the commercial fishing fleet.