Why paddle?

I’d counter with, why not?

There’s so much to see at the slower pace that paddling provides. Last Saturday afternoon I hit the water for a couple of hours on Pushaw Lake and practically shook hands with an adult eagle on the eastern side of Moose Island. Numerous loons and ducks and a beaver also provided company.

At one point, a break in the passing cloud cover provided a doughnut hole of brilliant light as I looked westerly from Moose Island toward Ram Island. Along the shore toward Double A Landing a few camp owners were getting their places ready and their docks in for the coming summer season. Other year-round residences looked well settled and groomed – spring has sprung. And with it the blackflies. But it wouldn’t be Maine without them, now, would it?

The invasion will get worse before it gets better, so it’s time to break out the bug dope. And it’s time to be extra vigilant on your travels. Deer and moose are haunting the roadside ditches at dark. I hardly ever see moose around the city often, but the other night there were two deer next to Griffin Road between Broadway and Kenduskeag Avenue. There was a pair next to I-95 around Etna recently when I drove north from Augusta late at night.

I much prefer to see moose and deer when I’m paddling. The intimate experience lasts longer and there’s likely not going to be a collision – another reason to paddle.

Northern Forest Canoe Trail

Recently I heard of one person you’d never have to convince to go for a paddle. Pamela Perkins, a student at College of the Atlantic where she’s studied elementary education and human ecology for the past four years, is taking on the 740-mile Northern Forest Canoe Trail.

The Native American water trail stretches from Old Forge, N.Y., to Fort Kent, linking watersheds of New York, Vermont, Quebec, New Hampshire and Maine.

Perkins hopes to be the first woman to paddle the trail that isn’t officially open until June 3.

Perkins is doing the trip as a final project combining the trip with the creation of an educational Web site that will be used to track her journey. There will be weekly lesson plans covering a number of subjects relating to the rivers, “from navigation to the occurrence of mathematical fractals in nature – photos and progress reports will accompany these activities which are designed for children in third through eighth grades.”

Perkins tells us that “for the duration of my time as a student at College of the Atlantic, I have focused primarily on elementary education. I’ve found that I am most happy at the times when this study intersects with philosophy of outdoor adventure education. I believe deeply in the benefits of the outdoor curriculum in terms of personal growth, development of group skills, and the academic discoveries made possible by a little guidance and experience.”

It’s always great to hear about another person who’s hooked on the outdoors, isn’t it?

Perkins grew up in Ellsworth, attended Ellsworth High School and transferred to the Limestone Community School/Maine School of Science and Mathematics. She graduated from there in 2001. Her love of canoeing began early in life. Perhaps you saw her name on the most recent Kenduskeag Stream Canoe Race roster. She and her mother finished second in the C2 women recreational class with a time of 3 hours, 49 minutes, 9 seconds.

You can check out the Perkins’ Web site at http://canoetrail.grandonline.org.

The Northern Forest Canoe Trail ties in 22 rivers and streams, 56 lakes and ponds; involves 62 carries or portages (55 miles total); passes through three National Wildlife Refuges and 45 towns. Campsite intervals are between 10 and 15 miles apart.

In Maine the trail is 347 miles long. I got the following description of the trail from the trail’s Web site (www.northernforestcanoetrail.org): “The section from Errol, N.H., to Rangeley is easier to paddle from Rangeley to Errol. The trail descends steadily from Maine’s interior plateau through big lakes and tumbling rivers. Beyond Rangeley to the east is the Androscoggin-Kennebec divide, the highest point on the trail east of the Adirondacks. After the divide, the trail is easiest southwest to northeast as it works across the plateau and then descends to Fort Kent.

“Flagstaff Lake and the headwaters of Little Spencer Stream hold some of the finest scenery along the trail, though Moosehead Lake is also outstanding. The Allagash Wilderness Waterway is a spectacular ribbon of lakes, ponds, rivers and streams winding through northern Maine.”

The trail passes 72 miles through New Hampshire, 174 miles through Vermont and Quebec and 147 miles in New York where it ends at Old Forge.

Briefly, from the trail’s Web site is this background on the soon-to-open waterway: “Native Trails, a non-profit corporation, began researching the old canoe routes in 1976. They started retracing the routes, portaging along roads and railroad beds, through towns and cities, around dams and waterfalls. They found that there was still a viable water route connecting the Adirondacks and northern Maine. In the ensuing years, they paddled, poled and portaged what was to become the Northern Forest Canoe Trail.”

Official trail opening

As I mentioned above, the Northern Forest Canoe Trail will be celebrated at the “official opening” on June 3. In Maine the ceremony will take place at Thoreau Park in Greenville at 11 a.m. Simultaneous celebrations are slated for Sarnac Lake, N.Y., Newport, Vt., and Grovetown, N.H.

The festivities will note the public and private partnerships involved in re-establishing the trail and will involve local voices speaking to the natural history, cultural heritage and stewardship opportunities on the trail. There will be a dedication of a trail kiosk and the mixing of waters from places along the trail to symbolize the connective thread from the Adirondacks to northern Maine

On June 3 there will be exhibits on display from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. They include the “Handmade in the northern Forest ” guidebook and material from the Maine department of Conservation, Maine Wilderness Guides Association, Chewonki Foundation, Thoreau/Wabanaki Heritage Trail and the Natural Resource Education Center of Greenville.

Harbor seal pupping season

Here’s a reminder for those of you who paddle on salt water or who frequent the shore – it’s harbor seal pupping season again.

Should you come across a baby seal leave it alone and back off. I know your first inclination might be to approach it. It may be vocalizing or it may even approach you. Don’t pick it up or try to put it back in the water.

According to a briefing I got from College of the Atlantic here are some baby seal facts.

. Seals are semi-aquatic. They spend a good deal of their life in the ocean, it is necessary and indeed critical to spend portions of time hauled out of water – on beaches, docks, even discarded tires, or perched on uncomfortable-looking rocks.

. Harbor seal mothers often leave their pups for hours at a time in order to forage for food. They may even leave their pup on the same beach day after day while periodically coming back to feed it. Most of the time, the seal pup is healthy and simply awaiting its mother’s return. And don’t be distressed if you hear the pup “crying.” These vocalizations are important for re-uniting mom and pup as the mom identifies her pup by its plaintive hooting calls.

. It is best to leave the pup alone, because the mother will not return if she detects the presence of humans. Further, your close presence can significantly stress the animal, potentially causing internal harm

The COA primer says, “From May to early July, there are cases in which a number of harbor seal pups are truly abandoned by their mothers. The mother may be ill and unable to care for her pup, the mom dies, or perhaps the pair gets separated. In these cases, the pup will indeed need human assistance, given appropriately.”

Here’s what they say to do if you find a seal pup:

. Do not touch it for your own safety as well as the animal’s well-being. Seals can carry infectious diseases that can be transmitted to humans and also to pets.

. Do not remove it from the beach. The pup may be resting and awaiting its mom’s return.

. Do not put the pup back in the ocean. They are babies; they need rest like all infants.

. Do not pour seawater on the pup. They do not need to be wet.

. Do not try to feed the animal. At this age pups are still nursing. The mother’s milk is best.

Keep in mind, it is illegal to touch, harass, or harm any marine mammal in the United States.

If you feel the seal needs assistance call Allied Whale, the marine mammal research lab of the College of the Atlantic at 288-5644 or the stranding cell-phone at: 266-1326. Allied Whale, COA is a member of the Northeast Regional Stranding Network and is authorized by the National Marine Fisheries Service to respond to marine mammal strandings. All marine mammals are protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

Jeff Strout’s column on outdoor recreation is published each Saturday. He can be reached at 990-8202 or by e-mail at jstrout@bangordailynews.net.

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