Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE – The Allagash Waterway provides a unique experience to get up close with the natural environs and logging history of the Northern Maine woods. Five students and two instructors from the University of Maine at Presque Isle recently immersed themselves in the isolation of the waterway to test their paddling endurance and leadership abilities as part of a recreation course at the university from June 18-27.
Contributed photo/Anja Whittington
WHAT’S A LITTLE RAIN? James Cirell enjoys a passing shower as he takes a rest on the Allagash during UMPI’s educational adventure on the Allagash Waterway.
The course began as an experimental project devised by Dr. Anja Whittington and Dr. Sue Beaudet featuring the ultimate field trip. Projected outcomes for the class, according to Whittington, were that “participants would gain skills in the art of canoeing and canoe camping.”
The educational experience began at UMPI and on area bodies of water with two days of basic instruction and preparations for the trip. UMPI alumnus Adam Michaud, of Presque Isle, gained new respect for the amount of planning involved in putting together a trip in the wild. “I have always wanted to canoe the Allagash Waterway, but as you can imagine it’s not just as easy as putting your canoe in and paddling north toward the unknown,” explained Michaud. “It requires many hours, depending on your experience and organizational skills, to plan a seven day, six night trip that is not only fun, but is safe as well. And even before the planning stage of a trip, you need access to the proper equipment; UMPI supplied this during the course.”
The seven-strong group put in at Indian Pond Stream, and began the 80-mile journey through the Maine wilderness.
A typical day for the paddlers began with a 5 a.m. wake up call to an energizing breakfast followed by breaking down the camp. Canoes and kayaks were in the water by 7 a.m. for the day’s travel. In the early afternoon, the group would take out and set up camp with plenty of daylight left to explore the wilderness, enjoy the quiet and an evening meal.
“There are countless snapshots of sunsets, flowers, plants, waterfowl, trees, moose and the like bouncing through my head,” remembered Michaud. “Sometimes the only sound I could hear was the splashing of paddles going in and out of the water. The experience was full of relaxing in the quiet of the wild; returning to the urbanized world after so many days of tranquility was almost deafening.”
While enjoying the outdoor setting, students also improved their paddling technique on flat water and eight miles of white water canoeing on Chase Rapids.
The group also explored the disused tramway and railroad systems that were an essential part of the logging industry in the area. Fred Down, in the employee of H.W. Marsh and F.W. Ayer, designed and oversaw construction of the first tramway in 1902 to connect Eagle Lake to Chamberlain Lake.
The tramway brought logs across 3,000 feet at thee miles per hour to increase the speed of the journey south.
The Eagle Lake and West Branch Railroad replaced the tramway in 1926 running from the Eagle Lake tramway to Umbazooksus Lake.
Students ended the excursion by judging their ability to head a group traveling into the wilderness in the future. “The students are able to assess their skills to determine if they can indeed lead a trip like this with others, and they are stronger paddlers,” said Whittington. “They are proud of their accomplishments and understand and know the natural area and the Allagash Wilderness Waterway better.”
Michaud found the course rewarding for his future goals in canoe travel. “I have no aspirations of being a paid guide, but I would love to be able to take family and friends through the Allagash,” said Michaud. “The techniques that I learned during this course have given me the confidence to be the leader of a small two to six person group of able canoeists.”
Due to the success of this year’s class, the university will offer a similar course next year that will be open to community members for a fee. More details will be available next spring.
