After having Fall dry enough that a couple weekends ago we were worried about having enough water for a release on the Dead River some moisture finally arrived. [STRIKEOUT:A front rolled through, stretching from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico while Hurricane Gonzalo passed offshore]“A cold front stretching from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico carrying warm, moist gulf air with additional input from Hurricane Gonzalo”(clarification by Mike) brought 2-3 inches of rain to the White Mountains and Maine. While the water started to run out of the Whites and Mahoosucs on Friday, it held until Saturday in the Bigelows where we got to enjoy it.

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I didn't want to title another post skinning up Shawnee, so I'm not.

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Sun peaked under the cloud deck for us before disappearing again this morning as we topped out of our skin up.

Friday afternoon rolled around with the grand pronouncement by the Mount Washington observatory that they had just seen the most rain in ~12 hours since Hurricane Irene rolled through, therefore there had to be some creeking somewhere in the near future.

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A couple weekends ago it was the Penobscot Race, which was just after I started my new job at Bridgton Academy, but being the race I had to make the trip up there. It also was a week after having left the Nob during my last Chewonki trip.

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Earlier in the month the whitewater trip leaders headed out on our training trip to the West Branch of the Penobscot.

Ryan demonstrating how a trailer can be a jungle-gym.

Our first day up on the West Branch was a little gray (as was the drive up), but we ran through a bunch of lessons. The second day had the sun come out while we paddled down from Big Eddy through Horserace. Big Amberjackwockamus Falls distracted us on the way down.

That afternoon we got word that they were going to release water from the dam in addition to what was getting released from the station, so we headed up to Ripogenus dam to spectate. It turns of the gray (rain) was over most of the state, so the whole Penobscot watershed was a little full.

Our plan for our final paddling day was to head up to the Seboomook section, but we had no idea what it would be like at 6k cfs, so we decided to stay local and contemplate just what we would do with a trip at high water.

Dangerous Dave gave us a demo of Cribworks.

One of the canoeing trips came for a visit and to make pizza.

On the 22nd Send It Whitewater ran the K-Bomb race on the Kennebec River.

It started with a Time Trial through the gorge, which Daniel here has only paddled in a raft, and this may have only been his second day in a kayak this year. He also had the honor of being first.

Ruben decided to chase Kit down the river.

Taylor keeping track of all our times.

We had enough duos show up they got their own mass start.

We finished up with a solo mass start. No photos, but to summarize: "Catch Linehan!"

All the Chewonki Paddlers, and one tag along.

Efficient use of space.

The remnants of Tropical Storm Andrea turned out to be enough to bring up Cold Brook in South Tamworth, NH. It's a pretty steep creek, so I was glad to have one of the locals show me down, and have a couple others to watch paddle the first couple rapids.

As always you can click on pic to make them bigger and play as a slideshow.

Joey getting himself on line for Cold Fusion.

Jeremy entering Cold Fusion.

Jeremy in Cold Fusion

Jeremy part way down Backbreaker Falls.

Jeremy entering Particle Accelerator.

Scott entering NO2 Chute.

What happened Joey?

Joel entering NO2 Chute.

There may be more to come.

Just before the dry spell broke, Jeff, Rigg, Peter and I made the long drive up to the West Branch of the Penobscot for a day where we knew we would find water, and something for everyone.

Jeff shot while Rigg, Peter and I dropped into the Rip Gorge. Somehow my skirt imploded before Exterminator, which led to some fun.

"Do you know how that happened?" 

Lets try this dry boat thing again.

Peter and I ran Cribworks.

Jeff is happy to paddle something new.

Jeff wondering just what I've gotten him into at Nesowadnehunk Falls.

Looking up at Katahdin from Abol.

A nice sunset on the way home.