Author: Nancy

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Maine Canoe Symposium

This weekend I attended the Maine Canoe Symposium at Camp Winona in Bridgeton, ME. Maine Canoe Symposium is a volunteer-run, non-profit weekend event held annually in June under the pines and along the shore of Moose Pond. Participants gain an appreciation of canoe heritage and develop canoeing and related skills. Saturday morning started with a “Parade of Canoes” where instructors (and others) showed a variety of paddling styles and canoes.

Parade of canoes

“Give me a P! Give me an O! Give me an L! Give me a ING! what does it spell? POLING!
Junior program war canoe.
Parade silliness

We then attended classes, some on water: eg. various types of poling, freestyle (almost dancing in a canoe), English gates (an obstacle course), to high kneel on SUP (like the stance they use in canoe racing) and some on land: photo walk, building a fire, setting up a camp kitchen, dehydrating and hydrating food for extended trips…

Rebecca in freestyle class

High knee on SUP
Sailing a canoe
Building a reflector oven.

The instructors were excellent, many of them professional guides,and all experienced canoeists.

Rory Matchett, instructor.

Kevin Silliker, instructor

John Meader, photographer.

Dave Butler

They keep you busy most of the day and evening, but there are a few minutes when you can get away and enjoy the setting.

Chickadee

Children are welcome.

Early morning coffee

Mt Washington from Camp Winona

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Kayaking June 1-6

This week we have paddled on the Pompy, Mink Brook and the Connecticut River(twice).The highlight was seeing the mink again this year.

Mink — Connecticut River, 6/6/17

but we also saw some other old friends: mallards,

Family of mallards. –Mink Brook, NH, 6/3/17

green heron,
Green heron. — Ompompanousuc River, VT 6/1/17

red-winged blackbird
Red-winged blackbird. –Ompompanousuc River, VT 6/1/17

and barn swallows.
Barn swallows on the I-91 bridge. — Ompompanousuc River, VT 6/1/17

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On the rivers again

After a cold and wet spring, the water temperature is high enough to allow safe paddling. Yesterday, Jane and I paddled the Connecticut from Wilder. The river was full of people: kayaks, canoes, motorboats, jetskis and not full of waterfowl. We did see some songbirds,

Scarlet tanager –Connecticut River, Wilder, VT 5/27/17

Female scarlet tanager, Connecticut River 5/27/17

some spring flowers,

Columbine
pink flower

and had a chance to examine some of the beavers’ winter handiwork.

Beaver log

This morning we headed to North Hartland Lake. We were surrounded by birdsong but only saw a few birds.

Song sparrow –North Hartland Lake, 5/28/17

Spotted sandpiper –North Hartland Lake, 5/28/17
Mallards eating snails. –North Hartland Lake, 5/58/17
Common merganser family –North Hartland Lake, 5/28/17

The highlight was a porcupine in a tree.

Porcupine –North Hartland Lake, 5/28/17
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Spring?

March came in like a lamb and went out like a lion. The nice warm weather turned
cold and the Connecticut froze again.

Wood ducks — Connecticut River 3/24/17
Then Mother Nature played a cruel joke on April Fools Day.
About a foot of snow on the flat, about 3 feet in front of the door. April 1, 2017

Junco Hartford, VT 4/3/17

But the weather has turned. The ducks are looking for places to nest.

Goldeneye — Connecticut River 4/7/17

Common mergansers Connecticut River 4/8/17
Hooded merganser and Canada geese, Connecticut River 4/7/17
Eastern phoebe — Wilder, VT 4/8/17
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Spring is coming

We’ve seen our first robins, red-winged black birds, cedar waxwings.

American robin, eating sumac, 2/28/17 Hartford, VT

Cedar waxwings, 3/1/17, Hartford, VT

The ice is mostly gone from the Connecticut and the waterfowl are around.

Mallard pair, 2/28/17, Connecticut River, Hartford, VT

Chipmunks have joined the red squirrels at the wood pile (one at a time)

Red squirrel –3/1/17 Hartford, VT