There's a timely (and amusing) canoe race article by John Holyoke in today's Bangor Daily News:

"So, a day late and a few dollars short, here’s my Veteran Vulture list of things for new paddlers to remember. Clip it. Save it. Laminate it (that part’s important). And next year, sidle up to a new racer at the Mystic Tie Grange, and slide this list into their plate of pancakes..."

Click here to read the article.

Grab some popcorn and your favorite beverage. WLBZ has posted some Kenduskeag video clips (in 15 minute segments).
You can find them here.

And the Bangor Daily News did a writeup of the race today, check it out here.

My photos of the 2007 Kenduskeag Stream Canoe Race are now online!
Click here to visit the race galleries.

Prints make wonderful gifts and keepsakes.

If you missed or portaged the Shopping Cart rapids, however, you won't find yourself in these galleries. Sorry! Maybe next year.

Latest news: the race course will remain unchanged; the finish line in downtown Bangor will be the same. Water temperature is 38 degrees. Parks & Recreation and the search & rescue crews foresee no problems with the stream conditions.

Paddlers of the Kenduskeag are in for a treat. Water levels are amazing (some say the best it's been in 15 or 20 years) and the weather is perfect. The 2007 race is going to be a BLAST.

Be safe and have fun.

If you didn't preregister for the race, you may register from 6:30am until 7:30am on race day in the village of Kenduskeag. (But don't be late!)

And for those of you staying home: the race will be televised from 10:00am until 12:30pm on WABI-TV5.

WLBZ will have the video posted on the internet in 15-minute chunks so you can watch it live or after the race. How cool is that?

Also, the race will also be streamed live on the internet through Watch Maine Sports as a pay-per-view event. ($9.95 per stream).

I took note of this excellent post on the message board of MaCKRO (Maine Canoe & Kayak Racing Association) and felt that it should be shared by as many paddlers as possible before the upcoming race.

The following is from veteran paddler Clayton Cole, who has lived by the Kenduskeag for 20 years:

"The high flow makes for lots of eddys, holes, wave trains and turbulence, but most difficult spots can be avoided . I would like to share some tips: If possible run the whitewater Friday. Scout the tricky spots Saturday morning. Be prepared to swamp or swim (wear proper clothing). Use at least 4 feet of floatation in any boat, have 6" grab loops or 6' lines with no knots. Have one bailer for each paddler. Keep your boat dry - bail or pull over and dump. Better yet, avoid the middle and skirt around all the big stuff. You must paddle with determination in big whitewater. Don't stare at the hole or wave train or it will suck you in. Commit early to a route, look where you want to go and paddle as hard as you can. Keep your paddle in the water including the recovery when it gets rough and especially if you are carrying water. Don't stop paddling in the big stuff - you will turn sideways and then it gets, well use your imagination. This is going to be a good one!"

Whitewater kayakers had a ball at the Shopping Cart Thursday afternoon.

(click photo to enlarge)

"Tracy Willette, the race director and the city’s superintendent of recreation, chuckles about the rumor mill fueled by passion for the area’s biggest whitewater race.

And he assures you, there’s nothing to worry about: The Kenduskeag Stream Canoe Race, 41st edition, will go off as planned on Saturday morning."

Click here to read the rest of the article

I visited the Shopping Cart area and Six Mile Falls today and took some video footage.

Click here to watch the 2-minute video. (Nothing fancy, but it gives you some idea of the volume and swiftness of the stream.) Will be interesting to see how much this changes by race day.

The fellow standing near the Shopping Cart is Bob Martin, who thought it would be wise to stick to river right and hug the bank going through the Shopping Cart. If you get sucked into the Shopping Cart hole....watch out!

Pat Davis is right: the stream is high and fast and swollen. In addition to his pics, here's another one from the Six Mile Falls area.

This is the area where spectators normally stand to watch the paddlers go through the falls.

As you can see (click photo to enlarge) the "vulture" area is completely flooded. The water goes all the way back to the Hudson Road!










UPDATE 4/18/07: Here is a closer shot of Six Mile Falls (taken today).
Where did the "jaws" go? (Click photo to enlarge)

The weather forecast for race day is "nice with sunshine and patchy clouds, high: 60 degrees". Maybe Old Man Winter is finally taking a hint. Should be a GREAT day for paddling.

Pat Davis sent in a couple snapshots of Six Mile Falls today.
Thanks, Pat!
(Click photos to enlarge).