I’ve been paddling the Machias River in Washington County for almost 50 years but have never participated in the Machias River Race. One reason is that it usually occurs in late April when I’m conducting my almost annual Penobscot Paddle & Chowder Society Machias River trip. Another is it’s difficult to organize a wilderness canoe race, so it doesn’t occur every year.
After a four-year hiatus, the race was scheduled this spring on April 25 and 26. A unique aspect of this year’s event was competitors could race on either day or both. At age 78, I’m running out of time, so I was in.
This year’s race was organized by Wilderness Lodge Outfitters and Maine Canoe & Kayak Racing Organization. The 10.5-mile course begins at the top of remote First Machias Lake and weaves downriver to the bottom of Airline Rapids, a long falls that ends just below Route 9, known as the Airline, in Day Block Township. Included in the race are two Class III rapids: Carrick Rips and Airline Rapids. Several less difficult rapids are located in the last few miles above the Airline.
Canoes and kayaks can be paddled in the race. Since there are numerous rapids, plastic boats are preferred by most racers because of their durability. My choice for a racing vessel was driven by the fact that I can no longer kneel in a canoe due to two knee replacements, so I’m limited to a kayak. My fastest plastic kayak is 10-foot expedition kayak, which is equipped with a retractable skeg that allows it to track more efficiently in flatwater.
Although my expedition kayak is still a comparative slug, that wasn’t particularly important to me. At my age, I didn’t expect to be competitive with experienced racers, or inexperienced racers for that matter. I intended to compete with myself. My goal was to complete the course in 150 minutes, about 14-minute miles.
Race registration was held at Wilderness Lodge Outfitters located on the Airline a few miles west of the Machias River. Several diverse racing classes were featured. I signed up for the solo recreational kayak class on the first day of competition.
About 30 boaters gathered at the top of First Machias Lake on a sunny, warm but breezy morning. The vast majority of the racers were solo or tandem canoeists; only a handful of solo kayaks competed. Based on a cursory inspection of the field, I appeared to be the oldest participant.
An unusual aspect of the race is that it begins with a mass start. Participants assembled along the north shore of the lake and, after a one minute countdown, we were off.
It didn’t take long to ascertain where I stood in the race. By the time I was halfway across the 1-mile lake, most of the racers were strung out in front of me. I settled into a faster-than-normal paddling pace, one I was confident I could sustain for 10.5 miles.
Once we left the lake and entered the river, the rear guard paddlers were closer together. I exchanged brief encouraging conversations with a solo canoeist and a father/son tandem canoe team.
After a few miles of twisting flatwater, I passed through some easy rapids that precede Carrick Rips. I intended to start the tricky falls in the center, maneuver through a narrow, rocky channel on the right and finish negotiating standing waves in the center. My plan was foiled by successive canoes broaching on the rocks preventing navigation without a probable collision.
After the falls was finally clear, I passed several onlookers while completing my descent. Some boats were cluttered at the bottom and may not have finished the race.
Leaving Carrick Rips, I did not see any competitors on the river until I finished the race. My navigation through the sporadic whitewater and down the right side of Airline Rapids went well.
I missed my goal by 32 seconds. The best times were about 40 minutes faster. Overall, I was second in my class but there were only two of us. Not exactly a newsworthy accomplishment, but proof I participated.
I’m planning a multiday Machias River trip in a few days, so I’ll soon be back in the area.
My book, “Maine Al Fresco: The Fifty Finest Outdoor Adventures in Maine,” narrates exciting downriver spring races on Kenduskeag and Souadabscook Streams.
The author of “The Great Mars Hill Bank Robbery” and “Mountains for Mortals – New England,” Ron Chase resides in Topsham. His latest book, “Maine Al Fresco: The Fifty Finest Outdoor Adventures in Maine,” is available at North Country Press and through online retailers. Visit his website at ronchaseoutdoors.com or he can be reached at [email protected].