East branch Penobscot 2012

Grindstone mid way 8000CFS

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update Epic fail.
Lost a boat on the upper part of the Webster stream. We are fine. I dont have any pants or a wallet. Ended up calling for help and gtting flown back out.
Ended up eating a sweeper for lunch = end of your trip:)

I would definitely recommend this trip to anyone. No shuttle, Sea plane ride, Quite remote. (But at lower water)

We ended up flying out From Katahdin Air near Millinocket and getting dropped in to Webster lake. Jim From Katahdin Air is super nice and knowledgeable and I would recommend his services to anyone and not that much money. $100 per person and $100 per boat into Telos lake.

Seven rivers get there start in this area he services and a million lakes.

He flew our boats in first in his 1976 Cessna106 then came back to fly us and our gear in.

It was really windy and Luke ended up puking on the plane ride in:)

About 5km long Webster lake was and we stopped at the Webster lake lean to for a quick snack before the challenge began. We knew we were in for a tough ride as the water was high.

Allagash flow of around 12000CF'S and Grindstone around 8000CF'S I was unable to find the Release rate at Telos dam which directly effects Webster stream.

A week before Grindstone was at 1960CF'S.

At this point the plane ride was booked, Time off from work, everything was planed, We were well prepared and informed so away we went.

I really can not liken Webster stream to anything I have been down before. It is basically a gorge and at this water level fast and over running into the woods. The closest thing would be to imagine the roughest upper Nashwaak, heavy water, Put some steep slopes on both sides and add some hair pin turns. again it was Fast and Huge wave trains on the outside corners that you could not break out of.

Luke was in the lead in the Kayak he tells me he was crapping his pants, I was having fun but i just don't feel connected to a canoe like you do in a kayak.

Anyways I saw the sweeper coming huge waves on a outside corner Luke was just barley able to power around it, still ended up just touching it.

OK my turn I did a few power strokes to try to get around it and knew it was not going to happen. Its amazing how time slows down and you start processing survival. I was not scared and did not panic. I had a quick look to see if I was going to get impaled on a branch I did not see anything scary in a millisecond or so. So I basically committed to just running through that pregnant dog. I did not want to get sideways against it and get pinned between the boat and this monster. Thankfully the main trunk was just above my head but all the branches going down into the water looked like a jail and of a good size too.

I was worried about ducking forward or leaning backwards and getting my life jacket hooked on a branch or getting stabbed. So I put my paddle up across in front of me, both fists pointing forward as I went through my paddle snapped like a match stick. This is not one of the cheap light aluminum kayak paddles this thing is heavy and just blew up in my hands.

I confess I think I did close my eyes just before impact. About a 3rd of the way through The canoe tipped and I was in the water. I said to my self I am getting the Hell out of here I don't know what the heck happened but I was out fast.

(Panic mode)

I was able to yell at Luke and he was able to pull to shore on the opposite side, I was on the shore wondering what the heck he was doing getting his throw rope ready and standing by his boat. My gear now is mostly darker colors and he could not see me on the shore.

Part two The Rescue
Coming soon

Thats too bad it had to end so early. The EB penobscot is very scenic with all the falls. Maybe next time when the water is much lower.

EPIC Fail