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Post by tickles on Apr 27, 2012 16:11:02 GMT -5
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Post by tickles on Apr 28, 2012 17:48:24 GMT -5
We are in millinocket and fly out tomorrow around 7. We scouted grindstone and it looks intense /insane I am not sure which. Luke is all for it and I am terrified Time for men to be men. Still a little worried about Webster stream if we get through that tomorrow the last big challenge will be grind stone. Tickles
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Post by tickles on Apr 28, 2012 18:56:00 GMT -5
Grindstone mid way 8000CFS
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Post by tickles on Apr 28, 2012 19:02:10 GMT -5
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Post by tickles on Apr 28, 2012 19:21:03 GMT -5
Click photo to play
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Post by Ken Corbett on Apr 29, 2012 9:02:22 GMT -5
Yeas, I caught a curly off that point and it flipped my bow, so that's where I began my swim. It looks gnarly in your shot, how'd you make out?
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Post by tickles on Apr 29, 2012 20:18:17 GMT -5
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:)
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Post by Ken Corbett on Apr 30, 2012 9:21:05 GMT -5
It happens to most everybody sooner or later. Good thing no one was hurt. Was it a kayak you lost?
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Post by tickles on May 1, 2012 18:35:09 GMT -5
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
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Post by tickles on May 1, 2012 19:23:45 GMT -5
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Post by mitchell on May 2, 2012 13:50:14 GMT -5
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.
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Post by tickles on May 16, 2012 13:41:59 GMT -5
Planning on heading back in a few weeks for a salvage expedition. Maybe fall for a rerun is in order if I can convince my friends to go again.
I feel like I left my balls/mojo on this river. And something about that don't sit well.
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Post by tickles on May 17, 2012 21:31:01 GMT -5
EPIC Fail
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Post by tickles on May 17, 2012 23:20:35 GMT -5
My friends say "I am so sorry to here about you miss hap" lost a boat 3-4G of gear I say whatever .....
I could have taken a week off of work and watched TV.
And remembered nothing.
Or I lived in the woods :I may have died though: But We will remember this trip for ever and it's not even finished yet:>
To be continued
Part two still coming:)
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Post by Jamie on May 18, 2012 4:29:34 GMT -5
My friends say "I am so sorry to here about you miss hap" lost a boat 3-4G of gear I say F them..... If you lost 3 - 4 G in gear and you have standard house insurance you should be able to make a claim and recover some of your loses. I started that process when I lost my canoe on the Tay a few years ago. Trouble with this route is the f%king insurance companies make it a pain in the ass but it can be done. Fortunately I recovered my canoe 2 weeks later and was able to cancel the claim. I did leave what little mojo I had in the Tay though. jp
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