Canoeing in Maine- A Memoir

Preparing to launch.

In 1976, Jim bought the canoe- an Old Town Tripper. He came up with the idea to go to Maine, too, a great idea.

Backcountry trips require a lot of planning and preparation and a certain degree of skill. We bought maps and guidebooks, made lists, purchased equipment, tied flies, and went canoeing every weekend. We learned how to paddle the hard way. Hell yeah, it was rugged falling into those ice-cold rapids, but it was tremendously exciting and oh, so much fun!

Jim and Charlie, Saco River.

Peter and me, Westfield River.

Flying into Fifth St. John Pond. The canoe is tied to the plane’s pontoon.

In Camp

Make camp, break camp. Make camp, break camp. It quickly becomes a routine on a canoe trip. Layover days are luxuries, to be savored and appreciated. Most days are spent paddling.

Setting up camp.

Feed me!

Running Carrot Rip, Machias River.

Riverside break.

Another break!

Moose crossing, St. John River.

Campsite, Third Machias Lake.

Susie O, Third Machias Lake

Youth passes. Responsibilities grow. I look back on my days paddling in Maine and the rest of New England with fondness, knowing I will probably never paddle there again.

Jim Tedesco, St. John River

All photos were shot with a Konica Auto-S and a Canon AE-1 with a 50 mm lens between 1976 and 1980. Film was most likely a mix of Kodak Plus-X and Tri-X but honestly, I can't remember.

To see the entire memoir, visit https://johnkumiski.com/maine/