Podcasts about Kennebec River

“The body floats downstream. But it is late November, and the Kennebec River is starting to freeze, large chunks of ice swirling and tumbling through the water, collecting in mounds while clear, cold fingers of ice stretch out from either bank, reaching into the current, grabbing hold of all that passes by."

25 years ago the Edwards Dam was removed from the Kennebec River in Maine allowing alewives and sturgeon to return to their spawning grounds in force, revitalizing the ecosystem and delighting the paddlers and local communities with the sturgeons' explosive breaching displays. In the summer of 2024, 2 separate source to sea trips ran the lengths of the Sandy and Kennebec in Maine. Contributing host Clark Tate was part of the Sandy trip and tells the on river story of both source to sea trips.CONTRIBUTING HOSTClark Tate@lclarktate RIVERS FOR CHANGE @riversforchangewww.riversforchange.org2024 Sandy to Kennebec ConfluenceGUESTSStuart Hickey, raft guide @freeheelinghickeyJessica Sterling, kayak instructor and web designer @jester1ingChris Morgan @ccmorgan8Jennifer Noll Maine Department of Marine ResourcesSaige Purser @saigelinsayRiver Radius Podcast - Native Teen Guide In Training ProgramJoe Klementovich, Photographer@klementovich   klementovichphoto.comRiver Radius Podcast - Source to Sea on the Saco RiverMatt Palmariello @mattpalmariello    www.mainepaddling.comAmy Borch, Tattoo artist  @amy.wildhand@melontrout.tattooEli Studer, Tattoo artist @elistudertattowww.elistudertatto.com SPONSORSDenver Area Nissan Dealers@nissanusaOver It Raft Covers@overitraftcoverspromo code, free shipping: riverradius SANDY RIVER INFORMATIONSandy River Northern Forest Canoe Trail MapEnvironmental Geology Along the Sandy River, Farmington Maine, Field Trip from University of Maine at Farmington. Dr. Tom Eastler, Mr. Andy Buckland, Mr. Joel SproulIndigenous Land and Water Acknowledgement by the University of Maine at FarmingtonThe Rangeley Area: A Geologic Tour by Emma Stattelman and Katarina Dickson SEA-RUN FISH INFORMATIONFinding the Next Sebasticook - National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationMap of Atlantic SalmonHabitat - Maine Department of Marine ResourcesKennebec River Management Plan Diadromous Resources Amendment - Maine Department of Marine ResourcesHistorical Fish Trap Counts - Maine Department of Marine Resources KENNEBEC DAM RELICENSING INFORMATIONDraft Environmental Impact StatementThe written comments are posted on the FERC elibrary website under docket P-2322.World weighs in on fate of 4 Maine dams blocking passage of endangered salmon - Bangor Daily News by Lori ValigraConservation groups cheer decision preserving state authority in Kennebec River dam relicensing - Maine Public by Robbie FeinbergDEP says Sandy River dredging violated Maine laws - Maine Public by Murray Carpenter4 dams, the future of Kennebec fish runs and salmon's survival at stake in federal licensing battle - Press Herald, Colin WoodardState agencies are reporting more salmon returning to the Kennebec and Penobscot Rivers this Year (2023) - Maine Public by Robbie FeinbergWe Can Turn a River in Maine into a Paradise for Salmon - The New York Times by John Waldman THE RIVER RADIUSWebsiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastSpotifyLink Tree

This Day in Maine for Tuesday, July 9th, 2024.

The frozen river: a novel DB 117781 Lawhon, Ariel. Reading time 15 hours, 8 minutes. Read by Ariel Lawhon Jane Oppenheimer. A production of National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, Library of Congress. Subjects: Suspense Fiction; Historical Fiction; Mystery and Detective Stories Description: “Maine, 1789: When the Kennebec River freezes, entombing a man in the ice, Martha Ballard is summoned to examine the body and determine cause of death. As a midwife and healer, she is privy to much of what goes on behind closed doors in Hallowell. Her diary is a record of every birth and death, crime and debacle that unfolds in the close-knit community. Months earlier, Martha documented the details of an alleged rape committed by two of the town's most respected gentlemen—one of whom has now been found dead in the ice. But when a local physician undermines her conclusion, declaring the death to be an accident, Martha is forced to investigate the shocking murder on her own. Over the course of one winter, as the trial nears, and whispers and prejudices mount, Martha doggedly pursues the truth. Her diary soon lands at the center of the scandal, implicating those she loves, and compelling Martha to decide where her own loyalties lie.” — Provided by publisher. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. Our facilitator for this group is Michelle Bernstein (hamletsweetlady@gmail.com).

This Day in Maine, Wednesday, May 22, 2024

Determine if Special Agent Henry Hall firmly believed that there would never be an ice shortage. Discover how 1880's saw first concerns addressed about dangers behind cutting ice from a health standpoint. Learn how Midwestern Cities from Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Chicago, Illinois adapted after health officials banned cutting ice close to nearby towns. Go behind the scenes and learn what took place between 2 Feuding Wisconsin Rival Ice Companies from 1900-1901. Learn what had become common practices for transporting heavy ice loads during 1890's. Find out if anyone from Maine during Nineteenth Century's Final Decade tried monopolizing the ice trade. Determine if any disputes existed amongst Maine Shipowners & New York Ice Company Owners. Discover what became breaking news come 1907 involving Ice Trade Business Practices. Learn about the natural ice industry's overall state by time World War I breaks out. Understand the significance behind an event which occurred along Kennebec River on June 29, 1910. Discover what has become of Wenham Lake & Fresh Pond in the years since ice harvesting officially ended. Learn if any plaques, monuments, to memorials exist in remembrance of Frederic Tudor's Ice Trade Achievements. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kirk-monroe/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kirk-monroe/support

Determine just how abundant Winter Ice had become within Greater Northern United States after Frederic Tudor's death. Learn which industries come 1880's began to make their presence more known involving ice. Discover if Maine's Kennebec River had served as an emergency source of ice prior to Frederic Tudor's death. Find out if Boston was still allowed the right to export out ice during Civil War. Decide if it's safe to say that the Ice Trade helped benefit Union Army during Civil War. Understand which key element was responsible behind demand for Maine Ice. Discover how city of New Orleans managed to survive throughout Civil War's Duration. Go behind the scenes and learn about the 1869-1870 Winter Season including how cities along Eastern Seaboard modified their circumstances going forward. Get introduced to Frenchman Ferdinand Carre including what he championed from a refrigeration standpoint. Discover what challenges Artificial Ice Manufacturers faced. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kirk-monroe/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kirk-monroe/support

The Frozen River - Ariel Lawhon  Maine, 1789: The Kennebec River freezes, entombing a man in the ice. Martha Ballard is summoned to examine the body and determine cause of death. As the local midwife and healer, Martha is good at keeping secrets. Her diary is a record of every birth and death, every murder and debacle that unfolds in the town of Hallowell. In that diary she also documented the details of an alleged rape that occurred four months earlier. Now, one of the men accused of that heinous attack has been found dead in the ice.  While Martha is certain she knows what happened the night of the assault, she suspects that the two crimes are linked, and that there is more to both cases than meets the eye. Over the course of one long, hard winter, as the trial nears, and whispers and prejudices mount, Martha's diary lands at the centre of the scandal and threatens to tear both her family and her community apart.    Resurrection Walk - Michael Connelly  Lincoln Lawyer Mickey Haller enlists the help of his half-brother, Harry Bosch, to prove the innocence of a woman convicted of killing her ex-husband.  Defence attorney Mickey Haller is back, taking the long shot cases, where the chances of winning are one in a million. After getting a wrongfully convicted man out of prison, he is inundated with pleas from incarcerated people claiming innocence. He enlists his half-brother, retired LAPD Detective Harry Bosch, to weed through the letters, knowing most claims will be false.   Bosch pulls a needle from the haystack: a woman in prison for killing her ex-husband, a sheriff's deputy, but who still maintains her innocence. Bosch reviews the case and sees elements that don't add up, and a sheriff's department intent on bringing quick justice in the killing of one of its own.   Now Haller has an uphill battle in court, a David fighting Goliaths to vindicate his client. The path for both lawyer and investigator is fraught with danger from those who don't want the case reopened and will stop at nothing to keep the Haller-Bosch dream team from finding the truth.    LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

PAUL FULLER & CARATUNK HOUSE In 1990 Paul “One Braid” Fuller completed his first thru-hike - this one of the Appalachian Trail. After two thru-hikes of the Pacific Crest Trail and another hike of the AT, Paul started Caratunk House, a hiker hostel in Caratunk, Maine - just a few steps north of the Kennebec River and just a few steps off the AT. After serving hikers for many years, Paul closed the hostel for a few years but was drawn back to his passion for helping hikers in 2016. After a number of additional years of running the hostel, Caratunk House closed during COVID and will not be reopened. In the original edition of Platinum-Blazing the Appalachian Trail, Caratunk House was highlighted for its wonderful family-style breakfast and its incredible milkshakes; and Paul was identified as one of the “Best Platinum Hostel Hosts.” The 2024 Edition of Platinum-Blazing the Appalachian Trail established the Platinum-Blazing Hall of Fame. Paul and Caratunk House were inducted into this Hall of Fame for their service to the AT community.   THE PLATINUM BLAZING PODCAST Our Podcaster: The podcast host is Bruce (“RTK”) Matson, who completed a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail in 2018 at age 61. His adventures were captured as part of the Hiking Radio Network podcast known as “Returning to Katahdin: An Appalachian Trail Dream.” Bruce's memoir of that hike is also available on Amazon. The Platinum Blazing Podcast was inspired by the book: “Platinum-Blazing the Appalachian Trail: How to Thru-hike in 3-Star Luxury.” A new, updated edition has just been released. It is available on Amazon, on the Platinum Blazing website, and by writing to the editors at platinumblazing@gmail.com. This new edition features many new Best Platinum honorees, including a new, Platinum-Blazing Hall of Fame. It also has a new section of the Best Platinum Shelters along the Appalachian Trail. Another chapter highlights the “Tennessee Hostel Hop” and the “Virginia is for Hostel Lovers Hike” - each listing helps hikers determine an itinerary to permit them to stay overnight in a hostel for over 200 miles straight in Tennessee and over 100 miles in Virginia. More information about Platinum-Blazing is available as follows: Website: http://www.platinum-blazing.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PlatinumBlazeInstitute Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/platinum_blazing/ Please email Bruce at platinumblazing@gmail.com with any ideas you have for topics or guests, especially hostel owners, shuttle drivers, AT maintenance club members, owners of best Platinum eating establishments, recent thru-hikers, etc. Please feel free to suggest or nominate yourself.

In this episode, we engage in a conversation with a long-time friend of Robert Card, the prime suspect in a chilling series of homicides that have shaken Lewiston, Maine. These gruesome acts are believed to have claimed the lives of more than 18 individuals across two separate locations. As the manhunt for the elusive perpetrator in Maine entered its second day, we witnessed an extensive operation with helicopters scouring vast expanses of the countryside, while the Coast Guard diligently patrolled the Kennebec River. In the midst of this crisis, thousands of residents found themselves under an extended lockdown, their lives disrupted as law enforcement personnel from local, state, and federal agencies meticulously searched the expansive and predominantly rural terrain for answers.Additionally, amidst the turmoil, politicians are once again echoing the call for gun control measures in the aftermath of this tragic event. Their focus is on proposed changes that aim to restrict firearm access for law-abiding citizens, a subject that continues to spark heated debates. All of this and more on this episode of Maine Mass Shooting | Interview With Robert Card Lifelong FriendOur FacebookOur XOur InstagramInvestigate Earth RumbleThis show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/3294569/advertisement

We talk about the flooding of Flagstaff, when in 1950 CMP decided to build a dam to increase the flow to the Kennebec River resulting in the drowning of a quaint farming and logging community. Get your flood insurance, you're gonna need. Come say hi at homegrownhorrorpod@gmail.com or at instagram @homegrownhorrorpod. Sources: maineanencyclopedia.com T3 R4 BKP WKR meseniors.com Flagstaff by Sheila D. Grant. January 24, 2021. Walter Wyman and River Power. mainememory.net Maine Mysteries: The Drowned Ghost Town of Flagstaff. newscentermaine.com This One Sad Ghost Town in Maine is the Stuff Nightmares Are Made Of by Michelle. August 12, 2021. onlyinyourstate.com Flagstaff Lake (Maine) wikipedia Flagstaff, Maine- The town that drowned. November 24, 2021. theirregular.com The Lost Towns of Flagstaff Lake. mainesnorthwesternmountains.com Maine Folklife Center. Flagstaff, "Mad Made Lake" umaine.edu Gallant Flagstaff Readies for Old-Home-Day Program, by Eva Bacheoldor. Portland Press Herald. July 1, 1949. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/hghpod/support

Happy 100th episode everyone! We are so happy you can join us on this wonderful journey of friendship and terrible awful stories. On this episode we are doing part one of a two parter centered on the Augusta Mental Health Institute. In operation from 1840 to 2004, we discuss the acquisition of the Kennebec Arsenal and the ghosties that may still wander the abandoned corridors. Sources: Watch: Is the Most Haunted Maine Building in Augusta? wblm.com The Haunted Kennebec Arsenal by Denver Michaels. July 25, 2019. denvermichaels.net The Arsenal on Maine's Kennebec River by David Fiske. hikeghosttowns.com Here's the Most Haunted Place in Every State by Jordi Lippe-McGraw. Spetember 25, 2017. Cosmopolitan Kennebec Arsenal, meandermaine.com The forgotten dead by Kelley Bouchard. May 27, 2012. Portland Press Herald. Fifteen years after AMHI's closure, mental health system still fractured by Eric Russell. June 16, 2019. Portland Press Herald. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/hghpod/support

Lucy, Theo and Andrew bring you: A wet Jeep, the stinkiest Nazi rubber in Texas, airholing the Kennebec River, angry cows, Swiss diaper trouble, and a dispatch from a big dinner. *** Support our show and get exclusive bonus episodes by subscribing on Patreon: www.patreon.com/BoontaVista *** Email the show at mailbag@boontavista.com! Call in and leave us a question or a message on 1800-317-515 to be answered on the show! *** Twitter: twitter.com/boontavista Website: boontavista.com Merchandise: shop.boontavista.com/ Twitch: twitch.tv/boontavista

Scientist, educator, and author John Waldman discusses how we can restore Maine's rivers and the great fish migrations to which they were once home. Waldman's talk was originally delivered at an online webinar NRCM hosted in December as part of our ongoing effort to support a free-flowing Kennebec River and bring back millions of sea-run fish, including endangered Atlantic salmon. To view the webinar, including Waldman's slides, visit: https://youtu.be/2NSU2oHLQMQ

Bakers Island Light Station is off the coast of Salem, Massachusetts, a few miles north of Boston. The station was established in 1798 and the lighthouse tower that stands today was built in 1820. The 10-acre site is owned by the Essex National Heritage Commission, also known as Essex Heritage, a non-profit organization that manages and oversees the unique heritage resources of the Essex National Heritage Area. During the summer season, Essex Heritage offers public tours to the light station by boat, as well as overnight stays with a campground and accommodations in the historic assistant keepers' house. Each year, volunteer caretakers stay on the island throughout the summer. Volunteers Tara and Brian Flanagan have spent the past five summers living and working at the light station, logging more than 1,500 hours worked each season. Bakers Island Light Station, Massachusetts. Photo by Jeremy D'Entremont. Brian and Tara have sailed more than 10,000 miles visiting the Bahamas, the Florida Keys, and the Gulf Coast of Florida, as well as transiting the Intracoastal Waterway six times. In 2017, they had the opportunity to be seasonal caretakers at the historic light station on Seguin Island, off the mouth of the Kennebec River in Maine. They started at Bakers Island Light Station in 2018 and recently finished their fifth and final season there. They are now the winter caretakers for the residential portion of Bakers Island. Brian and Tara Flanagan in the lantern room at Bakers Island Lighthouse. (Courtesy of Brian and Tara Flanagan)

Four light stations were established on Maine's Kennebec River in 1898, on the approach to the busy shipbuilding center of Bath. The keeper's house at one of the stations, Doubling Point, was sold to a private owner in 1935. The house has been owned for many years by Jim and Joyce Spencer, who also spearheaded the formation of the nonprofit Friends of Doubling Point Light in the late 1990s. The front range light of the Kennebec River (Doubling Point) Range Lights, photo by Jeremy D'Entremont. In 1982, Coast Guard first class boatswain's mate Karen McLean became the officer in charge at the Kennebec River Range Lights Station (also known as the Doubling Point Range Lights). In that position, she was also in charge of the light stations at Squirrel Point and Doubling Point. She was one of the first women and the last female to become officer-in-charge of a Coast Guard family light station. In early 1987, Karen's husband, Lt. Dan McLean, took charge of the station. Karen and Dan have now stepped into lead roles for the Friends of Doubling Point Light. Squirrel Point Lighthouse Doubling Point Lighthouse This is part two of a two-part interview with Jim and Joyce Spencer along with Karen and Dan McLean. Bob Trapani, Jr., executive director of the American Lighthouse Foundation, co-hosts.

The city of Bath, Maine, on the Kennebec River, has long been known as the City of Ships. By 1800, Bath's shipyards were producing vessels used in domestic and international trade. Doubling Point Lighthouse was established in 1898 on the northwest end of Arrowsic Island, at a sharp double bend in the Kennebec River, near the shipyards of Bath. It was one of several aids to navigation built on the river in the same year. Doubling Point Lighthouse, Maine. In the background is the Bath Iron Works, a subsidiary of General Dynamics -- one of the largest defense contractors in the world and one of the largest employers in the state of Maine. Photo by Jeremy D'Entremont. In 1935, the keeper's house at Doubling Point was sold to a private owner. The keeper at the range light station a short distance away became responsible for both stations. Responsibility for looking after the light later went to the keeper at Squirrel Point Light Station in 1980. Beginning in the early 1980s, Doubling Point Light was again monitored from the Doubling Point Range Lights Station. It became the job of one keeper to look after the Range Lights, Doubling Point Light, and Squirrel Point Light, as well as their fog signals. For a few years, this job was performed by Coast Guard Boatswain Mate Karen McLean, one of a very small number of female Coast Guard lighthouse keepers. L to R: Dan and Karen McLean; Jim and Joyce Spencer. Photo by Jeremy D'Entremont. This is part 1 of 2 parts. The guests in this episode are Karen and Dan McLean, who are now taking the lead roles in the Friends of Doubling Point Light organization. Also joining in the interview is Jim Spencer, founder of Friends of Doubling Point Light, and his wife Joyce. Jim and Joyce are the longtime owners and residents of the keeper's house at Doubling Point. This episode is co-hosted by Bob Trapani, Jr., executive director of the American Lighthouse Foundation.

Hey, I'm not sure if you've noticed, but there are SO MANY awesome outdoor resources available to us here in New England. Have you ever stopped to wonder how those amazingly mapped and maintained trail networks or hut systems or water access points come to be?Probably no surprise, there are a LOT of people and organizations hustling in the background, because big projects like those usually require a LOT of cooperation and alignment on a lot of fronts. For every great trail system you enjoy, there are probably 100 that never left the drafting table.It's not too difficult to recognize the beauty and potential when you're looking out from a mountain top or over a pristine lake or dramatic oceanfront cliff. But what about the turn of the century mill towns scattered across the state that used to harness Maine's countless rivers for manufacturing power?When buildings and dams and ugly fences and parking lots are crowding your urban center's waterfront, do you have any options?Today's guest says Heck YES! I'm stoked to welcome Kristina Cannon, Executive Director of Main Street Skowhegan to the pod today.I found Main Street Skowhegan after I saw some kind of social media post about a whitewater park that was going to be built on the Kennebec River in Maine and went down a Google rabbit hole (as one does). I had a mental picture of kayak racks and PFDs piled up in a dirt parking lot in some rural location along the river, but heck no - it's going to be right smack dab in the middle of downtown Skowhegan!The Skowhegan Riverpark Project is just one of about a zillion cool things that Main Street Skowhegan is working on, with Kristina at the helm, so I'm going to let her tell you all about it and get you stoked for your own Skowhegan Staycation.We just missed the craft brew fest, but there are plenty more reasons to visit Skowhegan coming up, head over to VisitSkowhegan.com or check out @visitskowhegan on Instagram and Facebook for all the details on upcoming festivals and events. Better yet, when you decide that Skowhegan sounds like a pretty cool place to take your remote work - where you can run some rapids in the morning, run your financials an hour later and be running out for locally sourced wood-fired pizza at lunch - go to Main Street Skowhegan or Skowhegan Entrepreneurship to find out how easy it will be to make those dreams your reality!More links from our conversation:Abby Bennett, Mahoosuc Land TrustJen Klein, Trustees of ReservationsWhat is a 'design charette'? (this link will tell you AND give you all the info you need to host your own!)Mill City Park (Franklin, NH)Main Street America programBikeMaineOutdoor Sport InstituteMaine Wood HeatMaine GrainsSpork

SUSPICIOUS DEATH:   Thursday, September 1, 2016, was a warm end-of-the-summer day in Waterville, Maine. That whole week, in fact, had beautiful weather — a wonderful way to close out the last week before the unofficial end of summer on Labor Day. Lexxi Sironen spent time with her friend of 8 years. Afterward, Lexxi's whereabouts are a mystery until she was spotted inthe Kennebec River. This is Lexxi's Story…IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:Waterville Police (207) 680-4700 http://www.waterville-me.gov/ORCrime Stoppers USA 1-800-222-TIPShttps://www.crimestoppersusa.org/LOST LOVE ONE:Lexxi T. Sironen | Her Story on Uncovered . ComEDUCATE/SUPPORT/DONATE:  | The Osceola Chamber | LGBT OUTREACH/SERVICES | https://theosceolachamber.com/directory/categories/lgbt-outreachservices   | The Sylvia Rivera Law Project | The Sylvia Rivera Law Project (SRLP) works to guarantee that all people are free to self-determine their gender identity and expression, regardless of income or race, and without facing harassment, discrimination, or violence. SRLP is a collective organization founded on the understanding that gender self-determination is inextricably intertwined with racial, social, and economic justice. | https://srlp.org/   | Trans Day of Remembrance (TDoR) | Every year on 20 November, we remember and honor the lives of trans and gender-diverse people reported murdered in the past 12 months. | https://tdor.tgeu.org/ ARTICLES/SOURCES:  | 375 Transgender People Murdered In 2021-‘Deadliest Year' Since Records Began | Forbes | 11/11/21 | 375 Transgender People Murdered In 2021-‘Deadliest Year' Since Records Began (forbes.com)  | Lexxi Tristram Sironen | Forever Missed . com |  | https://www.forevermissed.com/lexxi-kevin-tristram-sironen/about  | “I Just Try to Make It Home Safe” | Human Rights Watch | 11/18/21 | https://www.hrw.org/report/2021/11/18/i-just-try-make-it-home-safe/violence-and-human-rights-transgender-people-united  | I Can't Keep Living Like This': How Homelessness Is Killing Trans People | Vice .com | November 22, 2016 | https://www.vice.com/en/article/paedmy/i-cant-keep-living-like-this-how-homelessness-is-killing-trans-people  | Trans Murder Monitoring | trans respect . org | 2022 | https://transrespect.org/en/research/tmm/ “Lexxi was my dear friend and we shared many of our up and downs together. She seem to struggle in a world that did not understand her but knowing her was a true "gift". She ALWAYS was herself when she came to visit and we shared many great times together. We shared tears, laughter, sadness and joy. I will forever miss you girlfriend. I love ya Lexxi !!” ~ Karen Snyder on October 20, 2016SHOUTOUT:THANK YOU!!  MW (@weathersrabbits), for giving me the spark to the torch!https://linktr.ee/weathersrabbitsPATREON SHOUTOUT:Kat K. Member as of April 20, 2022 ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

In this episode we were lucky enough to sit down with the Commissioner of the Maine Department of Marine Resources, and ASMFC Board Member Pat Keliher. Pat is a lifelong Mainer, who grew up on the banks of the Kennebec River in Gardiner Maine. He is a Registered Maine Guide, and licensed USCG Captain. Pat got his start guiding hunters for upland birds and sea ducks, he then transitioned to chasing trophy Striped Bass on the fly. He guided full time for nearly a decade before he moved into fisheries management, where he headed up the CCA, and then moved into the head of Maine's Atlantic Salmon division. He has been the face of DMR for ten years and says he has "some more years in him". Pat was the Executive chair for ASMFC for two years and still holds a position on the board. Pat is a humble man who is quick to give credit to staff and put the blame on himself if needed. He is truly a great ambassador for the State of Maine and for the fishing community on the east coast. If you want to see what Pat and his staff are up to check out: Maine.gov/dmr/ ASMFC.org Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hello everyone. Welcome back for another episode of the Outdoor Adventure Series Podcast. This is your Host Howard Fox. The Outdoor Adventure Series celebrates individuals & families, businesses, and organizations that seek out and promote the exploration and enjoyment of the great outdoors. Our guest today is Retha Charette. Retha is a Professional Pedestrian, Adventure Travel Writer, and Adventure Manager.Retha works with women who want to get outside, build their hiking skills, and push themselves, and she loves hiking big mountains and long trailsIn this episode you'll also learn more about Retha's adventure travel spirit, including the moment she and her hiking buddy climbed onto the ferry to get across the Kennebec River in Maine, to finish her AT hiking adventure.To learn more about Retha and her adventure opportunities visit her website at https://roamingnanny.com.You can also retrieve a free download on her website, the Beginner's Guide to Hiking: https://roamingnanny.com/free-beginners-guide-to-hiking/You can also learn more about Retha on the following social sites:FacebookInstagramRoaming Nanny is also affiliated with the following adventure travel sites for woman:WHOA Travel  - A boutique adventure company for woman by woman Damesly - Womens Travel Boutique Tours for Creative & Professional WomenInsigt2Go:Just do it. Don't wait!!!To learn more about the Outdoor Writers Association or America, visit their website at https://owaa.orgThe Outdoor Adventure Series is a podcast production of Fox Coaching, Inc.

Scotty and Sean Talk Big Brook Trout vs. Smallmouth Bass, Atlantic Salmon, Stonefly Hatches, and More! Sean McCormick lives two hundred yards from the place he grew up in central Maine on the banks of the Sheepscot river, a wild Atlantic salmon river. He started fly fishing in sixth grade when a science teacher sent him home with a Universal vise, hooks, fly tying tools, and three or four bucktail pieces to try for the evening. For 25+ years, Sean has rowed a drift boat on the Kennebec River, guiding fly anglers for trout, salmon, and occasionally smallmouth bass. In the winter Sean can be found at his fly tying desk prepping his fly boxes for the upcoming fishing season and working to develop innovations in fly design! If you're wanting to experience fly fishing in Maine, be sure to check out Sean's guide service, Blue Heron Fly Fishing.  

Colin is excited about the first electric school bus in Maine, and then speaks with Advocacy Director Pete Didisheim about the most important federal climate bill ever, and what it means for Maine's Climate Action Plan. They also discuss a lawsuit NRCM filed against Brookfield for violating federal environmental law on the Kennebec River and killing endangered Atlantic salmon.

Artist Ann Sklar was a printmaking major in college--not because she loved printmaking, but because of the charismatic female professor who led the program. From this professor, Ann learned much more about life and work than one might expect from a college course of study. The professor went on to become a provost at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and Ann went on to co-found three art galleries. One of these is a Philadelphia-area female artist cooperative that still exists today. Ann brings a mindful and determined discipline to her work: a discipline she developed over years spent balancing the demands of her business ventures, young children and her own art practice. We're fortunate to have Ann here in Maine during the summer months, where she resides in a home she built with her husband, Henry, along the banks of the Kennebec River in Woolwich. Please join us on today's Radio Maine, as we talk about life and work with Portland Art Gallery artist, Ann Sklar.

In this episode Colin speaks with Sustainable Maine Director Sarah Nichols about one of NRCM’s top legislative priorities for 2021: LD 1541, a bill to save taxpayers money and improve recycling by implementing an Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging program. The bill asks big corporations to share responsibility for the flood of packaging that is increasing waste disposal costs for cities and towns across the state, like they're already doing in other countries. Advocacy Director Pete Didisheim highlights record alewife numbers and provides updates on legislative action, Kennebec River, and CMP corridor.

In this episode Colin speaks with Staff Scientist Nick Bennett to discuss why removing four dams on the Kennebec River between Waterville and Skowhegan is our best chance to save endangered Atlantic salmon. Colin also provides updates on federal climate action, some positive votes in Maine’s Legislature, and Hannaford’s commitment to zero food waste.

Use this player to listen to the podcast episode: Halfway Rock is a windswept, rocky ledge far out in Maine’s Casco Bay, about nine miles east of Portland Head. Its name comes from its location about halfway between Cape Elizabeth and Cape Small. A 76-foot granite lighthouse tower was built on the ledge in the summer of 1871. It's now privately owned and has been restored in recent years. Halfway Rock Light, photo by Jeremy D'EntremontSeguin Light, photo by Jeremy D'Entremont Tim Bailey Tim Bailey was born in Gardiner, Maine, but he spent his school years in Connecticut. After graduating from high school, Tim joined the Coast Guard. After his time as a keeper at Halfway Rock (1971-72), he was stationed at Boothbay Harbor, Maine, then Seguin Light Station off the mouth of the Kennebec River. In this interview, he discusses his experiences at Halfway Rock and Seguin Island. Joining in on the interview is Ford Reiche, the owner of Halfway Rock Lighthouse. Thanks to Jesse Littlefield for her help with this interview with her dad, Tim Bailey. Photographer Mike Leonard lives in Yarmouth, Maine, and his photography is frequently seen in books and magazines, and in television segments. Mike offers workshops on digital photography, which you can read about on his website at phototourismbymike.com. In this installment of “Photo Tips with Mike Leonard" he discusses night photography of lighthouses. Portland Head Light, photo by Mike LeonardWest Quoddy Head Light, photo by Mike Leonard Gallery of photos of Halfway Rock, 1971-72 (Courtesy of Tim Bailey): December 1971 Tim Bailey rowing the USCG peapod boatDecember 1971 - hole in lantern glass made by a sea duck The boat slipThe third-order Fresnel lens February 1972 storm damage; railing and fuel tank missingFrank Reese and Tim Bailey, Thanksgiving 1971 Use this player to hear the podcast episode:

I Want to Believe the Podcast – S4 Episode 12 | The Basin Screecher of Maine Song at the top of the episode: Somebody’s Watching Me by Rockwell Closing song: Murder She Wrote by Chaka Demus & Pliers Welcome to the I Want to Believe podcast! The town of Phippsburg, Maine, which sits at the west side mouth of the Kennebec River is known for its pristine beauty. The area is home to a wildlife refuge, Popham Beach, historic forts, and also… an unknown creature. I’ll tell ya more in a sec… A quick reminder that ALL of our I Want to Believe social media & email are in the show notes. My brand-new book, Granite Skies: A Disconcerted Journey Through the Unknown is NOW AVAILABLE for purchase at The Green Hand Bookshop in Portland, Maine (and online). You can also get it on Amazon, Kindle or a personalized signed copy can be obtained from my online store. Everything can be found at allmylinks.com/slevik OR just click the link from the show notes. Alright… let’s talk about the Basin Screecher of Maine. There’s reported anomaly haunting a basin in Phippsburg. This one is in the form of a bipedal creature with wings, and a terrifying scream.  As the name suggests, more people have heard it than have seen it with their eyes. Emitting a blood-stopping scream, it’s said to haunt the Basin in Phippsburg. The Basin is a wooded area long known for late night forest parties and beer-fueled shenanigans. The few who have seen it describe a creature half man and half bird.  Listen to the episode for more info on the screecher and witness accounts. Social Media & Email I Want to Believe Instagram I Want to Believe Patreon Send us an Email (suggest an episode topic, tell us how awesome or dumb we are… whatever you want!) Slevik Media Links Links to ALL my works Otherworldly Amor Documentary on Amazon Prime Abducted New England Documentary on Amazon Prime Nomar Slevik Store (DVDs, Books & more) Slevik Facebook Podcast Links Direct Link to Podcast | Apple Podcast Sources: Bangor Daily News Book: Wild! Weird! Wonderful! Maine. By Earl Brechlin -  Book: New England’s Scariest Stories and Urban Legends by Summer Paradis & Cathy McManus  Video: Basin Screecher Documentary by Owen Barter, Alden Harkins, and Gavin Hanna

NRCM kicks off 2021 with a brand new format for our podcast. Advocacy Communications Director Colin Durrant will speak with advocates and experts to bring you a quick, concise summary of the latest news and information you need to know about Maine’s environment. We’ll post a new episode every two weeks so you can keep up-to-date on breaking news from the Legislature and other places across Maine. In this episode Colin speaks with Advocacy Director Pete Didisheim about what’s ahead in this year’s unique legislative session, a new effort to restore the Kennebec River, and reflects on the seismic changes happening on the federal level.

This is a rebroadcast of an earlier show (original air date December 8, 2020); no calls will be taken. The removal of the Edwards Dam from the Kennebec River — and the Great Works and Veazie Dams from the Penobscot — made national news and ushered in a new era for Maine's sea run fish. But the work is far from over. We'll discuss projects to remove dams, create fish passages and reconstruct culverts all over the state, and what these projects mean for the health of our rivers and streams. This program ties in with the publication of a new book this month about the Penobscot River restoration project.

This is a rebroadcast of an earlier show (original air date December 8, 2020); no calls will be taken. The removal of the Edwards Dam from the Kennebec River — and the Great Works and Veazie Dams from the Penobscot — made national news and ushered in a new era for Maine's sea run fish. But the work is far from over. We'll discuss projects to remove dams, create fish passages and reconstruct culverts all over the state, and what these projects mean for the health of our rivers and streams. This program ties in with the publication of a new book this month about the Penobscot River restoration project.

The removal of the Edwards Dam from the Kennebec River — and the Great Works and Veazie Dams from the Penobscot — made national news and ushered in a new era for Maine's sea run fish. But the work is far from over. We'll discuss projects to remove dams, create fish passages and reconstruct culverts all over the state, and what these projects mean for the health of our rivers and streams. This program ties in with the publication of a new book this month about the Penobscot River restoration project.

The removal of the Edwards Dam from the Kennebec River — and the Great Works and Veazie Dams from the Penobscot — made national news and ushered in a new era for Maine's sea run fish. But the work is far from over. We'll discuss projects to remove dams, create fish passages and reconstruct culverts all over the state, and what these projects mean for the health of our rivers and streams. This program ties in with the publication of a new book this month about the Penobscot River restoration project.

The beer industry and the state of Maine are both such special places to exist, due in large part to the people you meet within them. Both deserve equal credit for bringing this week's IN-STUDIO guest to us - Matthew Bateman. Matt works at Northern Outdoors, an operation in The Forks, ME that includes within it rafting, guiding, camping, and lodging services. Since 1996, the company has also included a brewery - Kennebec River Brewing, located within the Northern Outdoors lodge. The BBB crew recently spent a couple nights on premise for a team getaway, camping a few nights, rafting the Kennebec (water) and thoroughly enjoying drinking Kennebec (beer) on-site. We met Matt as one of our boats' guides, only to find out he has also been cutting his teeth in the brewery since spring. We get into the many things that makes Northern Outdoors such a truly unique (and HIGHLY recommended), and Matt's life as both a whitewater rafting guide and new brewer. He gives us the ins and outs of rafting, talks about some of the craziest water he's ever been on, and defines the new-to-us term, "hydrology". On the beer side, Matt talks about what makes Kennebec River Brewing so unique, touching on how it's bucked the usual brewpub pitfalls, avoided Ringwood in a pre-Y2K Maine, and had been run by ONE GUY (shoutout Mike!) from inception until Matt was brought on six months ago. We also get into his experience going from beer fan to actual brewer, discuss the distinct satisfactions he's taking from it, and mutually lament the punishing heat a brewery comes with. This was an extremely fun one and felt particularly special in its full-circle nature. As you'll hear, we can't recommend the many things Northern Outdoors has to offer enough. Special thanks to Matthew for making the trip to Milo to join the shortlist of in-studio guests, and to all of Northern Outdoors for making our staff trip so special a few weeks ago!

Welcome to Waterville, Maine! Despite its simple name, it is surrounded by places that Keith can't pronounce. It is situated on the Kennebec River and was originally settled by the Canibas tribe of the Abenaki people. It was burned in 1692 during King William's War, and was subsequently abandoned by the tribe. Waterville was incorporated in 1802. Early industries included fishing, lumber, agriculture and boat building. Waterville is also home to Thomas College and Colby College. Notable resident, Heister Richard Hornberger, Jr, wrote the novel, MASH, under the pseudonym Richard Hooker. He sold the rights to the film for just a few hundred dollars... yep. Bad move. Let's see if we can keep from "pulling a Hornberger" in this latest episode.

It is dusk of a late summer day and you are standing quietly on a shoreline. There are bits of gnarled tree roots washed ashore here and there, pebbles, and small patches of mossy green vegetation at the lip of the water. The long vista you're observing is a mixture of green and gold and blue, with the orange-red of the setting sun casting long shadows over the water of the quiet lake. There are trees as far as the eye can see, covering the rolling hills. If you stay very still and listen attentively, you might hear the sound of people laughing at their camps, of an outboard motor slowly cruising along in the rapture of the moment. It is a timeless place, a place of deep beauty. People might work hard and save for years for a moment such as this, far from the crowded city, a place where the angels come to play. But if you wait a while and let the last light of the setting sun fall away to the West, wait for the stars to turn on one by one in the darkest and brightest night sky you've ever seen, if you listen for the long lonesome call of the loon and feel the night air grow colder, you might also hear the sound of people, of cars, of tractors and children laughing, of radios on front porches and dogs barking. You have to hear it with the soul's ear, but if you listen, the sound is there: for this is a place where memories linger, a place that, if not haunted, is certainly trying to be. Places are a lot like people. They are born, they slowly grow and take on shape and purpose, they find a way to thrive in the world, and they change, adapt, and continue. But some places, a very few, like people, die. Some simply just cease to be and die a natural death. But some places are murdered. Such is the place you are viewing in your mind's eye - it is the victim of a premeditated crime, committed for money, leaving the corpse to rot underneath the shallow waters. This is Flagstaff Lake, the fourth largest lake in Maine,a state with over six thousand lakes and ponds. But before the 1950's, this 20,300 acre lake didn't exist. Before that, there were the towns of Flagstaff Village and Dead River Plantation, home to families, houses, stores, farms, schools, and churches. Children laughed there, the seasons ran their courses, people fell in love, married, grew old and were buried there. Life was anchored in this place. This was home. Today, it is an extremely shallow man-made lake and below the waters, memories linger. You can almost hear it, if you have an imagination. People needed power to drive the future. Factories, farms, and businesses all were bursting to grow into something more, to bring jobs and prosperity to even the most far-flung and isloated residents of the land. Electricty was on the minds of everyone who witnessed its possibilities in the few places in America where it was generated. Like so many emerging technologies, it became a revolution, and like many revolutions, there would be casualties. The man who set the machinations into motion had profit on his mind. His name was Walter Wyman and the company was the Central Maine Power Company. Wyman was a pioneer in electricty production in Maine. As early as 1899, he and his partner began producing electricty for the town of Oakland. Over time, he set his sights on all of western Maine as a kind of kingdom of power. Wyman looked at the state of Maine's electrical power production, which was scattered and unorganized. He began to change all of that by purchasing one small electrical producer after another, creating a single power-producing entity, Central Maine Power. Wyman knew that electricty would soon drive the engines of civilization, even in the smallest, most remote areas and he was going to control the means of production. In the early 1930s, he began acquiring other companies, growing his business. In 1936 the federal government instituted the Rural Electrification Act and provided money to those people and companies who could bring electricity to the isolated rural areas of the country. Wyman wanted his share of that money. He wanted to become Maine's premier electricity producer. Ultimately, he would need to harness hydro-power and the flow of the mighty Kennebec River. He looked at the map of Western Maine and saw an existing lake, a much smaller body of water called Flagstaff Pond. With the area's vast woodlands and rivers leading to the larger rivers, it was no stretch of the imagination to see a hydro-electric dam that regulated the water flow of the North and South Dead Rivers into the larger Kennebec. Wyman embraced the idea and began by purchasing parcel after parcel of land and burning the forests to the ground. His plan was to create a vast resevoir of water, the future Flagstaff Lake, to drive the turbines and create one of the largest electrical companies in the northeast. But Wyman had a problem. In 1909, in an effort to preserve Maine's natural heritage and keep it wild and open, the legislature passed the Fernald Bill. It prohibited companies that produced electricity in the state from selling it outside of the state, banning its export.That was a problem for Wyman who had plans. The law was almost repealed, but the voters of the state chose to keep it. Frustrated, he didn't let the Fernald Law stop him from building the capacity for power generation in the state, even while building the largest hydroelectric dam in the northeast, the Wyman Dam at Bingham. He had too much power - literally - to sell in Maine. If there was no one to buy his power, that meant that Wyman had to create places that needed it, so he heavily invested in Bath Iron Works, Keyes Fiber in Waterville, shoe companies, and textile mills. He even created the Maine Seaboard Paper Company in Bucksport - a mill that had no way of producing its own power. If he couldn't export power, he would invest in businesses that needed his power right in the state and profit from selling his power and from their products, which could be exported legally. Wyman was, after all, a business man with plans. And if a business stops growing, it begins to die. But what of the towns of Flagstaff, Bigelow, and Dead River Planation? The people knew what he was doing. They saw the smoke from the fires, talked to the people who sold off their land to the speculators, understood that change was on the horizon and it was coming to take something away. Central Maine Power sent letters, went door to door,applied legal pressure where it was needed to get things moving and soon people began to succumb to the idea that their town was going to be taken from them. First, it was a farm here,a home there, but then businesses sold out, and larger and larger pieces of land were owned by the company. The townships were dissolved. Most folks took the money and moved away to places like Eustis. Some even had their homes transported like mobile homes. They dug up the dead and put them somewhere else. Some few people held on and refused to take the power company's checks for their homes. Many of those people simply lost everything, because with their permission or without it, Walter Wyman and his company would have their way, as they always did. In July of 1949, about 300 people met in the village one final time before it all was taken from them. As they met, they were surrounded by a an empty forest of tree stumpage, all cut and removed so that the reservoir for the nearly completed Long Falls Dam could be free of debris, as it created the largest man-made lake in the state of Maine. They must have been quiet; their past was being taken from them, even if they had cashed Wyman's checks. The outskirts were already empty,the buildings all future ghosts just waiting for the inevitable. The school had already been razed to the ground. The church would be flooded, as would all of the other houses, under water and lost to their sight. There was nothing to celebrate. It was like gathering together for a kind of execution. Within a year, everything would be gone. In 1950, the Long Falls Dam was completed and the last people in the villages and towns witnessed the rising waters. It was a slow death, they say, as it took weeks for the waters to fill the 20,000 acres. All those places they knew so well, the houses that sheltered them, the fields that fed them, the lawns where the children played, even the graveyard that honored their revered dead, all were erased from human sight for the march of progress. In order for Walter Wyman to provide the power that would eventually be exported from Maine to Boston and places south, this quiet, rural place would need to go, and with it, the heritage of hundreds of ordinary people without the money that bought influence. The Fernald Bill would be repealed, people would move on and these places, now underwater, would eventually be forgotten until finally, only a few survivors who grew up there, can recall the streets, the lights in the corner store at twilight, the sound of the radio and people rocking on their porches on a hot summmer night. They say that Benedict Arnold, on his march to Canada, stopped at this place and put up a flag. When he left, the flagstaff remained, replaced by a trapper who found it. From that moment on, there had always been a flagstaff in the town. It was its namesake. In the end, when they flooded the town, they let it stand and for awhile, it poked above the waters as a maker, a kind of gravestone, for the town whose life was taken from its people and its people taken from it. If you go onto the lake today and stand on the shore, search as you will, you will not find that flagstaff. But if you take a moment, especially at dusk or in the early morning and stare for awhile over the calm waters, you just might discern the outline of a barn roof,of a stand of trees, or even a church steeple. Stories are all that are left and when the last resident of these places passes away and is buried in some other town's cemetery, then legends will begin to grow. The story of a murder - something ostensibly done for the good of the many - that cries out, the drowned village that whispers from under the waters - remember me… REFERENCES Dead River Historical Society https://sites.google.com/site/deadriverareahistory/home/the-flooding-of-flagstaff “Walter Wyman and River Power Power” https://www.mainememory.net/sitebuilder/site/815/page/1225/display MUSIC CREDITS "Collapse" by Myuu (Creative Commons) "Edge of Life" by Myuu (Creative Commons) "Strange New England Theme" by Jim Burby PHOTO CREDITS Dead River Historical Society Maine Historical Society Picture of Flagstaff Lake - by Mlanni98 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=77135333

Below is a machine transciption of this episode (and there is bound to be loads of errors).  I am currently traveling off grid and didn’t have a chance to work up the complete webpage before I left, so this is the best I could do in the meantime.  Either check back later, or if you email me, I’ll write you back to let you know when I’ve got the post up.  Thanks for your understanding!  Kit   00:05                                    I had to get across the river. I lost my footing for a moment and found myself stalled in the middle of the deepest and fastest part of the stream. As I tried to get better footing the river current sweat feet from underneath me and I immediately fell face down into the river. I was immediately hit with a wave of cold from the water that had been ice nearly hours before I was swept downstream with my pack on. I was underwater and couldn’t preach. I tried unsuccessfully to get a toe hold on the river bottoms who would get on my feet. I realized I was in a very serious situation. No one knew where I was. I had no idea what was downstream. Was there a log or a pile of logs and rocks below me that I can get caught up in? Was my gear and my sleeping bag wet? Was I even going to be able to get out of this welcome 00:57                              Welcome to the Adventure Travel Show podcast. I’m your host Kit Parks. The intro today was an excerpt I read from an article by the Pacific Crest Trail Association titled I was swept away crossing a river on the Pacific crest trail written by Charles Williams, who I did try to reach out to, but unfortunately it was not able to catch up with him prior to this recording. But I will put a link to his very fine article in the show notes and on the website for this episode. Today we’re going to be talking about the best practices to help you get across river safely. Believe it or not, that’s one of the most dangerous things that we do when we’re out in the wild. People might be afraid of heights or snakes or bites or the cold or the heat, but what gets us the most is crossing the rivers. So today we’re going to learn the best tips of how to do so safely. What we need to look out for ahead of time, what to do if something goes wrong and we slip and fall into the water and the things that we need to do to give us the best shot at getting to the other side quickly, efficiently, and safely. This is a super important episode that I hope you’ll share, so let’s get started. 02:07                                     Okay. 02:08                                     Like I said, many hikers are worried about bears, snakes, lightning, and why you should definitely need to know what to do when you encounter these. Your greatest risk of injury or worse is crossing rivers without a bridge. Did you know that the number one way that people die in the national parks in the U S is from drowning? It’s also one of the leading causes of death on the Pacific coast trail and to beat a dead horse, it is the number one way that we harm ourselves when we’re out in the wild. Before we begin, let’s talk a minute about rivers themselves. 02:41                                     Okay. 02:41                                     The river, think of the river. It’s something that striates into different horizontal currents. So try to picture a cake with different layers, several layers, and each layer instead of being cake is a moving current. The top layer or the icing is the fastest moving current. While the bottom layer where your feet are is the slowest. However, unlike the top icing, the side icing is also slower moving. And so what this means to you is that even though you might have your feet firmly planted on the riverbend, that stronger middle layer of the cake and even that top layer can still carry you away. And that’s what happened to Charles in the intro. 03:21                                     Okay? 03:22                                     And love you need to remember too, is because the sides are slower. You may not realize it until you’re out in the middle of the river, that it’s much faster and much stronger than you thought. Even with the tests that we’re going to be doing to see whether or not we think it’s safe to cross the river. 03:38                                     So the things we want to do, even before we even begin our hike is number one, let’s find out what the current water levels are. Were there any recent rains? How big is the snow melt runoff? You want to check with the parks of the Rangers, ask around with the locals. If you’re on the coastal areas, get a tide chart and when you’re deciding whether or not to cross a river, you need to consider the skill level and the comfort level of everyone in your group because the weakest member sets the tone and sometimes it’s just best to turn around or else wait until the water level subsides and conditions get better. 04:18                                     When we get to the river, what’s the next thing we want to look at? We want to consider hidden hazards. Submerge rocks and trees can be covered with moss and they’re really slippery, so you want to look, if you do slip, what is shortly downstream? Is there going to be a waterfall that you could possibly go over? I have a girlfriend that I and my hiking group, she lost one of her girlfriends that went over the fall. That’s the one that’s just after turtleback falls, which I have a great photo of me jumping up as a great fall. They have a little roped area. You’re not supposed to go past that. She was standing on the edge on the other side of that rope, slipped on a rock and over that waterfall she plunged to her death. So you want to see what’s further downstream. If things go wrong, what could happen to you? 05:02                                     Okay. 05:03                                     If you see there’s a waterfall, you may want to go further upstream or possibly even go past it, followed the river and go downstream and go across the river on the downside of the waterfall 05:14                                     [inaudible] 05:14                                     because if you fall and if you slip, you do not want to get carried over that fall. Look for big rapids and boulders. You don’t want to slip and get banged up or worse than there. What kind of river bed are you crossing? Are you looking at algae, cover rocks or sand? Obviously the algae rocks are going to add more risk, so you need to be especially cautious and you need to pay attention to where the river’s bending because if you slip and get carried downstream, look to see what’s down that corner because that’s where you’re liable to end up. Is it a pile of river debris? 05:51                                     Okay. 05:52                                     If you see a down tree or Bush in the stream, otherwise referred to as a strainer, you always want to stay downstream of that obstacle because if you should happen to fall in and hit the strainer, you’re going to find out why it’s called that it strains the water but not the people and makes you trapped and can suck you under. It’s an incredibly dangerous hazard. If you’re wearing convertible pants, you want to take off the lower legs, it’s going to give you less drag and it won’t be as cold when you do get across and if it’s really cold out, consider actually stripping down to your Andes so that you could have dry clothes to put on when you reach the other side, 06:33                                     if you have true hiking sandals, and by that I mean proper hiking sandals that are strapped securely around your foot and your ankle. You can put those on so your hiking shoes don’t get wet. Tie your hiking boots to the back of your pack or drip them around your neck. But remember they’re going to be clunking around and that can often make you a little bit off balance. Sometimes it’s safer just to walk through the water rather than boulder jump. You never want to cross a river and flip flops. The current can easily make them slip off your feet, causing you to slip and fall into the water. 07:05                                     And if you think, oh, I’ll just go barefoot, that’s not a good idea. Think again, you’re liable to cut your feet on the rocks. In the sticks, you’re better off to have what shoes and if you have to wear your hiking boots to cross the river, take out the soul so at least there’ll be dry on the other side. You can even take off your socks and keep those dry. You want to assess how deep is the river. You don’t want to forward any river with water higher than your knees. You might think to yourself, oh, I’m a great swimmer. Still it’s safer. Keep the water to your knees or below because the current can easily carry you away if you’re crossing waist deep or chest deep in the water. Remember that water levels are usually lower in the morning, especially before the sun is a chance to melt more snow if you’re in that kind of an environment. 07:53                                     Okay. 07:53                                     And also if you get up and hike earlier in the day, you’re going to be less likely to miss afternoon thunderstorms that can add more water to the rivers. 08:01                                     Yeah, 08:02                                     deeper water that’s less than the height of your knees is often safer than shallower, but faster moving water 08:09                                     [inaudible] 08:09                                     and you can often take your time more in the deeper water and counter-intuitively should you fall, you’re actually more buoyant in deeper water. Consider also the physics of moving water. Water is heavy and it weighs 62.4 pounds per cubic foot. Water pressure increases with the square of its velocity. Oh yeah, that’s really mathy. Mathy. What does that mean to us in everyday terms? That means that the shallow water is moving twice as fast as the deeper water. It’s exerting four times the force. If it’s 10 times faster than it’s a hundred times as forceful. Think about that, so that’s why the shallower, faster moving mortar can be more treacherous for rivers change and so sometimes the trail may not meet the river at the optimal place to cross. When you come to a river, you want to scout out the river up and down for the best place to cross avoid turns in the river as the water moves were quickly there. 09:12                                     See if there’s something risky shortly downstream that would indicate that you shouldn’t be crossing there at all. Say the waterfall we talked about that you could tumble over should you slip. Ideally you want to look for a vantage point above the river so you can get a bird’s eye view to make your assessment. Also, pay attention to places that you can get out of the river view. If you do happen to fall, you always want to try to have a backup plan. Be ahead of time because you’re not going to have time to think and all the chaos should you fall in. 09:39                                     Okay. 09:40                                     If there’s a bend in the river below, be sure to scout both sides of the river because if you fall, the water may carry you to the bank side that you didn’t plan on going to the water will most likely leave you on the outside of the bend. Remember, you can look to to see what is the river depositing at that bend because there’s a chance that you could end up there. You want to make sure you can get out wherever it is that you want to cross. Are there steep banks that you’re, they’re gonna be difficult to get out. You want to be very patient and choosing where to cross and even deciding whether you should indeed cross your life might very well depend on that decision and if you’re scouting the sides of the river off the trail for safer place to cross, you also need to be aware that this includes its own hazards of falling and injury. When you leave the trail, make a good mental note of the trail so you can find your way back. You don’t want to get lost and for that also refer you to episode number six of what to do if you get lost in the woods. 10:42                                     Don’t forget you’ve got a map. Look at your map. Are there any forks ahead that might have less water? Would they be a better place to cross? 10:49                                     Right? 10:49                                     You want to check to see how fast the water is moving. You can test the river current by tossing a stick and seeing how long it takes to move down the stream. The current can be really deceptive if you toss that stick in and that stick moves faster than your walking pace. The currents too strong, late spring and early summer or when current levels from snow melt are particularly strong. Remember the icing on the sides of the cake. What you see with your little test is the river at its slowest. Also, pay attention to what happens to the stick. If you’re stick, get snagged or pulled under, that’s liable to be what happens to you should you fall. You can tell the shallower water by indications, a little rippling water over boulders. Eddies are formed above larger boulders and they can slow down the water. Making for a good place to cross, however, do not cross downstream of large boulders as you can get caught in some dangerous swirling currents. Likewise, don’t cross just downstream of the waterfall as they’re all Scobey some currents that can pull you under. You want to choose an exit point on the other side of the stream. Avoid places that you’re going to have to scramble up. I remember you might be pretty tired, and because of that, you might slip and then fall back down to the river. 12:12                                     You also don’t want to try to climb up some undercut banks. 12:15                                     [inaudible] 12:16                                     so you’re gonna look for an exit point on the straight part of the river and not on the bend. And just while we’re talking about it too, as you’re crossing the river, you want to keep your eye on your exit point. So you’ve done all your scouting, you’ve done your prep work, you’ve done your little tests of the water. Now when you’re crossing the river, you’ve chosen a location, you’re going to choose a location where the river straight, not at the bend. So you’ve got a straight part of the river. Now what? Now? You want to look at the width of the river because actually the wider part of the river at the current is usually slower moving than the sh the skinnier part to the river. So you want to look for the wider section, even though that might look a little bit more intimidating, it’s often safer. 12:59                                     Yeah, 12:59                                     so you want to think straight, wide, shallow, so the straight are part of the river is going to be less movement. The wider part is less current and shallow below the knees, so straight, wide and shallow. Only cross it when it’s above your knees when there’s little to no current unless you plan on swimming across the river, which I’ll talk about that a little bit later. 13:23                                     [inaudible] 13:24                                     and the streets stretches to also offer the benefit. Usually have a consistent current 13:30                                     [inaudible] 13:31                                     be on the lookout for something. When the river breaks into channels, they call them braided channels. These channels often have debris, rock sandbars that you can rest on and on. The widest part often dissipate some of the force of the water I Breda channel could be a great place to cross. 13:47                                     Okay. 13:48                                     Also be on the lookout for sandbars where you might see some animal tracks. That’s usually a great indicator that that’s a good place to cross the animals know best, so you’ve chosen your location, you already scout out everything. Now make sure you unbuckle your pack, both the hip and the sternum straps. Because if you slip, you do not want your pack to drag you under or get caught and then help to drown you. However, now that it’s loose, it’s gonna make your pack a little bit more unstable as the weight shifts about while you’re crossing the river. You also want to loosen your shoulder straps a little bit to make it a little bit easier to remove. If you do fall, it’s better to lose your pack than your life. One option is you can tie your rope to your pack, so if you do fall in, do you have a better chance of recovering it, but you still need to be prepared to let go of the rope. If the current or snagged pack starts pulling you under, found your place, you’ve unbuckled your pack. Number three when you enter the water you want to up stream and then you shuffle your feet rather than stepping so you’re sliding your feet across the river bed rather than stepping in a slightly downstream manner at a roughly 45 degree angle shuffling rather than lifting your feet, it’s going to help prevent you from slipping on an algae covered rock or submerged tree trunk. This will also scoot away any underwater critters that you might accidentally step on and that could spook you causing you to fall. 15:22                                     Number four, you want to use a trekking pole. Poles are great not just for hiking, especially when going downhill, but they can turn your body into a more stable tripod when crossing a river. If you don’t want to carry poles, find a sturdy stick to use on crossing. My polls have saved me countless falls in and out of the water. If you use a hiking pole, then you will always have one foot firmly planted plus the pole firmly planted. As you shuffle the other foot you face up stream and plant the pole in the stream. The current’s going to lodge it into something. And if you find that that small tip keeps getting caught, a sturdy stick might be a better option for you. Remember to only move one foot at a time and don’t cross your legs so you can get tangled and tip over. 16:12                                     You’re shuffling was south, but placement sideways, facing upstream, moving about a 45 degree angle downstream, face up, move down, slight angle. Remember the tripod, keep the tripod and you want to have always two sod points of contact on the river floor before moving the third so you’ve got two feet and a stick do of those should always be firmly planted before you move the third [inaudible]. And if the current is not too strong, you might like using both poles or too sturdy sticks. But if it’s really strong, it’s probably gonna be all you can do to handle just keeping the one pole under control. And if that little trekking pole basket causes you some drag, you might want to take it off. 16:57                                     Number five. If you’re lucky enough to see the bottom of the river, you can look a few steps ahead for smoother bottoms. If the water is silty toss a rock, does it make that kerplunk sound? The water might be deeper than you think. And if your rock swims a little bit before it sinks, you might be about to enter some Kurt that’s much stronger than you think. Remember, the slower moving sides of our cake icing. As you get in the middle, you might find a much stronger current six if there’s more than one of you. Again, with your packs loosened, hug each other’s waist and form a line and cross the river together in a sideways shuffle. To do so, you want to put the strongest person in, position him or her towards the furthest upstream and secure their position with a sturdy pole when the leaders firmly established person number, hugs, leaders’ waist, and then person number three, et Cetera, et cetera. As you work on down the chain, this later is creating an eddy like the big boulder we talked about and it makes it easier for the others behind to follow. So the group working together shuffles across the stream. 18:08                                     When your group has the opportunity, you should practice this on shallower, safer stream so you get it down pat. When it comes to a little bit deeper, stronger stream. Another group crossing technique uses the people crossing, forming themselves into a tripod. The group forms a triangle facing each other with the strongest person entering the water first. They each hold their neighbors waste the weaker people away from the point of the triangle. So you want to put them in the middle of the sides and again, you’re usually going to be more stable holding each other’s waists rather than their shoulders. The strongest person takes the lead and as the front point of the tripod breaking the current, then he or she plants a pole or stick firmly in the ground and on the leader’s count, everyone takes a step together and once firmly establish the leader calls out another step and another step together, the group diminishes a lot of the current. If you’re in a group and people are crossing Solo, consider having somebody downstream ready to toss a rope if they fall in. But if the current is so swift that you actually expect people to fall in, perhaps you shouldn’t be crossing it in the first place. 19:21                                     Okay. 19:22                                     Sometimes a stronger, more experienced hiker can cross the river, secure a rope on the crossing bank, come back over and secure another road there so that the group can hold onto the rope for additional support. Strong person, of course, would then go back and collect the rope afterwards. If the rope is strong enough. You can also use the rope as kind of like a zip line to transfer your packs. 19:44                                     Okay. 19:45                                     But caution, caution, caution, do not tie people together with a rope. If somebody falls in, it could drag down others to a tragic end. If you use a rope, people are just to be holding onto it, not tied to it. 19:59                                     Right. 19:59                                     And don’t wrap your hands even around it. I actually had a girlfriend I grew up with was holding onto the waterski rope and she wrapped it around her hands and when she fell, it literally pulled off all of her fingers. So just grab onto it. Don’t wrap it around your hands. 20:16                                     Okay. 20:17                                     If you’re hiking solo and you’re a little dicey, you look twitchy about a river. Consider waiting until other hikers come along so that you can forge the river together. And that adds a higher safety level for all of you. If you’re crossing and now the water’s getting deeper than your knees, think about returning to the bank and trying either a better spot or waiting for the water levels to lower. 20:41                                     Yeah. 20:41                                     Some strong swimmers may consider swimming across a river while not recommended. If you choose to do so, you must choose a deep spot with minimal current, the little current that’s there, it’s still gonna feel pretty strong on the Appalachian trail. Folks used to have two Ford across the Kennebec River, but there was a tragedy there once when a woman did unfortunately drown. So now there’s a ferry system that runs, I believe it’s twice a day as I think a guy in a canoe comes in, carries you across the river and safety. But before that, for the most part, people had to swim across. The only time I ever had to swim in a river like that was when my sister Tara and I were in Costa Rica rafting, the Macquarie River. There was this big rock that we jumped off of and so our instructions were jump off the rock and then swim as fast as we could over to the left bank. 21:32                                     And I was shocked at how fast that river was moving here. We’d been rafting it all morning and you don’t realize the power of that river. And in fact it was funny. Fortunately Terry’s is fast swimmer because she forgot when she got out to swim to left bank and they fortunately threw a rope and all that cause apparently some rapids were coming up ahead, but everything was fine. But again, the main thing I want to emphasize is it didn’t look like it was moving that fast. But once I was in I was like, whoa. It was carrying us really fast. And when I got to that bank I was exhausted. Remember I had a life jacket on to help me. You can learn about that whole adventure is episode number 15 of the actor travel adventures podcast. And I’ll put links in the show notes and on the webpage and the webpage for this’ll be adventure travel show, podcast.com/river so if you decide you’re going to swim across the river, you must also be a very strong swimmer and have thoroughly scouted out the hazards ahead. 22:25                                     You’re going to need to remove your pack, consider inflating your mattress pad and using that as a raft for your backpack, your important stuff you already should have in dry sacks. And then I also line my whole interior of my pack with a heavy duty compactor trash bag that I’d twist up. And then I fold it over onto itself and then twist, tie that together. That keeps everything nice and dry, although probably not if it gets submerged. So if you’ve got your important gear, like your sleeping bag and all that, and dry bags and a compact bag, you gotta be in pretty good shape, particularly if you use your mattress pad raft. So if you’re swimming, you want to choose where you want to land on the other side and do a little bit of mental math to figure out the current and the distance. 23:06                                     So you cross aiming upstream. This is called ferring across a river. So let’s say your math calculations are really off. What’s the downside for you if you land away further downstream? Remember, look for the hazards. So regardless of whether you’re swimming or forging a river, you’ve gotta be mindful of Hyperthermia. If the water’s cold, you could be putting yourself at risk. You want to know the signs and treatments, which I’ll leave that for a separate episode. Oh, I’ve learned how to shuffle across a river and swim across a river. But one of my all time favorite ways to get across a stream. Very rarely a river, usually just a stream is taken advantage of the natural features that are available to me. This includes things like boulders and fallen trees when I think it’s safe to do so. I try to keep my feet dry. 23:55                                     Using the natural features is great. And like I said, I use it an awful lot, but the most important thing is is to think before you go, what is the downside? If you shimmy across that tree or walk across that tree or jump boulder to boulder to cross that stream, if you fall in just a quick second slip of the footwork, what could happen? Are there rocks you could hit your head on? Are there sticks that could impale you? How high above the water are you when you fall? Is there one of those nasty strainers downstream that you could get caught in? And let’s talk for a minute about tree bridges. Sometimes you’ll see a nice fallen tree going across that stream. You’re like sweet. If it’s got tree bark, that’s going to give you better traction than a Barclays tree, which could be slippery if you decide to walk across a tree. It’s recommended that you walk sideways and keep your eyes moving and not focused on a fixed point and that’ll help you prevent vertigo. And actually if I come to a tree bridge, I prefer to just scoot in my butt and just shimmy across. 24:58                                     If you see a log jam where a bunch of trees are all crammed together and think that that would be a great way to cross. Think again. All right. When multiple trees are locked together from flooding, let’s say flooding knocked down a whole bunch of dead trees or whatever, it looks stable but you don’t know for sure and if you jump on it and you put your weight in a tree that turns out it can move, you can slip between them and get stuck. Plus let’s say that the trees are appended so you see these large root balls, they could be another problem as you grab onto one to get a little bit of balancing all that, that can dislodge a whole bunch of dirt and rocks above you that can fall on top of you. So just avoid those just to be in the safe side. 25:36                                     They could be really treacherous. Boulder hopping, this is usually the way that I cross most streams. I go in and this is when you see the rocks on top of the stream and you just kind of tap dance the crown across the river. So this is what I probably use the most. But keep in mind, I have really good balance and I have really good decision making when it comes to foot placement. When I’m hiking, I just intuitively seem to know where to put my feet. Some people don’t. So when you’re going to boulder hop, pay attention, what’s the downside? If you misstep or lose your balance? Is it safer to boulder hop or just to slog through the river? Often slogging through is the safer option. And if they’re dissimilar heights, you’re in a try to jump up to a boulder rather than down because the momentum actually might be a little bit harder to control. 26:27                                     Think about it. Gravity might give you a little bit more quote unquote help than you need. So jumping up, you actually have a little bit more stability. And also when I’m doing the boulder hopping, I’m doing so on dry boulders that don’t have any allergy. I’d try to avoid stepping on submerged boulders because even if they look algae free, they’re usually still a little bit slippery since they’d been under water. And you’re already getting your feet wet. So you might as well just shuffle across the riverbed anyway. You think you’ve done everything right, everything’s gone great, and you step on this one boulder, but it moves and you fall. So what do you do in this or in any of the other things we’ve talked about today? What do you do if you fall in the river? Number one, you gotta be prepared to unload your pack. Yes, I know that hurts painfully. You’ve already unbuckled and loosened it, right? You do not want your pack to drag you under. 27:18                                     I’m sure you listened to episode number four about how to pack your backpack. And I know we’ve already covered how to keep everything all nice and waterproof. So I know you’ve done that, but let’s say you have to drop your pack. You can often find it at the next bend in the river. If not, you could be screwed. So what does that mean for you? Where are you if you lost your pack? Is that a life threatening situation? Consider that before you cross a river that you’re not sure about, but remember, always better your pack than your life. 27:52                                     Okay? 27:55                                     All right. Let’s say the worst happens, number two, there’s rapids and you’re swept downstream. So what do you do? You position yourself that your feet are taking the brunt of the initial impacts. Your feet are facing downstream. So you’ve got to protect your head. So you want to float on your back with your feet pointing downstream and then try to aim and use your arms and all that to aim for the shore or calm shallow area for you to catch your breath and to regroup and hopefully you’ll be able to recover your pack. And here’s something else I want you to think about. Let’s say you’re doing a hike and you’re doing an out and back, meaning you have to cross the same river back on your return mate, no to where you crossed and how long it took you to do so. So you allow plenty of time for your return hike. Don’t forget that the river levels and the currents, the speed can change base on the snow mount and rainfall. So what may have been a nice calm river you crossed today, a few days from now after a heavy rainfall or a lot of snow melt could be dangerously impassable upon your return. What’s your plan B in case you can’t save the crossing for a while? What if you have to stay there for a few days? Do you know where the nearest bridges and how far it is to get there? 29:08                                     The most important thing you need to pack whenever you head outdoors is your brain. So bubble carry your head with you and don’t hesitate to call it a hike and turn back or delay. The crossing perhaps will be calmer in the morning. My rule of thumb is if I’m not sure I should cross, that’s a pretty darn good indicator that I shouldn’t cross. It should be crystal clear to you that say for you to cross, if not either weighted out or turned back. I put together a checklist of what we talked about today that will be available in the monthly newsletter that goes out to anybody that subscribes and you can always find how to do that at adventure travel show, podcast.com or you can always email me@kittatactivetroubledventures.com some parting thoughts. I love the outdoors as much as you do, but we want to do it safely. 30:07                                     Have you ever fallen crossing a river? I’ve been lucky actually. I’d never have a fallen lots of times on the trail, but never in a river. So if you have, I’d like to hear what happened to you and, and do you think that what we’ve covered today was helpful or would have been helpful for you? Like I said, this is the most dangerous thing that we face when we’re out hiking in the wild. So if you have hiking buddies, please make sure that they get a copy of this podcast so that they know what to do. Even if they say, oh, I know everything wanted to do. There’s probably one or two tips here that they didn’t know that might be helpful for them in the future. Next up on the show is the big debate, hiking boots versus hiking shoes. What’s the difference? When do you wear what and how to pick the right shoe for you? And next up on the act of troubled ventures podcast, I have a very special episode covering a little visited range in the Rockies called the mummy range. And after looking at the photos and talking to our guests, I definitely put that on my list, so I’m looking forward to sharing that with you. 31:15                                     I appreciate you listening. Until next time, this is kit parks and venture on.  

About the episode:       Born in the U.K., Walters has been involved in the outdoor industry since the early 1980s. A registered Maine guide, Walters has experience on the east and west coasts of the U.S., including a four-year term as general manager for O.A.R.S. in Angels Camp, California. Walters returned to Maine in 2000 to become president of Northern Outdoors, a four-season adventure resort located in The Forks.  Walters serves on a number of local, regional and state organizations, including as a board member of Maine Huts & Trails and as the current chair of the Maine Sports Commission. Walters also serves as regional director, North America, for the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA). His work for the ATTA takes him the length and breadth of the U.S. and abroad, working with destinations, tour operators, agents and guides to promote the economic and conservation benefits of adventure-based travel.     In the episode:      1:59 – Russell shares how he grew up in England kayaking and, while looking for a place to train and run river, found the Kennebec River.   5:18 – Russell shares how he now lives in Kingfield, Maine, and runs Northern Outdoors.   6:31 – Nancy shares how she and Russell met as Nancy acquired Northern Outdoors as a client and agreed to become a rafting guide.   8:45 – Russell doesn't think he would change much about his career or the operation of Northern Outdoors.   10:30 – Nancy points out Northern Outdoors' ideal location.  11:53 – Russell and Nancy discuss the start of Northern Outdoors as a cross between terror and exhilaration.   14:02 – Russell shares how Northern Outdoors has evolved over the past 30 years.   15:35 – Russell talks about how PR and marketing have changed at Northern Outdoors, including a focus on customer experience and becoming more open to review sites like TripAdvisor and Yelp.   20:09 – Russell shares how technology, seasonality and staffing are obstacles to success and how he has overcome these obstacles, including being part of creating a new reservation system.   26:30 – Russell talks about his involvement in the ATTA.   27:39 – Russell admires how collaborative the Brewer's Guild is compared to other aspects of tourism.   33:05 – Russell shares how Northern Outdoors focuses on engagement when measuring success.   34:03 – Nancy mentions how Matt Ginn's way off measuring success could relate to the outdoor business, as well.   34:47 – Russell describes how he prefers to make connections through the phone, video chatting, rather than online.   39:30 – Some resources that Russell uses include podcasts and the book The Customer Comes Second as resources.    42:09 – Russell encourages people starting their careers to find something they love, do lots of research, and stick with it or fail fast.   Quote:        On operating Northern Outdoors: "I think we've, all of us, learned to adapt and to evolve and not remain stagnant. I think that's part of the joy of being up here. — Russell Walters, President at Northern Outdoors    Links:       Hug Your Haters by Jay Baer   The Customer Comes Second by Hal Rosenbluth     Looking to connect:        Email: russell@northernoutdoors.com   LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/russellwalters/   Northern Outdoors: https://www.northernoutdoors.com/  Phone: (207) 663-4466 or 1-800-765-7238 

Maine Fishing Guides Jason Farris, Forrest Faulkingham and Dave Pecci talk about the world-famous Kennebec River, its history, its resurgence, and why no serious angler or wildlife lover should miss a chance to experience it.

Mitch Breton grew up as as devout member of the Catholic Church. He ascended the religious ranks through his childhood, and assumed that one day he would become a priest. Then, he found whitewater paddling. A summer of raft guiding rerouted Mitch’s spiritual journey -- from one that had existed within four walls and an altar, to one that flowed with the current of the Kennebec River.  

In Episode 79, Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger head out to Seguin Lighthouse off the coast of Maine near the Kennebec River in search of the source of the phantom piano music that's been heard all over the island and even on the mainland. A lighthouse has been in service on this island since 1795, and today the building and grounds are said to be haunted by a former keeper, and maybe even something more sinister. The guys explore the history and the haunt.

Nate Gray of the Maine Department of Marine Resources describes the largest alewife run in the United States, happening right now at Benton Falls in Central Maine. NRCM Senior Director of Advocacy Pete Didisheim shares the story of the removal of the Edwards Dam on the Kennebec River and how this work of the Natural Resources Council of Maine and others in the Kennebec Coalition helped begin restoration of this important fishery.

Located on the Kennebec River, the town of Gardiner is one of Maine’s hidden gems. Originally a center of industry (and known worldwide for exporting ice in the 1800’s), Gardiner is now home to the iconic A1 Diner and the up-and-coming Johnson Hall Performing Arts Center. Today we speak with Michael Giberson and Neil Andersen, who have owned the A1 Diner for almost three decades, and with Michael Miclon, the executive and artistic director at Johnson Hall. https://www.themainemag.com/radio/2017/02/gardiner-drama-dining-284/

Dave and Clay were invited to visit the Maine Highlands! So they went and while they were there they stayed at the beautiful and rustic Wilson's on Mooshead Lake. The Wilson's took them fishing in the Kennebec River, where they caught dozens of brook trout and monster smallmouth bass!  After fishing it was dinner at the beautiful Kelly's Landing  restaurant. While there they got to hang out with local historian Liz from the Katahdin "Kate" Museum, Moosehead's Marine Museum and famous steam ship.  The next day the weather turned bad, so they spent some time making friends and checking out the local businesses.   The Highlands From Maine’s highest peak, Mt. Katahdin to its largest lake, Moosehead, The Maine Highlands offers great outdoor adventures, historic and cultural experiences, many culinary delights and unexpected entertainment opportunities. Located in the center of Maine, there are more than 200 waterfalls, miles and miles of trails for hiking, ATVing, and some of the best snowmobiling trails anywhere. The last or first portion (depends on your perspective) of the Applachian Trail is in The Maine Highlands. Known as the "Hundred-Mile Wilderness", it is said there are more moose seen there than on any other part of the trail. If you are looking for less moose and more music, head to one of our many festivals, the Waterfront Concerts series in Bangor, enjoy shopping boutique or mall style, or try some of our culinary delights and craft beers. Whatever your adventure, The Maine Highlands is a must visit while exploring Maine.   [shadowbox] Links Moosehead Marine Museum Wilson's on Moosehead Kelly's landing Maine Guide Fly-Shop Indian Hill Trading Post [/shadowbox]

Dave and Clay were invited to visit the Maine Highlands! So they went and while they were there they stayed at the beautiful and rustic Wilson’s on Mooshead Lake. The Wilson’s took them fishing in the Kennebec River, where they caught dozens of brook trout and monster smallmouth bass!  After fishing it was dinner at the beautiful Kelly’s Landing  restaurant. While there they got to hang out with local historian Liz from the Katahdin “Kate” Museum, Moosehead’s Marine Museum and famous steam ship.  The next day the weather turned bad, so they spent some time making friends and checking out the local businesses.   The Highlands From Maine’s highest peak, Mt. Katahdin to its largest lake, Moosehead, The Maine Highlands offers great outdoor adventures, historic and cultural experiences, many culinary delights and unexpected entertainment opportunities. Located in the center of Maine, there are more than 200 waterfalls, miles and miles of trails for hiking, ATVing, and some of the best snowmobiling trails anywhere. The last or first portion (depends on your perspective) of the Applachian Trail is in The Maine Highlands. Known as the “Hundred-Mile Wilderness”, it is said there are more moose seen there than on any other part of the trail. If you are looking for less moose and more music, head to one of our many festivals, the Waterfront Concerts series in Bangor, enjoy shopping boutique or mall style, or try some of our culinary delights and craft beers. Whatever your adventure, The Maine Highlands is a must visit while exploring Maine.     Links Moosehead Marine Museum Wilson’s on Moosehead Kelly’s landing Maine Guide Fly-Shop Indian Hill Trading Post    

In this installment, Iver and Nelson take a trip in Iver's GEM car (after solving some technical and cat-related difficulties) down to see our tax dollars in use: the new River Walk path built by the Army Core of Engineers along the shore of the Kennebec River in Skowhegan. Then we talk about things that Iver's done at his house to save money and shrink his carbon footprint. Enjoy!