8 miles / 13km Seven Islands Bridge, Androscoggin - Errol
Sunny
Gord picked us up at 8.30 from the motel to take us to Seven Islands Bridge so that we could continue our upstream path along the Androscoggin. Driving along the river downstream we asked him to stop at Mollidgewock Park. We decided to enjoy ourselves for an hour before starting our upstream endeavors.
As we paddled down to Seven Islands Bridge we noticed some people taking pictures of us from the bank. On getting out at Seven Islands Bridge they were there again and looked familiar and they reminded us we had met them in Old Forge. They are Chris and Meghans grandparents who have come to give them a shuttle to the dam in Errol. Chris and Meghan have apparently decided to paddle the Androscoggin downstream. As we get back on the river and start making our way upstream we meet Chris and Meghan paddling down who retort “That is hard work”.
We actually managed to get up the Androscoggin as far as Wayside Park and a little further. Not much wading was necessary. Careful reading of the water, ferrying backwards and forwards to flat spots in the current and using huge powerful strokes to get up where the current surges allowed us to make reasonable progress. I think we paddled UP 5 sets.
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At the rapid with Class II classification the water was so fast both Left and Right we could not find a path through the river and had to scramble up to the road.
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At this point we put the canoe on the trolley and walked about 1 mile to Mollidgewock where we put back in and paddled up to the rapid under the dam.
We visited Saco Outdoors and bought a permit for Cedar Stumps campground for tomorrow. The guy was very helpful and helped arrange a reservation for South Arm Campground for Friday night using his telephone. Our telephone has had no reception now for days.
Dinner in town and early to bed.
We are more than HALFWAY now.
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