Yellow and orange leaves floated on the surface of blue-green water, mingling with tendrils of rockweed and kelp. Near the shore of the Bagaduce River in Castine, the trees were aflame with fall colors on Oct. 19, when registered Maine Guide Karen Francoeur paddled her sea kayak up the river from Castine.
For most people in Maine, autumn is a time to put away water toys like kayaks, canoes and sailboats. But for a number of avid paddlers like Francoeur, foliage season is the perfect time to get out on the water.
“I paddle until I can ski,” Francoeur said. “It’s beautiful to go along the edge of a lake when the ice is beginning to form. I mean there’s nothing more spectacular than that.”
But it’s important to know that Francoeur, a registered Maine guide in sea kayaking and recreation for 25 years, is one of the most experienced paddlers in the state. For the past 20 years, she has owned Castine Kayak Adventures, a guiding company run out of Eaton’s Boatyard in Castine that runs daily trips to the islands of the area. She’s also the organizer for Bangor’s annual Paddle Smart Safety Symposium, an event of paddling demonstrations and instruction that promotes paddlesport safety and stewardship of Maine’s waterways.
“Even I paddle calmer [bodies of water] in the fall and in the spring because the risk factor is higher no matter what my experience is,” Francoeur said on Oct. 19 as she packed gear into the sealed compartments of her sparkly pink and blue P&H sea kayak.
Francoeur was preparing for a daylong trip on what she calls the “Amazing Reversing Bagaduce,” an ambitious trip for most paddlers. But she knew the route extremely well, and the conditions were right. By late morning, the temperature had risen to the low 70s. It felt more like summer than fall.
“I think this time of year it’s hard to decide how to dress,” Francoeur said. “Today, it’s like 70 degrees out, but the suns going to set really early.”
Safe in dry bags, extra clothing — including a warm hat and gloves — were crammed into the compartments of her kayak, as well as all the necessary safety gear for any ocean trip, such as an extra paddle, hand pump, first aid kit, cellphone and marine radio.
“I think it’s really important to have a good boat,” Francoeur said. “Now is not the time to bring out your recreational boat that doesn’t have sealed compartments, even if you’re going on a little lake. Any distance from land, if you go into the water and your boat swamps, your risk factor is really much higher.”
The key to any outdoor trip is preparation.
“In the fall, I think the water is the warmest it’s ever going to be — certainly in October. But it’s getting colder and colder, and it’s getting darker earlier,” Francoeur said. “So I think the risk factor does get higher in the fall, especially on the ocean.”
Launching from a dock at Eaton’s Boatyard, Francoeur paddled past dozens of recently abandoned moorings and struck north, catching the current sweeping into the Bagaduce River.
“In the summer, this bay is full of beautiful sailboats,” she commented.
Now it was practically empty. Only a few fishing boats and houseboats remained.
Reading and riding the current, Francoeur navigated the swift-flowing water past Trott Ledge and the Negro Islands — small islands that were once a part of the Underground Railroad — up the tidal Bagaduce River. Lining the shore, hardwood trees displayed their fall colors, broken up by green stands of spruce. Just ahead, two adult bald eagles wheeled through the sky, while perched atop a tall white pine. Migrating loons were scattered over the surface of the water, diving every now and then to chase fish. And basking on rocks near the islands were groups of cormorants, their long wings outstretched, drying in the sun.
“There’s a black guillemot,” Francoeur said, pointing to a small waterbird as it took flight nearby, beating its short wings rapidly.
Past the Negro Islands, the water became tricky again at Grindle’s Eddy and the Narrows, then calmed again as the river opened up and more islands appeared — Youngs Islands and beyond that, to the north, Battle, Graves, Spark’s and Aunt Mollie islands. At Graves Island — also known as Gravel Island — she stopped and ate lunch on a gravel beach, sitting on a washed up piece of boat.
Setting a sparkly rock on at the water’s edge, she watched it as she ate. When the tide rose enough for the rock to be covered with water, she got up and pulled her kayaking farther into shore, lest it get carried away by the tide. She then sat down and finished her lunch.
When the tide turned, so did she, following it out of the dynamic waterway back to Castine Harbor. Along the way, a seal poked its head above the water just 15 feet from Francoeur’s boat. With its shiny dark eyes, the animal seemed to consider her for a few seconds, then dove, its grey back arching above the surface before it disappeared underwater.
The sun was low in the sky, casting the harbor in a golden light, when Francoeur returned to the dock, safe and sound.
She’ll likely paddle on the ocean a few more times during the fall, she said, but as the days grow colder she usually moves inland to paddle on calmer waters.
“When it’s cold, I think it’s safer to be on freshwater,” Francoeur said. “So being on rivers where you’re close to the land I think is important, you know, flatwater rivers, so I paddle the Stillwater quite a bit in Orono.”
It’s all about managing risk.
Beginner paddlers are safest paddling in the summer, Francoeur said, because there are usually fewer risks in the summer. The days are longer, the temperature is higher and there are more people out on the water to offer help if needed.
However, for people who feel prepared to extend their padding season into fall, Francoeur offered a few tips. If you’re looking to extend your paddling season into fall, here are a few things to consider:
— Always wear a life jacket.
— Paddle within the scope of your skills and rescue skills.
— Paddle the appropriate boat for the conditions.
— Check for hunting zones and dress visibly.
— Wear synthetic clothing and bring extra clothes.
— Maintain dryness from head to toe. For example, wear boots to keep your feet dry.
— Manage warm hands. Pack gloves and extra gloves.
— Be careful of ice. Never paddle up onto it; it can capsize your kayak or canoe.
— Bring plenty of snacks and water to maintain warmth.
— Choose conservative distances, being aware of sunset times. Temperature drops quickly when the sun sets.
And finally, “prepare for the worse and enjoy the best.”