BELFAST, Maine — Mother Nature tried to play an April Fools’ Day joke on the region’s paddling community on Saturday morning.
Instead of welcoming spring conditions, an air temperature barely above freezing, similarly cold water, a chilling wind and steady snow flurries greeted participants at the 44th annual Passagassawakeag River Race.
And while the winterlike mixture may have chilled some of the river vultures on hand to watch the seven-mile trek from Waldo to Belfast from the often snow-covered banks along the race route, paddlers were oblivious to the surroundings.
After last weekend’s St. George River Race from Searsmont to Appleton was postponed to April 2 because of ice on the river, they just couldn’t wait to start the new season.
“We’ve been waiting for this for months so it didn’t matter,” said veteran paddler Bucky Owen of Orono. “When you’re in the boat you don’t notice the weather at all. In fact, it’s much better to be cooler than hot. It’s very comfortable — except when you have to swim.”
Few if any of the 86 competitors who piloted the 56 watercraft entered in the race got seriously wet. If anything, low water along the course was the bigger factor.
“The water was a little lower than usual but very doable,” said race director Dale Cross of the Waldo County YMCA in Belfast. “I don’t think we had to have too many paddlers get out of the boat and run or anything like that, so it was good for the conditions we’ve had this spring.
“It’s about 34 or 35 degrees but that’s what you get this time of year at the end of March or the first of April,” he added. “You never know what you’re going to get, but this is good. If you’re able to get down through the river this time of year you’ve got to be happy about that.”
That happiness is particularly acute among the many families who bond through paddling.
Owen, who is nearly 80, competed with his 52-year-old son Jeff and won the OC2M division with a time of 53 minutes, 39 seconds.
Only kayakers Ray Wirth of Monroe, the overall champion with a time of 49:31, and Ben Randall of Sabattus (50:25) had faster times than the Owens.
“Thirty-eight years ago Jeff and I went in the junior-senior class,” said Bucky. “We had an absolutely great run today. It was low so you’re a little more careful and we had a long boat but we were able to go through. (Jeff) reads the water so beautifully that all I do is follow the bow.”
Another family entry was Matt Dingle and his 15-year-old son Max of Rockport, who combined for the fourth-fastest time of the day overall (56:42) to win the Junior/Senior 13-16 canoe class.
“There is a core group of racers who make it out each spring,” said Matt. “I started this about 25 years ago and one of the best things we have going besides seeing the familiar faces and friends you haven’t seen in six months or so is seeing the next generation out here. That’s what’s special, not only seeing the old crew but seeing our kids get out here, too.”
Max Dingle, a freshman at Camden Hills Regional High School in Rockport, has been paddling with his dad for more than half of his life.
“I’ve been doing it ever since I was 7,” he said. “It’s become a real big passion, I love doing it every year.
“It’s just something about pulling that boat across the river and seeing those big, white, crashing waves and the huge mountains of water. I love that adrenaline.”
Cross was pleased with the size of the race field, particularly given the heavier snow that fell south of the midcoast region and a forecast for freezing rain in the Belfast area in the days leading up to the event.
“With the storm we had south of us and the snow here and it being 35 degrees, it was good,” said Cross who, with his son Aaron, won the OC2RM class in 58:05, the sixth-fastest time of the day. “We have some hardy paddlers. This is what you do here in Maine first thing in the spring.
“I’m actually really excited about getting out and getting into the water, and most of the other paddlers are, too.”
In Sunday’s St. George race, Randall directed his kayak to a first place overall finish with a time of 46:20 over the six-mile course.
Fellow kayakers Wirth (49:09) and Hank Thorburn (50:47) of Harpswell finished second and third, respectively, while the junior-senior canoe team of Tommy and Jeff Owen of Orono placed fourth in 52:48. The Dingles guided their canoe to a fifth-place finish of 52:55.
A total of 118 participants competed in the race and 79 watercraft finished.
