Two short segments of river separated by a short portage defined the overall experience for Day 12 of the 2005 Androscoggin River Canoe (and kayak) Trek. Today's group paddled eight canoes and 15 kayaks from Riley Dam to the Spruce Mountain ski area.

Distance was listed as eight miles, but it felt like far less. The most notable landmark of the day was the International Paper Company's Jay mill.

Two experts spoke to us. First up was Van Blauvelt, a Registered Maine Guide and fly casting coach from Windham, who gave a demo on a sandbar on an island in the river. Smallmouth bass are the key sport-game species in this segment of the Andro, and Blauvelt often guides paying customers on this section plus several others. He's also a licensed New Hampshire guide and works the Andro upstream of the state line in Gilead.

Blauvelt showed us the basics of fly casting and caught one small bass on a Woolly Bugger, which he regards as sort of a jack-of-all-trades among the seeming infinite variety of flies. Blauvelt was paddling a canoe today, but he normally uses a drift boat for his paying customers.

Next up was Tom Saviello, environmental manager for IP's Jay mill. He spoke on pollution control efforts undertaken at IP since 1991, which greatly reduced color, odor and foam discharges to a tiny fraction of previous levels.

IP's Jay mill is the newest of four on the river, built in 1965. Others are in Berlin, NH, Rumford and Livermore Falls. Saviello says Jay's discharges are normally far below legally mandated levels.

Saviello also serves in the state legislature. He noted that IP's Jay mill employs 1,100 people at tiptop wages -- a factor that defines many attitudes in this community. Mill worker opposition to a recent legislative proposal to accelerate anti-pollution efforts -- opposition motivated by fear of job losses -- was a key factor behind the bill's unanimous defeat in committee.

For details on joining the Trek, logon to www.avcnet.org/arwc.

Below are a few pictures I took of today's Trek segment.

Paddling the Androscoggin July 16

Kayaker Debra Sager of Amesbury, MA

Van Blauvelt (right) speaks to group

Van Blauvelt casts a fly

Close-up of Woolly Bugger

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