Taking advantage of yesterday's fine weather and favorable tides, two friends and I set out to paddle downstream on the Kennebec River from Richmond through Merrymeeting Bay and into the Goose Cove-Thorne Head area. The distance is about nine miles, but we didn't spot a car. We simply rode the flood tide back up the river. Just like a yo-yo.

We put in at Richmond, on the west side of the Kennebec.
ALL PHOTOS SCOTT ANDREWS

Linda Gerlach of Yarmouth and Jonathan Keck of Portland have paddled with me a number of times before; I met both through the Maine Outdoor Adventure Club.

I paddled my own kayak, while Linda and Jonathan used my Maine-made 12-foot Bear Creek Cubby.

Jonathan Keck and Linda Gerlach paddle past Swan Island yesterday.

We put in on the ebb tide and rode south into the bay, with a brief stop at Maxwell Island. We passed through the Chops at dead low, which means the current was still running out at a moderate pace -- the "normal" freshwater flow of the Kennebec. We spent a couple of hours paddling around the islands; there are five major ones that are named, plus several small and attractive unnamed islets.

View north toward Goose Cove from one of the islands in the Kennebec River.

After stopping for lunch on one island, the tide reversed. Our return journey was "taken at the flood." Which didn't lead to fortune, but did help out considerably.

Only big change in route: On our way south, we paddled past Swan Island down the west (back) channel. On the return, we took the main navigation channel, east of Swan Island. Plus we took the tiny "mini-river" between Swan Island and Little Swan.

Linda and Jonathan paddle north through the small channel between Swan Island and Little Swan.

Rounding the north end of Swan Island, Linda and Jonathan paddled past the Route 197 bridge in Richmond yesterday.

To navigate the currents in and around Merrymeeting Bay, you really need a better tide chart than coastal boaters typically use. The time delays after the coastal highs and lows run into hours, and currents race through places like the Chops and Thorne Narrows at velocities of three knots or more.

I use TidesOnline.com; they list far more stations, including places like Richmond, the Androscoggin River entrance, Bowdoinham on the Cathance River and Sturgeon Island. Note that Sturgeon Island is only a few yards from the Chops, the very narrow constriction that deserves utmost attention from paddlers.

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