Although I'm not looking for a new canoe or kayak right now, I stopped by L.L. Bean's PaddleSports Festival yesterday -- and found two organizations with interesting angles on canoeing and kayaking.

L.L. Bean's PaddleSports Festival takes place June 16-17 at the retail store in Freeport.
SCOTT ANDREWS PHOTO

The first thing I did was take a quick walkabout, checking out the people who were checking out the boats. On-water demos were happening a few miles away at the paddling center, but I stayed at the retail store.

Overview of the retail sales area.
SCOTT ANDREWS PHOTO

Inexpensive plastic rec boats are the most popular style of kayak today.
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Checking out the Pakboat inflatables.
SCOTT ANDREWS PHOTO

I attended Kate Williams' presentation of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail.

And yes, kayakers are welcome. It's a 740-mile semi-wilderness paddling route that runs between Old Forge, on the western edge of the Adirondack Mountains in New York, to Fort Kent.

Kate Williams, executive director of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail, poses beside a map of the 740-mile route.
SCOTT ANDREWS PHOTO

Kate's the executive director of the non-profit organization that established the trail. She says that the trail is now completed -- meaning mapped and signed.

Currently Kate's focusing on three supporting and parallel programs: Waterway Stewardship, Community Economic Development and Recreation, Arts & Heritage.

Kate and I chatted for a while about the positive economic impacts of such resource-based enterprises. The canoe trail is a natural fit with the region's assets, and it can help to counteract the long-term declines in the forest products industry.

Then I chatted with Judy Sullivan, program director of Maine Handicapped Skiing, which also has a summer paddling program.

Judy Sullivan, program director of Maine Handicapped Skiing, explains the adaptations made to this kayak to accommodate a paddler with limited upper body strength.
SCOTT ANDREWS PHOTO

I teach at MHS each winter, and this summer I'm signed on as a volunteer for the paddling program, which starts next week.

The PaddleSports Festival continues today. Click here for information.

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