The thunderstorms that were forecast for yesterday stayed out of Portland, so I capitalized on the unexpectedly fine weather with a quick kayak trip around the harbor and a lunch stop on Fort Gorges.

After putting in at East End Beach, I hugged the shoreline and paddled around the point toward the inner harbor, soon encountering a class of beginning kayakers who had just launched from Portland Yacht Services.

A class of beginner kayakers got started just off Portland Yacht Services yesterday.
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A bit farther along I was awed by the grandiose cruise ship that was tied up at Maine State Pier; the "Grandeur of the Seas" dominated the port-scape.

The cruise ship "Grandeur of the Seas" was tied up yesterday afternoon at Maine State Pier.
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Crossing the harbor to the SoPo side, I paddled past Bug Light before heading directly toward Hog Island, aka Fort Gorges.

Heading toward Fort Gorges from the SoPo side of the harbor yesterday.
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Lots of traffic in the harbor! Casco Bay Lines ferries were scooting to and fro, while powerboats and sailboats were crisscrossing each other's wakes.

Lots of traffic in the harbor yesterday!
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The tide was very low -- full moon Saturday night -- when I arrived at the Fort. Beaching on a cozy gravel bar, I did a quick walk around the fort, then enjoyed a picnic lunch on the massive granite blocks of the old quay.

Two red kayaks approach Fort Gorges, with the sprawling yacht anchorage at Falmouth Foreside in the background.
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I didn't have much company. Only a handful of fellow 'yakers and a few powerboaters stopped for quick explorations.

Horsepower trumped paddle power yesterday when a ski buddy and paddling pal invited me out for an excursion on Sebago Lake, the Songo River, Brandy Pond and Long Lake.

In addition to a pair of kayaks, Cherie Perkins owns an 18-foot Sea Ray powered by 100 horses; yesterday's heat plus the distance to be covered suggested eschewing paddles in favor of speed. And given the intensity of the sun, we kept the bimini up.

Cherie Perkins poses by "Perky," her 18-foot Sea Ray powered by 100 horses.
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After leaving Cherie's mooring in Standish, we motored north between Frye's Leap (on Raymond Neck) and Frye's Island, Sebago Lake's unique summertime town.

Reaching the very populated sandbar at the mouth of the Songo River, we proceeded slowly north through the meandering passage, joining a serpentine line of power boats plus a few paddle-powered craft.

The Songo River seemed like a long, serpentine line of power boats, occasionally punctuated by canoes and kayaks.
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At the landmark Songo Lock -- built in 1830 as part of the Cumberland and Oxford Canal -- we waited while the Songo River Queen exited the lock, then turned around and re-entered.

The Songo River Queen in her namesake river yesterday.
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After reaching Brandy Pond, Cherie killed the engine and dived in, followed by me.

Passing under the swing bridge in Naples, we made a beeline north for the head of Long Lake for lunch at the Village Tie-Up in Harrison.

Thank goodness, the Village Tie-Up isn't the sort of swank eatery that you might expect in a New Yorky sort of cultural and economic environment. This homey, old-fashioned lakeside grocery store boasts good Italian sandwiches and assorted take-out items. The best place to take them out to is the picnic tables beside the docks.

Cherie at lunch yesterday at the Village Tie-Up in Harrison Village.
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Retracing our northbound wake, we passed through the Songo Lock again, this time squeezing rub rail-to-rub rail with a happy crowd of sun-mellowed south-bounders.

A crowd of sun-mellowed south-bounders filled the Songo Lock yesterday afternoon.
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After another swim off the sandbar, we motored south back to Cherie's mooring.

The intersection of I-95 and I-90 in Newton, Massachusetts, is one of the busiest spots on earth, and it's also the epicenter of paddling in suburban Boston, site of the busy boathouse and docks of Charles River Canoe and Kayak.

The boathouse and docks of Charles River Canoe and Kayak are busy places on sunny summer days like yesterday.
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With sales, rentals, lessons, tours and kids programs galore, CRC&K is one of New England's busiest paddling establishments, and it's located within sight of the northbound lanes of I-95 (aka Rt. 128).

Four girls paddle a Cobra Quad in front of the boathouse yesterday.
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For those like myself, who bring our own boats, the free public put-in is directly opposite the boathouse. But stop first to pick up a free map of the area and check out the company's shop.

CRC&K's boathouse is located midway on a six-mile section of meandering flatwater that stretches from a dam in Wellesley to one in downtown Waltham.

You can paddle about 2.6 miles upstream (very slow current!) into an area that seems surprisingly wild.

A father and son paddle their kayaks upstream of the boathouse.
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A family paddles upstream of the boathouse.
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On the three-mile downstream stretch, it's more urban, including the decaying 19th-century industrial district of Waltham as well as several parks, greenways and riverwalks.

Like many rivers that flow through urban areas, the Charles is in recovery from years of pollution. A lot of credit belongs to the folks at the Charles River Watershed Association, which has its headquarters about a mile away.

There are still some big problems with trash, invasive plants and algae blooms, but the six miles of the Charles in the Wellesley-Newton-Waltham area are worth checking out any time you're one of the millions of people in the vicinity of I-90 and I-95.

A perilous forecast kept many people away from the Androscoggin Source-to-the-Sea Canoe Trek yesterday, and the 11 of us who did paddle the 10-mile stretch from Mexico to Dixfield got a bit wet.

But the truly stormy weather passed far south of us, and by the time we pulled out in Dixfield the sun was shining and our spirits were upbeat.

The section we paddled was just below the NewPage paper mill in Rumford, and four representatives of the Pulp and Paper Workers' Resource Council joined us: Deano Gilbert and Fran Dragoon paddled the PPRC-lettered canoe, while Scott Grassette and Donna Weston paddled a camo-colored aluminum canoe.

Deano Gilbert and Fran Dragoon paddle the Pulp and Paper Workers' Resource Council canoe yesterday on the Androscoggin River.
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Two canoes with four NewPage employees paddle past the mill yesterday.
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The Pulp and Paper Workers' Resource Council is a nationwide organization of outdoorsmen and outdoorswomen who work in the pulp and paper industry. Stung by job losses in the industry -- especially in the northeast and northwest -- PPRC seeks to strike a balance between strident environmentalism and a prosperous economy.

They've been participants in the Source-to-the-Sea Canoe Trek for most of its history.

Two young ladies paddle their kayaks down the Androscoggin River yesterday.
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Lunch was provided by NewPage, and Scott Grassette of the PPRC conducted an environmental quiz on subjects relating to the Andro's geography and history.

We passed this drift boat yesterday, fishing for smallmouth bass, which are abundant in the Androscoggin River.
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The Androscoggin Source-to-the-Sea Canoe Trek resumes this Thursday in the Livermore Falls-Jay area. Contrary to previously announced plans, Thursday's paddle will start on Pine Island (reached by bridge near Crash Road) due to construction work at Riley Dam.

The end of the Trek will be Sunday, when we paddle the last few miles of the Andro, cross Merrymeeting Bay and then wrap up in Bath -- on the Kennebec.

The Trek is neither a race nor a fund-raiser. Participation is free. Just bring your canoe or kayak, but please register first.

Organizers are selling raffle tickets with chances to win a hand-made Lincoln kayak, from the prominent Freeport firm, or a season ski pass to Sunday River Resort.

Three decades ago, the Androscoggin was one of the nation's 10 most polluted rivers, hideously fouled by untreated discharges by paper mills and municipal sewage systems. Cleanup efforts began in the 1970s and today's Andro is an outstanding recreational resource -- and a source of pride and focus of activity in many communities.

My friend Scott Shea, owner of Seaspray Kayaking in West Bath, is a busy and enterprising man who's constantly trying to promote the paddling lifestyle. As head honcho of the Maine Association of Sea Kayak Guides and Instructors, he spearheaded a safety video last season and also launched Maine's first saltwater kayak fishing tournament.

He's back with the second edition of the fishing contest this weekend. The second annual Maine Saltwater Kayak Fishing Tournament starts with registration July 13 -- let's hope that doesn't bode bad luck for anglers! -- with the actual fishing taking place on Saturday and Sunday.

THIS COULD BE YOU! The second annual Maine Saltwater Kayak Fishing Tournament is on for this weekend in the Bath-Brunswick area.
PHOTO COURTESY SEASPRAY KAYAKING

Angling can take place on four river estuaries: New Meadows, Sheepscot, Androscoggin or Kennebec. It's strictly catch-and-release, and tournament profits benefit the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife's "Hooked on Fishing (Not on Drugs)" program.

There are three divisions: spin/baitcasting, flyfishing and kids. Prizes include a fully rigged fishing kayak, plus there will be a creel-ful of giveaways.

Complete details at www.mainekayakfishing.com and you can also call Seaspray at 888-349-7772.

Seaspray Kayaking is located on old Rt. 1 on the West Bath side of the New Meadows River bridge. It's a full-service outfitter, including sales, rentals, repairs and guided tours.

Good luck!

I wasn't able to join the Androscoggin River Source-to-the-Sea Canoe Trek this past weekend, but I'm definitely on for Weekend Two, which runs Thursday, July 12 through Sunday, July 15.

The annual Androscoggin River Source-to-the-Sea Canoe Trek samples all sections of the waterway, which connects northern New Hampshire to the Atlantic Ocean by way of Maine.
FILE PHOTO BY SCOTT ANDREWS

For those who aren't familiar with the format, the Trek is a series of day trips, averaging 10 miles apiece, that sample all sections of the Androscoggin. Maine's third-largest river, the Andro flows 170 miles between Lake Umbagog in New Hampshire to Merrymeeting Bay, where it joins the Kennebec for its final 20 miles to the sea.

I've participated in the Trek for about 10 years and guided about 20 miles of it for the past eight. I'll be the official guide for this Sunday's section, the 10 miles from Mexico to Dixfield, and the following Thursday's stretch, in the Livermore Falls-Jay area.

To give people some flavor for the event, I'm running a few pix that I've taken over the years.

Kayaks are welcome too!
FILE PHOTO BY SCOTT ANDREWS

Canoeing in the Turner-Auburn area.
FILE PHOTO BY SCOTT ANDREWS

Kayaks often outnumber canoes on the Androscoggin Trek.
FILE PHOTO BY SCOTT ANDREWS

The Androscoggin River Watershed Council -- the Trek organizer -- provides a guide and takes care of the logistics (including setting up the car shuttles). Plus they generally conduct an educational program.

The Trek is neither a race nor a fund-raiser. Participation is free. Just bring your canoe or kayak, but please register first.

Added enticements inlclude a chance to win a hand-made Lincoln Canoe, from the prominent Freeport firm, or a season ski pass to Sunday River Resort.

Click here for details on dates, places and signups.

Back-paddle three decades ago: The Androscoggin was one of the nation's 10 filthiest rivers, hideously polluted due to untreated discharges by paper mills and municipal sewage systems. But after years of cleanup efforts, today's river is an outstanding recreational resource -- a point that organizers hope to impress upon a sometimes skeptical public.

Portsmouth Harbor is normally associated with the Piscataqua River's vicious seven-knot currents, standing waves and whirlpools -- no place for a novice paddler. But there's also a quieter option: The area generally called Little Harbor, tucked in behind New Castle.

Yesterday I joined a group trip run by Portsmouth Kayak Adventures, a company located off the beaten path on Rt. 1B at the Witch Cove Marina.

Launching at Portsmouth Kayak Adventures, at Witch Cove Marina.
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Owner Bill Downey and guide Connor Seery took a group of 12 -- mostly novices -- out into the island-spangled area roughly bounded the Rt. 1A and 1B bridges. I'd paddled the Piscataqua before, but never this section.

It was a pleasant eye-opener: Very quiet, protected water, with fine views of the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, our nation's oldest. Also fine views of Wentworth-by-the-Sea, a grand old hotel that dates from 1874. It was re-opened in 2003 after years of decline by the Marriott chain of resorts.

Heading toward the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.
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Portsmouth Kayak Adventures owner Bill Downey.
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Guide Connor Seery.
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A couple in a tandem kayak heads toward the former Naval prison, part of the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.
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Portsmouth Kayak Adventures got started in 1999 and specializes in group paddles and rentals. On yesterday's outing I noticed the guides' emphasis on safety protocols and their enthusiasm for interpreting the natural and social history of the area.

Definitely plan to return!

World Champion freestyle canoeist Karen Knight was the star attraction at yesterday's grand opening of H2Outfitters' new Edgecomb Watersports Center on the Sheepscot River.

Karen Knight maneuvers her canoe yesterday at the grand opening of H2Outfitters' new Edgecomb location.
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Karen performed a variety of freestyle maneuvers in her canoe for an appreciatve audience and gave a big plug to her teachers, H2Outfitters co-founders Jeff Cooper and Cathy Piffath.

A Brunswick native, Karen said she didn't start canoeing and kayaking until 1989, and emphasized that she wasn't a natural-born paddler. But she became a fixture around H2Outfitters, first as a student, then as an instructor, and by 1995 she placed third in the American Canoe Association's world championship competition.

Karen won the American Canoe Association's top freestyle honors in 1996.
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The next year she took top honors, and after successfully defending her title for several years, retired from competition as the reigning world champ. Today she tours the country giving lessons, demos and leading paddling trips.

Karen retired from competition as the reigning world champion of freestyle.
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For the next few weeks, she'll be teaching at H2Outfitters' Orrs Island location in Casco Bay.

H2Outfitters' Edgecomb location offers rentals, lessons and guided trips.
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H2Outfitters' Edgecomb Watersports Center -- aka "outpost" -- is located within the Sheepscot Harbor Village and Inn, on Route 1 just over the bridge from Wiscasset. Rentals, lessons and trips will be offered from this waterfront location all summer long. Click here for more info, or call 800-20-KAYAK.