Lincoln Canoe & Kayak in Freeport is having its consignment sale Sept. 22-23. You never know what you are going to find so I'm not going to predict any bargains. But if you have a boat you've been thinking of selling, this could work for you.

They suggest calling at 207-865-0455 for details.

September is usually a good month for paddling. The water still has some warmth to it. The air temps may be a bit cooler but the weather is calmer.

Saturday was a perfect example of why you shouldn't put away the kayak. I wasn't in mine though. I was attending a friend's wedding. Alyssa and Mitch sail so it was very appropriate they got married within sight and sound of the ocean. (By the way guys, thank you so much for inviting us to such a fantastic event. Everything was first class.) Elaine, Dave and I watched waves and noted what a great place for kayaking it would be.

But we won't be back there this year. Despite the spike in temperatures, the water is cooling fast. And it is shaping up to be a cool month.

So I'm going to be looking inland for my paddling adventures. The turning foliage will supply wonderful backdrops to some quiet adventures. The waters will be a bit warmer and calmer. No disrespect to the out-of-staters but I enjoy the times they aren't driving boats on our lakes or ponds. Even if they were all safe boaters, less boat traffic means quieter and safer paddlers.

So here's a list of places I want to explore before snowflakes inspire me to dig out my skis.

The Nezinscot and Androscoggin rivers in Turner. It's Elaine's backyard so it makes it easy to do. That territory is as quiet as a pond. It's a wonderful spot to paddle. We dipped our boats into the Nezinscot on Sunday before it rained. Griffin wanted to show off his "new" Carolina. It was a good enough excuse for me. I wouldn't consider it a fall paddle so I expect to make at least one more trip through it.

The Presumpscot River between Windham and Gorham. Now this is my backyard - if my backyard stretched about a quarter of a mile - but I have never done it. The launch isn't that convenient but it would be doable. My goal is to head up river from the Gambo Road pedestrian bridge. The river winds through a sparsely populated area and should provide great leaf peeping.

Merrymeeting Bay As I looked for a way to get to Saturday's wedding, I scanned the the map around the bay and up the Kennebec River. I've never paddled the Kennebec but I'm thinking we could make it into an adventure.

I'm going to stop there because I know of a couple things conspiring against me on these trips. But I swear I'm finally going to make the Presumpscot this year.

Where are your favorite fall paddles?

No, this is not going to link to a rather bizarre item in a newspaper's police log. Rather it's about our interactions with wildlife.

The state says anytime we disturb or cause an animal to change its behavior, that's molesting.

Sometimes it's unavoidable. Like the time I pulled up to a secluded piece of beach of Cousins Island. I didn't see the eagle perched on a branch until it flew away from the island. That could be considered molesting. But I didn't intend to get close to an eagle I didn't know was there.

Other times kayakers can avoid it - especially around seals.

Seals are cool. So it's hard to resist opportunities to watch them. Federal law says that is fine. But we need to be 150 feet away. That means we shouldn't chase them in the water. And we don't have to approach them when they are sunning themselves on an island. Often times, boats approach the islands which send the seals into the water.

Kayakers have a bad rap here. But there is lots of blame to go around.

One time Elaine and I paddled down the New Meadows River past Cundy Harbor when we saw a small island full of seals. We stopped to watch them without getting closer. I had heard that seals will investigate kayaks and hoped that would be the case. Then a small motorboat came up the river and approached the island until the seals scattered.

Thanks buddy.

So give the animals their space. Binoculars (anybody have any good recommendations for kayakers?) allow you to get closer without "molesting." Even without binoculars, you can have some fantastic experiences watching wildlife.

Water, water everywhere but not a place to drop in your boat? Here are a few good resources for finding launching spots for kayaking.

DeLorme's Maine Atlas and Gazetteer is invaluable. Launches are marked on the maps. But it doesn't tell you very useful info such as parking availability and tidal access. You need one anyway because the next two resources will reference the Gazetteer page and map grid.

The Maine Association of Sea Kayak Guides and Instructors has a list of sites, parking and tidal access.

The Maine Department of Parks and Lands doesn't have parking info and only lists access as all tides or part. Which part? Top third or half? But it tells you if a restroom is available and is very extensive.

Kayaking the Maine Coast has great descriptions of coastal launches and directions to get to them.

Be careful. Any of these sources can be out of date. The Sea Kayak Guides site has phone numbers so you can confirm details. You can also try asking around your kayaking buddies to see if anyone has info.

Access to the water usually isn't a problem. It's the parking. It's not easy for kayakers to carpool but any efforts to double up can save you a few bucks in parking fees.

Many of the all-tide ramps are at working waterfronts. That means lobstermen, clammers and people with big boats are using it. Try to stay out of the way and do it quickly.

Here's something I found on the Southern Maine Sea Kayaking Network bulletin board:

"Here’s a chance to work with great kayaking coaches for free. The Downeast Sea Kayaking Symposium is looking for several 'guinea pigs' – people at various levels of paddling skill who are willing to be practice students for coaching candidates. Among the classes offered at the symposium are courses for people seeking coaching certifications; some are just learning to be kayaking coaches, others are taking tests for certification. They all need real students to help them develop or demonstrate their skills under the supervision of a qualified coach.

Beginning students are needed on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 8 and 9, and more advanced students are needed on Sunday and Monday, Sept. 9 and 10. Practice students can sign up for one day, or several. All gear will be provided.

The Downeast Sea Kayaking Symposium is a yearly event on Mount Desert Island hosted by Carpe Diem Kayaking and Aquaterra Adventures which brings top kayaking coaches from across the country to Maine for four days of fun and learning on the water. Full and half-day classes are available for students at all levels of paddling experience, from beginners to advance kayakers.

This year, in addition to the classes, there will be a demonstration by Greenland-style rolling champion Alison Sigethy and a slideshow by Shawna Franklin and Leon Somme of their just-completed trip in the Queen Charlotte Islands. Ms. Franklin and Mr. Somme own Body Boat Blade in Orcas Island, Wash. and completed a circumnavigation of Iceland by kayak with adventure writer Chris Duff.

For more information, or to sign up, contact Carpe Diem Kayaking at 669-2338 or info@carpediemkayaking.com, or Aquaterra Adventures at aquaterra-adventures.com or 288-0007."

This may be a good deal. If you volunteer and they waive the entire four-day fee ($495), this would be sweet. It could be worth heading to Bar Harbor this weekend.