Vibe-Fall-2024 - Flipbook - Page 52
to The Ecology School in Saco, Maine, which also lies on the banks
of the river, just before it reaches the ocean. Students begin to
consider their role within the watershed and how they are connected to all those living downstream. This connection continues
in the oldest grades, as students continue to frequently visit the
shores of the Saco near school on walks with their classes.
For Northeast Woodland’s class of 2024, however, their relationship with the Saco River went to a whole new level. During
the first week of June 2024, just one week before the class of nine
graduated, the students, joined by four of their teachers, spent
five days traveling by canoe down the river to reach the ocean.
The Journey
On Monday, June 3, on a bluebird and unseasonably warm day,
the class drove the 4 miles to the Smith-Eastman Town Park
in Conway, NH. While we had initially hoped to carry canoes
straight to the river from school, the logistics and impact of
beginning with a 1/2-mile portage, followed almost immediately by whitewater, seemed like an ill-advised way to begin a
five-day trip with some novice paddlers, so we opted for the
slightly downstream boat launch at mile 38 on the river.
Spirits were high as we headed downstream. Nerves were
equally high as we listened for whitewater that would signal the
ledge we knew lurked up ahead. Once spotted and scouted, we
carefully ran the section, with a staff boat setting safety, and a
throw rope at hand if needed. Despite the boniness of the river,
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which was on the low side for early June, the students maneuvered their boats with grace—big smiles on their faces—as they
paddled through the first real test the river had to offer.
With a parting view of the White Mountains and Chocorua
behind us, we headed downstream. We quickly crossed the
border into Maine and then weaved our way through swimmers
at Weston’s Beach. The sandy river bottom was easily visible
through the clear water, sometimes only inches below the
bottom of our boats. Grateful not to be fully loaded, we managed
to sneak through the shallowest sections, where we may have
run aground if our boats were any heavier. Sandy beaches on
the shoreline were intermixed with steeper sandy banks where
the erosion from recent storms was clearly evident. At one, we
paused to watch as swallows flew in and out of their nests in
the bank. Just a few minutes later, we caught a glimpse of our
first two eagles of the trip. They soared overhead and continued
down the river’s corridor as we followed along.
Paddles and Portage and Rapids, Oh My!
Almost 10 miles into our first day, after having paddled for
about four hours, we reached our first portage at Swans Falls
Dam. Luckily, this was an easy portage: we knew that several
longer ones loomed ahead. The remainder of the day was
relatively uneventful, with a few more breaks to swim and fish.
We arrived at Saco Bound’s Landing, which would serve as our
first campsite. We tied off our canoes and easily scampered up
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