tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11387619.post-52344393220903975692008-05-02T06:53:00.004-05:002008-05-08T07:24:02.077-05:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.touringkayaks.com/blog2/uploaded_images/P4300019-725458.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://www.touringkayaks.com/blog2/uploaded_images/P4300019-725453.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a>Most of Little River in Belfast, Maine is nothing more than a shallow stream for about 355 days of the year. The other 10 days it turns into something else -- sometimes something very nice.<br /><br />Heavy spring rains (2 inches within a 24 hour period) brought the river up to a fun but manageable level for paddling.<br /><br />Who knew one could have that much adventure on a sunny spring afternoon -- all within 4 miles of my house and of downtown Belfast? My little trip on Little River involved a 0.7 mile drive to the put in, a scramble down a steep bank to launch, a fun half mile stretch of Class I rapids (with a tiny bit of Class II), paddling the length of Resevoir #1, a brief portage, a scramble down an extremely steep bank, a quarter mile section of Class II - III whitewater, another mile of flatwater, and then a 3 mile run along beautiful riverside trails back to my car.<br /><br />Sighting: grey heron (1), beaver (2), ducks (several), other people (0). All this on an afternoon after work. Maine --- the way life should be.waterwalkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601227586767531263noreply@blogger.com