A nice article by Rex Turner  who recently visited Debsconeag Lake Wilderness Camps with his family.  Rex  is the Recreation Planner for the Maine State Bureau of Parks and Lands.

Debsconeag Lake Wilderness Camps in October at peak color.

Camps provide alternative lodging on Maine Public Reserved Lands

My daughter is about to turn 21… months. As a father, then, I’m not worrying about her bar hopping but rather hopping off the bed. …

This morning the first wilderness  trips  departed Chewonki Neck!

Session 1 Wilderness Trippers

Umbagog, Maine AT Backpack, North Woods Canoe and the Leadership Expedition departed a foggy Chewonki Neck shortly after breakfast today.  Later this morning the Mariners will  depart the Chewonki waterfront heading for Castle Island.  By the end of the day  the  Umbagog crew will be settled and tents set up at their home for the next 3 weeks  in Sunday Cove on Lake Umbagog.  The North Woods Canoers will have traveled 5 hours north of Chewonki Neck and arrived  at Burbank Campsite on the West Branch of the Penobscot. The Maine AT Backpackers  will have hiked into their first campsite on the Appalachian Trail at Leeman Brook just north of Monson Maine.  The Leadership Expedition paddlers will be at Big Eddy Campground  where they will spend the next few days refining their whitewater canoeing skills on the West Branch of the Penobscot.

Tomorrow the West Branch Explorers will depart  for the famed 100-Mile Wilderness and their first nights campsite at Cooper Brook and the Maine Coast Kayakers will be on their way paddling down Montsweag Bay to Castle Island their stop for the night.

We are off to a good start and on Sunday we will welcome the Boat Builders and the George River Expedition participants.

I’ve been trying to sit down long enough write something about what’s happening up at Big Eddy, but have been interrupted by walk-in campers! That is a good thing.

At this very moment the sun is shining, the hummingbirds are here in droves, the wind is blowing and 3 fishermen saw a nice one come out of the water in the middle of the river. Two Sundays ago as Lila and I enjoyed a quiet moment beside the Eddy, we observed a mature male eagle come from his perch and grab a fish from in front of site # 114  just across the river from us. He was unable to lift the fish and fly with it to shore, so he “swam ” it to shore using his wings. Crazy! The size of that salmon had to be well over 18 inches. He hopped up into the site and devoured a good chuck of it before taking flight again with half the carcass and heading down river. To a nest?

Today the total flow below the dam is 7378 cfs (cubic feet per second), down from over 9,500. It has been a roller coaster of highs and lows in the past 7 days. That is fairly common in the spring up here, it is much like the weather and directly related to it.  Last Thursday the river dropped to a raft and fishable level of 3400 cfs. Friday afternoon a substation in Millinocket had switch issues and the river dropped to 400 cfs plus the 150 cfs from the dryway trickle and you can add a little more from the streams running into the river. I was very worried about the fish that might get stranded in the small pools left here and there. Then a terrific couple of storms passed over and we had measurable rain fall from each of them, even though they were quite brief. By 8 pm the river had still not come up. Finally they got a crest gate or two open to add to the minimal flow coming out of McKay. But it was quite a site to see Big Eddy Rapid as just a bunch of rocks and the silence was deafening after the high water we had listened to earlier in the month.  By Saturday morning they had it back up and Brookfield Power put out an email letting us know that they would have to raise the flow at 5 pm that evening due to the fact that Seboomook was completely full and they had gotten quite a bit more rain above.

Saturday morning, while the first hot cinnamon buns of the season were coming out of the oven , Mike O , the water resource manager from Brookfield Power stopped by to let us know  what had happened in the past 24 hours and that they would have to increase the flows again. I asked him if there was any way that they could up the flows after 8 pm whenever possible and he said he would look into it. In the past they were only thinking about the rafters. They had not realized that the fishermen were just getting started around 5 pm. He emailed me from his office just a short while later and said they would be waiting until after 8 pm to raise the water levels. What a thoughtful guy!

In those couple of extra hours my fishing buddy, Seneca, went out there and pulled in 2 nice fish, one on an emerger and one on a streamer. (He always seems to best me.)

So we know the fish are out there, probably more earlier than normal thanks to the high water. but fishermen do need to exercise extra caution when fishing the river at higher levels, whether wading or by boat. The area ponds have been reported to be doing very well too.

Come visit us soon or make your reservation now!

It might be hard to believe given today’s temperature in the  high 30′s  but tomorrow is the first canoe race of the season.  Saturday morning  a number of  current and former Chewonki Staff will gather with hundreds of other paddlers in the village of Searsmont Maine to take part in the first canoe race of the season.

Kyle Shute and Greg Shute, Wilderness Programs Director

It is apt to be a bit chilly tomorrow morning but it is hard to imagine a more fun way to spend a Saturday in March.

This Saturdays race  marks the beginning  of  the Maine Canoe and Kayak Racing Organization’s weekly races.  Over the next few weeks  paddlers will take advantage of spring runoff as the rives and lakes of Maine shed the ice of the past winter.

Semester School Faculty member Paul Arthur, St George River Race 2011

The races  attract a wonderful community of paddlers from throughout Maine and beyond.  For the next few weeks this band of  enthusiastic paddlers will travel from Searsmont to Houlton  and from Farmington to Machias  in search of spring runoff,  the Maine canoeing  version of the surfing classic,  The Endless Summer.

Next week is the Chewonki Semester School Spring break and 9 adventurous students will be staying  on campus and  participating in a week long white-water paddling workshop.  We will  begin on flatwater and quickly head out  to the moving water on the nearby Sheepscott River and St George.

Summer Trips Director Ryan Linehan, St George River Race 2010

After a weeks with of training  the students will take part in the 38th annual Passagasawakeag River Canoe Race in Belfast.  The Passy is a wonderful 8 mile stretch of quick water mixed with  some exciting Class I, II and III rapids.

If you find yourself in the mid-coast  there are several terrific  spots for river vultures to watch the races.  The St George passes under a bridge on the Ghent Road in Searsmont within view of a Class III rapid. Best viewing of the Passy Race  takes place on the Poors Mills Road just west of Belfast. Come on out and enjoy this spring ritual.

Chewonki Staff Naturalist, Lynne Flaccus, St George River Race 2010

Don with a Tarpon he caught on a fly.

Chewonki director of operations Don Lamson is organizing a guided fishing trip this August to Isla Holbox, a 26-mile-long island about 6 miles off the Yucatan Peninsula.  Spend six days fly-casting to one of the most formidable game fish anywhere, and have the chance to see dolphins, sea turtles, and many species of rays and seabirds. Don, a lifelong fly fisherman, returned ecstatic from a scouting trip to the island a few days ago, having secured first-rate accommodations for Chewonki’s guests.

He says Isla Holbox is magical. The island is lined with white sand beaches, turquoise seas, and provides habitat for 150 species of birds. The village of Holbox is home to about 1,500 year-round residents. There are no cars on the island, only bicycles, scooters, and golf carts. Other than the village itself, the island is undeveloped, and most of it falls within a protected nature preserve.

The biggest tourism draw on the island is not tarpon but swimming with whale sharks, which migrate along Isla Holbox each summer. Tour boats allow for people to actually swim with the giant peaceful fish. There are also birding tours, kayak rentals, and windsurfing. But the favorite pastime on Isla Holbox is “relaxation,” says Don. “It’s one of my favorite places on earth, and if you like to fly-fish, it falls into the category of sheer paradise.” Don enthusiastically invites anyone in the Chewonki family to consider joining him at Isla Holbox this summer. “I’ve fished for giant tarpon throughout Central American,” he says. “Isla Holbox is my first choice.”

For dates, prices,  go here:  http://www.chewonki.org/vacations/vacations_flyfishing.asp

As many of you know Chewonki  partnered with Cruise North Expeditions and this month 29 adventurous folks joined us as we traveled from Resolute on Cornwallis Island in Nunavut, 750 miles north of the Arctic Circle, over 2000 miles south to Kuujjuaq in Northern Quebec.

Chewonki High Arctic Crew with Akpatok Island in the background

Cruise North is an Inuit owned company that has been offering educational cruises in the Arctic for 6 years. I think that it is fair to say that without fail each of our participants has been truly overwhelmed, in the best definition of the word, with the Arctic and Cruise North.  The Expedition Staff, hotel staff, chef, dining room staff, housekeeping staff and food was inspiring as was the landscape and our wildlife encounters.

Particularly impressive was Expedition Leader, Jason Annahatak, I’m not sure you could find a better ambassador for Cruise North and the native people of Nunavik and Nunavut.  His calm and unflappable demeanor is perfectly suited to the role of Expedition Leader as was Assistant Expedition Leader Michael.

The Zodiac drivers and on board Naturalists, Liz, Aaron, George, Josee, Dave, Rita, Jaiku and Dion performed as a well-oiled team and their respect for one another and the passion for what they do is evident.

Keep an eye out for an announcement about next years trip with Cruise North to the High Arctic.

High Arctic Cruise Route

September 6, 2010

74 degrees 41’N 094 degrees52”W

If not for the icebergs and bits of pack ice floating just off shore the landscape of Cornwallis Island in Canada’s far North could be mistaken for the Utah desert.  It is the first week of September and our day started well before sunrise in Montreal where we boarded an Air Inuit Charter plane.  The first leg of our 7-hour flight took us to Iqaluit on Baffin Island for a refueling stop.

Iqaluit is the capital of Nunavut, the Inuit controlled portion of the region formerly part of the eastern  Northwest Territories.  After a quick stop we load back onto the plane and take off for Resolute Bay on Cornwallis

Air Inuit Jet in Resolute

Island.   Resolute is located 750 miles north of the Arctic Circle and has an interesting and at times depressing past.  In the early 1950’s the Canadian Government relocated several Inuit families from Northern Quebec to Resolute enticing them with tales of plentiful wildlife and with the guarantee that if they weren’t happy they could return south the next year.  It took until this year for a formal apology to the Inuit from the Canadian Government. The entire story was documented in, The Long Exile; A Tale of Inuit Betrayal and Survival in the High Arctic by Melanie McGrath. Today Resolute has a population of 250 and is  the jumping off point for researchers and North Pole Explorers.

Josee and Jason welcome our group to Resolute Bay

We touch down on the gravel runway in a cloud of dust.  As soon as the plane door opens a stiff icy wind blows off Resolute Bay.  We make our way quickly to the terminal and dig into our day packs for another warm layer and to pull on our knee high waterproof boots that will be needed for our (wet landing) and shuttle by Zodiac to our home the for the next two weeks the Lyubov Orlova.  The Orlova is 328 feet long and built for ice travel. A solid ship she spends the winter cruising the waters of the Antarctic and is under contract with Cruise North Expeditions for the Arctic summer.  We participate in  a quick on shore security check before Zodiacs carry 10-12 of us at a time to the ship.  The rolling seas make for an interesting transfer from zodiac to ship.  During the  afternoon we move into our cabins, explore

Exploring Resolute Bay

the ship and get our first of what will be regular briefings about our route.  It is clear from the start that the ability to be flexible is a skill that needs to be embraced by all passengers as our itinerary changes daily given the weather and sea conditions.  Soon we are underway-cruising east toward Lancaster Sound and our first destination, Beechey Island. We pass through small patches of pack ice as the early evening light illuminates the Cornwallis Island coast in a golden glow.

September 7, 2010

74 degrees 37′N  091 degrees 10′W

Beechey Island Graves

The ship is anchored just off Beechey when I wake around 4:30AM.  I really didn’t sleep too well because I was filled with the anticipation of visiting Beechey.  One of the Arctic’s most famous historical sites, Beechey is well known as the place that the Franklin Expedition spent the winter of 1845/46.  Beechey is a hauntingly stark landscape that upon landing is accentuated by the low angle of the early morning sun.  Our first stop is at the graves of three of Franklins Crew who died during the first winter, another grave marks the spot of  another early explorer who died during a latter rescue mission for Franklin.  The wooden grave markers cast long shadows at this time of the morning adding to the mystery of the place.   It was after exhumation of two graves in the late 1980’s that researchers discovered unusually high lead levels in the bodies.  Franklin’s ships and

Lyubov Orlova

food supplies where at the time considered state of the art.  Unfortunately the solder that was used to seal the cans was made of lead, which leaked into the food contributing to high concentrations in the crew.  Many think this explains the seemingly irrational decisions that where made during the following months by Franklin and his sailors.  Over the next several years all of Franklin’s crew vanished.  In the coming years  rescue crews would find a trail of materials and human remains scattered across the Arctic.

Cape Liddon, Devon Island

After our exploration of Beechey we return to the ship for a late breakfast and then head to our next stop, the steep cliffs of Cape Liddon on Devon Island.  We again board Zodiacs for an up-close look at the bird-nesting colony of Fulmars, Kittiwakes, Black Guillemots, Glaucous Gulls and a few ravens. Below the nests we watch as a polar bear feasts on a narwhal carcass.

September 8, 2010

73 degrees 04’N 084 degrees 33”W

We have travelled many miles during the night and at dawn we cruise into the harbor at Nanisivik, Canada’s only deepwater Arctic port, for refueling.  While the ship is refueled we hike and the keen botanists in the group spot Mountain Avens, Arctic Fireweed and interesting soil patterns caused by the permafrost. After breakfast we head out on Strathcoma Sound to explore by Zodiac.  Our trip is rewarded with the site of a flock of snow geese flying in V formation over a massive iceberg grounded out near shore.  We return to the ship to find that refueling has taken longer than expected and just before sunset we leave the dock and continue our journey as the low evening sun colors the hills of the Sound.

September 9, 2010

74 degrees 42′N 78 degrees 00′W

Pond Inlet Elders

We cruise through the Arctic twilight and in the morning many passengers comment on the pitching side to side experienced during the night.  We soon turn south from Lancaster Sound and enter the calm waters of Navy Board Inlet an incredibly beautiful stretch of water between Baffin Island and Bylot Island. Here we circumnavigate an enormous iceberg.  We continue on to our afternoon visit at the community of Pond Inlet.  We spend a wonderful afternoon in Pond Inlet or Mittimatalik, as it is known in Inuktitut.  Our visit includes a cultural demonstration at the visitor center and a walking tour of the town with a stop at the Coop Store.

Navy Board Inlet Iceberg

Just before dusk we raise anchor and continue east to Baffin Bay passing by the jagged mountains of Bylot Island.

September 10, 2010

72 degrees 07’N 75 degrees 41’W

At dawn we enter the stunning North Arm Fjord.  During the night new fallen snow has covered the peaks down to the tide line. We anchor off an elliptical sand beach and go ashore to explore a Thule site followed by a hike through the tundra to a waterfall.  During the walk we see two Peregrine Falcons and a gyrfalcon. We

Gryfalcon

return to the ship for a barbecue on the back deck amid the hanging glaciers and calm waters of North Arm.

North Arm, Baffin Island

September 11, 2010

69 degrees 39’W 067 degrees 23’W

The morning begins with a moment of silence to remember the day 9 years ago when the Twin Towers fell.   Fairly rough waters in Baffin Bay gave us all plenty of practice gaining our sea legs as we steam toward Isabella Bay.   Shortly after a morning talk on marine mammals we see our first blow.  Isabella Bay is filled with Bowhead Whales and estimates put the number we see at about 50.

Bowhead Whale in Isabella Bay

September 12, 2010

66 degrees 32’N 061 degrees 40’W

Clear blue skies greet the regular group of early morning birders on the top deck as we head toward Sunneshine Fjord.  We pass Cape Dyer the site of a DEW Line Station (Distant Early Warning Line). We cross south over the Arctic Circle, which we toast later in the morning with Champagne on the stern deck.  We take a wonderful hike on the ridges that tower over the Fjord with the long walkers rewarded by a sighting of small flock of beautiful Rock Ptarmigan.

September 13, 2010

62 degrees 33’N 064 degrees 38’W

Walrus at Robinson Inlet

Today’s destination is Monument Island named in honor of Franklin and the core of an ancient volcano. We plan to offload the Zodiacs for a closer inspection of the island however the weather Gods have other ideas for us as the wind gusts to 38 knots.  Plan B,  we head to Robinson Inlet and how fortunate we are as we see a herd of 30 walrus and in another nearby cove marvel as the rocky shoreline is alive with 10 polar bears. Had the weather not turned us back from Monument Island we would have missed this incredible wildlife spectacle.

Polar Bear at Robinson Inlet

September 14, 2010

60 degrees 34’ N 067 degrees 58’W

We enter the waters of Ungava Bay and are welcomed by a pod of Atlantic White Sided Dolphins who are further north than the range maps indicate.  At Akpatok Island we are welcomed by several polar bears and the largest Thick-Billed Murre colony in the world. Although many of the Murres have already flown south it is still an impressive site. We move down the west shore of the island under unbelievably calm and warm conditions.  More polar bears are sighted and two Minke Whales surface nearby.  During the afternoon we stop for a spectacular hike before continuing our journey South.  For the third night in a row we all gather on the top deck to marvel at the aurora borealis overhead.  Several days ago the northern lights where to our south and now they are directly overhead as we are currently near the 60 parallel.  Northern lights tend to be most visible between 60 and 72 degrees latitude.

Akpatok Island hike

September 15

Ungava Bay is dead calm when we awake.  We anchor near the mouth of the Koksoak River and wait for high tide so the ship can travel up river to a deep hole where we will spend the night just t north of Kuujjuaq. During the morning we launch zodiacs and explore the waterfowl rich shallow bays of the Northern Quebec coastline.

At 1:00pm we head up river on the high tide.  A Minke whale marks our entrance to the river.  The first trees to be seen in two weeks are visible several miles up river.  The landscape is colorful with bright reds and yellows, as autumn has clearly arrived.  We are all surprised that a few days ago we were bundled against the snow and today is a balmy 60 degrees.  We are treated with the sighting of 10 musk ox on the western shore. The prehistoric looking animals are well suited to withstand the winter winds that will soon blow down from the north

Musk Ox on the Koksoak River

across the Ungava Bay lowlands.  I no sooner remark that a wolf would be “icing on the cake” for our adventure when someone spies one on a rocky outcrop along the eastern shore.  A  quick look in our direction and the wolf drops out of sight.  We get a quick glimpse as it trots back into the spruce and tamarack woodlands. We drop anchor and have one more chance to go to shore.  The blueberries, cranberries and crowberries leaves are in full fall color. Here we add a few more species to our bird list including a gray jay.

September 16.

Entering the Koksoak River

We shuttle to shore early the next morning and meet a school bus for the ride into Kuujjuaq.  We travel about 10 KM, the longest road in town, from the boat landing to the Airport. We have travelled many miles from the High Arctic to the Sub Arctic and we fly south full to the brim with memories and stories to share with those back home.

Greg Shute Wilderness Programs Director

On Saturday July 31  we head north for the Torngat Mountains in Labrador.  This year we are experimenting with a SPOT Tracker so that folks back home can track our progress online on Google Earth.

On Saturday we will drive to Lake Memphramagog in the Eastern Twonships of Quebec to spend the night.  Early the next morning our group will depart for Montreal and fly to Kuujjuaq in Northern Quebec.  Sunday afternoon we will fly to Saglek on the Labrador Coast.  Our route will then take us north along the Coast.

If all goes well you will be able to see our route by clicking on this website,

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=43.94147,-69.71907&ll=43.94147,-69.71907&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

Robert Bradford at anchor in the North Arm of Saglek

We are looking forward to several upcoming family experiences in August.   There are still a  spaces on the Allagash Canoe Trip August 12-18  and in our North Woods Family Camp at Debsconeag Lake Wilderness Camps, August 11-15.  We are also busy leading several custom wilderness trips including two trips on the West Branch of the Penobscot.  Please contact us if your would like to talk about  a custom experience for your family or friends.  We are also available to put together  guided experiences  at Big Eddy Campground or Debsconeag Lake Wilderness Camps.

One of our more far flung custom trips is to the  northern Labrador Coast, a little visited and dramatic landscape of deep fjords, barren mountains, glaciers, icebergs and home to the newly established Torngat Mountains National Park.  In  a little less than two weeks we will return to the Torngats with a group of 10 adventurous participants.  This is our 5th consecutive visit to the Torngat Mountains.   Getting to the Park  is part of the adventure.

Polar Bear At Saglek

The first leg of the trip is a flight by jet from Montreal to Kuujjuaq in Northern Quebec.   In Kuujjuaq we board a chartered Twin Otter to fly another hour and a half east, to an automated radar station on  the Labrador Coast at Saglek. Once at Saglek we meet up with staff from Parks Canada  for a short boat trip to their tent base camp.  After an orientation  and safety briefing  we will board the Robert Bradford a 45-foot converted longliner owned by local captains Chess and Joe Webb from Nain, Labrador.  For the next 7 days we will explore  north along the coast with stops to hike at Ramah Bay and  Nachvak Fjord.   This stretch of the coast is dramatic, with 4-5,000 foot peaks rising from the coast and  one of the higher concentrations of polar bears found in eastern Canada. The region also has a  long and interesting human history, particular  at Ramah Bay which is the site of a chert deposit  that has been mined for centuries by native people seaking material for  spear points.  We will return to the Torngats in 2011 so keep an eye out this Fall for dates for next years trip.

Continuing our northern theme,  in a little over a month we will also embark on our first, High Arctic Cruise, September 6-16, for those seeking adventure with a bit more comfortable accommodations.  We have partnered with Cruise North Expeditions an Inuit owned  cruise company for this once in a lifetime trip to the far north.   30 travelers will  meet in Montreal and  fly to Iqaluit on Baffin Island.  Here we change planes for the long flight to Resolute  on  Cornwallis Island which is located well north of the Arctic Circle.  For the next 10 days we will cruise through Lancaster Sound and then south along the east coast of Baffin Island before finishing our trip in Kuujjuaq northern Quebec from where we will return by plane to Montreal.

Allagash Family Canoe Trip

Let your imagination wander, we have a variety of scheduled trips for all abilities and please contact us if you would like to talk about a custom experience.

It’s been a rather snowless winter in Southern Maine where I live and the result has been months of nearly no time outside. So, when Chewonki offered the chance to ski into Fourth Debs for a winter weekend, I jumped at the chance.

A group of us – a mother and daughter from Ashville, NC, a doctor from Woolwich, a chef from Bar Harbor, Chewonki Head Naturalist Lynne Flaccus – all met just north of Millinocket and hopped on a few snowmobiles (my first time riding one). The ride into the wilderness sporting camps included stunning views of Katahdin and crossing over the West Branch of the Penobscot River in winter. I was excited to get to the lake and put on my skis.

Once on skis, we crossed the frozen lake and entered the woods, immediately there were signs of wildlife. A beaver had been busy around the inlet of the lake – we could see tooth marks on several stumps he left – as well as signs of his belly dragging up and down over the bank of the stream. We saw tracks of coyote, red squirrel, snowshoe hare, white-tailed deer, and others we could not identify for certain. It struck me how devoid my life can be of wildlife until I take the opportunity to step into a wild place. I needed this trip and the chance it provided to challenge myself, meet new friends, and take a break from the trappings of my predictable life back home.

That afternoon we met the rest of our group and skied the circumference of the lake enjoying the grand views of the surrounding wilderness. Later, three of us settled into a yurt, while others took to cabins – already snuggly from the fires that has been build in preparation for our arrival.

The following morning we ate yet another a delicious meal – this time a breakfast of eggs, fruit, sausage, bagels and cream cheese with coffee — before strapping on snowshoes and heading up the cliffs behind the camp. We hiked through a range of forest types – hemlock, spruce, cedar and pine at first and moving into white birch, beech, maple, hornbeam, oak – yielding at the top to a barren landscape made possible by a fire some years ago. The opening at the top provided views of the grand Katahdin range to the northeast, Jo Mary Mountain to the south and thousands of acres of lake-spotted wilderness all around. The sun shined for the whole day against a bright blue sky.

I was reminded again of the simple pleasures of hiking to a summit and enjoying a snack and conversation there with friends.

The remainder of the weekend was equally fulfilling – and deeply satisfying. Many of us on the trip (myself included) have committed to making this an annual trip – as we all recognized the enjoyment winter has to offer when you get outside and allow yourself to discover places, people and wilderness. There is no trick to being an outdoors person or a wilderness traveler. You just have to show up.

Betta Stothart Connor

We stood in silence and watched a coyote trot across the ice on Third Debsconeag Lake. In the background Mount Katahdin filled the cloudless sky. Light winds and temperatures in the 20′s and a deep snowpack all combined for a beautiful winter day. Earlier we had followed the tracks of coyote, snowshoe hare and fisher as we snowshoed over the portage trail between Fourth and Third Debsconeag Lake. The coyote was all business, on the hunt, stopping only briefly to look in our direction as Lynne and Kyle howled their best coyote imitation. Soon it entered the woods and we were left with a memory and a fleeting glimpse of one the local residents of the Debsconeags. I’ve learned over the years the importance of stopping occasionally to look back from where you have come. Once on Big Wood Pond in Attean Township in northwestern Maine we were rewarded with the sighting of a group of deer crossing the ice followed shortly by a lynx. Another time a coyote followed us. The most memorable experience occurred on the DePass River in Northern Quebec. We were a week into an extended canoe trip. Our group of six canoes had just paddled down through a Class II rapid. The canoes drifted with the current below the rapid. I turned to look back upriver and it was then that I saw the first dozen or so caribou come out of the spruce forest and cross the river. Over the next half hour or so we watched a steady stream of thousands of caribou cross the DePass. The image of the caribou herd crossing the river is as vivid today as when it happened almost 15 years ago. Luck has a lot to do with seeing wildlife but just as important is learning how to look. This past Sunday on a frozen lake I was again reminded of how important it is to take the time to really look. By now I’m sure the coyote has long forgotten seeing us but my memory of him or her will quickly come to mind each time I visit Third Debsconeag. Our next cross country ski weekend at Debsconeag Lake Wilderness Camps is coming up February 19-21 we have a couple spaces left and hope that you will consider joining us.