Chapter 13

Lower Richardson to Stony Batter, Mooselookmeguntic Lake

I made it through the night without rain, but it was chilly! I think it got down into the thirties. Did I sleep? Nah. I woke up to a foggy and cold world with a couple loons near to shore. I had intended to wake up at 5 to make sure I wasn’t racing the sun like the night before (these shorter days don’t leave much fudge factor!), but that wasn’t happening. In any case I was on the water before 8.

The first hour or so was cold and foggy. If I could see 100 yards I was lucky, I kept the slate gray silhouette of the treeline at about 2 o’clock from my bow, and frequently checked the GPS to make sure I was going down a deep bay. My hands were numb but I did my best to hold the paddle and keep on.

Around 9:30 the sun began to break up the fog with a easterly breeze pushing things along. I could see patches of the sky, and the trees resumed their proper colors, and mountains appear covered in gauzy clouds. With the sun on my shoulder and some exercise I was on my way to warm.

As the morning carried on the fog was gone but stratus clouds had covered the sky, as yet no rain or significant wind. The utter quiet of these lakes was soon interrupted by some whirring mechanical noise I took to be coming from Upper Dam. After passing a row of 7 seven cottages connected by a wrap around porch or overhang (the first house I’d seen on the lake save Middle Dam’s manager’s house), I turned sharply easy to find a strong current running among rocks as I neared the dam. The first set of rips I powered through but the next seemed too strong so I hopped out and pulled the boat up through. There was a wooden dock or questionable vintage, with a few floating docks tied to it. The dock itself was high up, such that I had to climb to get onto it, indicating that the water can be much higher. Indeed the whole of the lake had had large rocky or pepply shores which seemed far from the treeline like the water may down. In any case I monkeyed up the dock with my pack and made my way best a row of camps, before returning for my boat which when held directly over head with elbows locked I could slide onto the dock. This was nominally 250 yards which feels nicer than talking in miles, but I am so sick of carrying my stuff from yesterday I wouldn’t have minded if it was shorter.

There were several old timers about in waiters with nets hanging from their vests out fly fishing. No doubt trying to out do Carrie Gertrude Stevens, a fly fishing legend who caught a record setting brook trout in 1924. Almost 100 years ago! I sat on a rock and ate some lunch. I batten downed the hatches and donned my rain jacket just in the nick of time as it began to sprinkle some, though not didn’t amount to much. I was off on to Mooselookmeguntic.. it’s a mouthful.

I was halfway done my planned mileage for the day and in the water before 12:30. However I was worried as the guide book warned of winds on this lake. I can see how this could be dangerous. The lake is deceptively large, with each peninsula revealing large sweeping bays, ringed by mountains and hills where the winds sweep down. When I came into the first of these the wind was blowing just about perpendicular to me. It made for slower going with plenty of rolling and bobbing. I made it to Birch Point at which point I decided the wind wasn’t so bad and decided to cut directly across to my campsite for the night: Stony Batter. Luckily no whitecaps kicked up and I was only bothered by intermittent rain.

Now if you’re like me, Stony Batter immediately made me think of Rocky Road ice cream, which is maybe partially why I chose it as a camping spot. When I neared to the spot I realized that it’s name was because of the ubiquitous rocks blocking way to the shore where you would be battered to a pulp in stormy weather. A little less friendly than I was hoping. In any case after scaring off a flock of cormorants resting on the rocks I landed on the rocky shore and lugged my bag up the ankle breaking way to make a rainy camp for the night.

All said and done by around 2! Well, it is a mile across the lake to the boat landing and a mile and a half portage into the town of Oquossoc. I don’t know if their would be any lodging as it’s now the off-season and I don’t want to be ridiculed by my friend Cody for not camping out every night. Any further than the town would be risking loss of day light and I’m not sure Rangley Lake has sites until nearly halfway down the lake. Plus I need to give myself something to do tomorrow! All to say early day or not this was the best stopping point, plus I managed to set up the tent before the rains started!

Tomorrow will be a bit shorter than I initially reckoned, so I’ll take my time before my late evening ride. I’m hoping to find a coffee in Oquossoc or Rangley! Sorry no pictures today!