We braved gnarly rapids on this Down East river

Four Chowderheads awoke to a welcome cold morning at Little Falls Campsite, arguably the finest site on the Machias River.

The temperature was sufficiently cold to freeze the water in one of my pots. I welcomed the cold because it was a near guarantee blackflies would not join us on the river during the day.

It was the second day of the Penobscot Paddle & Chowder Society’s Machias River trip.

We had acquired a remarkably good weather forecast prior to starting the trip, and it held for day two.

The skies were perfectly clear and the temperature quickly rose into the 50s. Our outdoor gourmet, Rick Farnsworth, served a delicious breakfast, including biscuits that he baked in a reflector oven and sausage gravy he cooked in a Dutch oven.

It was a hearty meal but we anticipated burning lots of calories while paddling four significant rapids called the Wigwams and completing a demanding carry around Holmes Falls.

Our group consisted of four solo paddlers. Rick and Morgan Baxter were in canoes while Ken Gordon and I paddled expedition kayaks. We had met a tandem canoe team on the river the day before, which would be the only other paddlers we would encounter on the trip.

Our quest to reach Holmes Falls by the end of the day began with a pleasant five-mile stretch of flatwater to the confluence with Mopang Stream on the right. We were the beneficiaries of the rarest of all winds — a tailwind.

A substantial number of eagle and osprey sightings were an entertaining part of the journey.

Wigwam Cabin was on the right around the bend from Mopang. The hut marked the beginning of the First Wigwam Rapid portage trail. We didn’t intend to portage, but used the trail to scout the Class III high-volume falls. Rick and Morgan carried some of their heavier gear.

The upper portion of lengthy First Wigwam consisted of large waves pockmarked with gnarly boat-flipping holes. After careful inspection, we decided to proceed along the left shore and ride a wave train that bypassed most of the holes before turning right into the easier lower sector. Our plan worked to perfection and everyone remained dry.

Following a serpentine series of easy rapids, we entered Second Wigwam right center. We maneuvered left of a ledge drop and then drove hard right into standing waves to avoid a second ledge.

A calm pool separated Second Wigwam from Third, a difficult rapid with a precipitous pitch at the finish. After careful scrutiny, we entered left center and proceeded far left through a narrow channel between two boulders in the final drop. A rocky beach at the bottom provided an excellent location for lunch.

Fourth Wigwam was next. Four Chowderheads paddled left center when entering and rode stimulating waves to a pool at the finish. Several miles of flatwater brought us to Holmes Falls.

The Holmes Falls portage was on the left. The trail began about 75 yards above a bridge. The dangerous falls were just below. The canoeists carried on the normal path. Ken and I opted to catch a micro-eddy next to the bridge in our kayaks, offering a somewhat shorter portage.

While not a long carry, the portage around the falls was a workout, especially for this arthritic senior citizen. The initial portion was gradually uphill, but the final half dropped steeply downhill to calm water at the bottom of the falls.

The campsite at Holmes Falls was adequate, but didn’t compare with Little Falls. The food was exceptional. Morgan took over as head chef and pan-fried a scrumptious steak dinner. Rarely do paddlers gain weight on a river trip, but this one carried the danger.

We benefited from another cold night, almost ensuring a bug-free day of paddling. The sun was up and the skies clear when we arose the next morning, the precursor to another outstanding weather day.

Morgan continued serving exceptional culinary fare with bacon and cheese bagel sandwiches on the breakfast menu. While eating, the group made plans for upcoming encounters with Little Holmes Falls and Great Falls, challenging complex descents.

My book, “Maine Al Fresco: The Fifty Finest Outdoor Adventures in Maine” narrates six additional river trips in Maine, including an expedition down the entire Machias River beginning at Fifth Lake.