We awoke to cool, dry conditions. Mist hung over the river, not a cloud in the sky.
Mist on the water above the falls.
The weather gods favored us with low humidity and clear skies. We'd need it to haul all of our gear, including the canoes about 600 yards over a rocky path to bypass the falls. Everyone pitched in carrying backpacks, dry bags etc. It was an exercise in shear persistence but we got it done. Lew's cough a little better but still persistent.
Loaded up the canoes for the final leg of the trip knowing that we had a full day's paddling through intermittent rapids ahead. Taking a break mid-morning, we watched in disbelief as a man and his 9 year old son motored upstream in a canoe, stopping occasionally to fish while sliding backward downstream.
Around 12:30 we rounded the final bend and found our takeout spot! AWW conquered, everyone one intact, no gear lost.
The Thrill of Victory! (Lew, Christine, Steve)
From my adolescent days at Camp Beech Cliff on Mt. Desert Island in Maine when only the big kids got to do the Allagash trip, I've long had the Allagash River as a bucket list item. What an honor to be included in the Canon's family trip and how very satisfying to put a great big checkmark next to this item!
Epilogue: We drove into Fort Kent to pig out at a restaurant. Lew's cough still was not improving so we bought a COVID test... Confirmed, Lew had it but the rest of tested negative. Imagine the grit it took for him to paddle for days and even grind through the portage all the while feeling like crap. He seems to be doing well under the circumstances and do not antic pate his condition worsening.
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