The Kennebec offers good Class III-IV whitewater as you careen through a 100 foot gorge, and pleasant flatwater sections allowing you to swim with the current and get to know your
fellow crew members. Trips begin right below the dam at Harris Station where Guida rehearses the paddle commands.
“Both sides ahead! Left back, right ahead!” he will call out. He points out that the key is to keep the raft moving at the same rate as the river. “The guests are the power, the guide is the steering mechanism,” he explains. “It’s more important to paddle together than to paddle hard.”
“Are we ready to kick some river butt today!” shouts Guida. And with that motivating cry his raft is off and running.
The first whitewater is called Taster Rapids. It gets the crew wet and gives them a taste of what’s coming ahead, Guida says. Then comes Funk Wave (Class III) followed by Big Mamma (Class IV or V), a “hole” in the river creating a hugh standing wave. Three Sisters, a series of three standing waves comes up quick. “You have to keep the crew focused,” Guida warns.
The class of whitewater will depend on the dam release. A standard release on the Kennebec is about 4,800 cfs (cubic feet per second) but could go as high as 9,500 cfs.
Next comes Goodby Hole to be avoided with standard releases, says Guida. Recirculating “holes” are created by large obstructions in the river, like a big rock, and can be safely navigated only when the water is high. The safer surfing holes allow the guide to hold the raft in place or to playfully spin it around.
Intentionally aiming for or avoiding a hole is all part of the adventure. Guida stays clear of Raft Ripper and gingerly runs through Whitewasher as it lies close to shore. This is followed by Lower Alleyway (Class III or IV) which empties into Cathedral Eddy where the rafts stop for a breather.
Guida says he developed “river fever” as a frequent crew member with Magic Falls Rafting Co. When co-owner Dave Neddeau casually suggested to Guida that he might enjoy guiding rafting trips instead of just paddling, he began thinking about changing his lifestyle. After taking the required courses both in the classroom and on the river, becoming certified in first aid and CPR, and then passing a State written test, Guida was licensed to take command of a raft.
After the break it’s Z-Turn Rapids (Class III) in preparation for the big one - Magic Falls Rapids (Class IV), the company’s namesake. “At 4,800 cfs we run the holes. At 8,000 cfs we run the right side of the river for the Maytag Hole followed by a hugh standing wave on the other side,” Guida describes.
Magic Falls is a series of rapids extending for 300 yards. “You blast through them pretty quick,” says Guida. “It’s all over in about three minutes.”
The rafts can then “eddy-out” for another breather followed by an opportunity to jump in and bob along in Class II whitewater, visit Dead Stream Falls, or stop at Carry Brook to pick up folks who chose to avoid the river’s fury.
A 90-minute gentle float to the finish allows the crew to observe hawks, osprey or eagles flying overhead, stop for a snack, go for a swim, or challenge another raft to a water fight. The entire trip on the water takes from 3 to 3.5 hours, with 6 miles of whitewater and 7-8 miles of flatwater.
The Dead River takes rafters deeper in the wilderness. The put-in is in the woods compared to the modern concrete staircase with a double rail for hauling the rafts at the Harris Dam site on the Kennebec. The Dead offers many miles of good whitewater with just a few flat stretches. “You’re pretty much in the soup for a good 10 miles,” says Guida.
The most challenging trips are in the spring when releases from the dam at Flagstaff Lake vary from 7,000 to 15,000 cfs. The Dead River takes rafters through Spencer Rips, Humpty Dumpty, and Hayden’s Landing (class IV), a 3-4-minute surge through big holes at its center and bottom. “You finish with a bang!” Guida recalls.
He will assess the strength of his crew to determine his course on the Dead. Different lines on the river will determine a more or less aggressive trip. Guida can navigate Elephant Rock (Class III-IV) to the left of the rock or on a shoot to the right. He can even go over the rock if there’s enough water.
The further down you go on the Dead the greater the challenge due to the pitch of the river bed. The Class IV Mile-Long Rapid with a hugh hole at the end demands very hard paddling. Then Little Poplar Falls (Class III-IV) serves as a warmup to Big Poplar (Class IV-V), the last rapid on the river and the longest continuous rapid in Maine. Guida will start out just left of center, make a quick right to avoid the big hole Fryolator, and encourage his crew to “dig it in hard, dig it in hard!” He calls this “the big fourth of July grand finale.”
While these adrenalin-rush river trips are challenging, requiring a degree of physical exertion, there are experiences on Maine’s mighty rivers for everyone, according to Dave and Donna Neddeau. For the more timid, they say, paddling little fun yaks or full sized rafts on the more gentle portions of the lower Kennebec River provide an outdoor adventure that anyone can enjoy.
Dave and Donna should know. They have been running rafting trips for thousands of satisfied customers in Maine for 15 years, many of whom return year after year. Others come just to enjoy the scenery and camaraderie, to swim in the gentle sections of the river, and for the great barbecues.
In addition to rafting, Magic Falls Rafting Co. offers rock climbing, mountain hiking, and safe adventures for young children. Learn how to repel off a 70-foot rock face. Hike a portion of the Appalachian Trail up Pleasant Pond Mountain (2,480 feet) and enjoy the spectacular views.
The company also provides a wide range of lodging at The Marshall Inn, Dead River Lodge, Magic Falls River’s Inn as well as their campground.
Dave and Donna say rafting is a time to shed worries and stress, a time to smile and laugh, a time to be part of the river’s unending flow. Their company strives to individualize the experience, they point out, aiming first for safety and second to provide a trip that “touches the heart and excites the soul.”
Guida says rafting is an opportunity for people from all walks of life to share an exceptional outdoor
experience. “Lawyers, doctors, college students, truck drivers, cooks all work in unison to power the rafts down the rivers.” And when his crew successfully navigates through some heavy whitewater, Guida has them all raise their paddles in the air, a rafting high five. “Everyone is the same on a raft, there are no class distinctions,” he says proudly. |
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