[at-l] Crossing the Kennebec

[spiriteagle99@hotmail.com (Jim and/or Ginny Owen)]

gwright@connix.com wrote:

>"Jim and/or Ginny Owen" writes:
> > Considering all the stuff that went by about crossing the Kennebec, no 
>one
> > bothered to mention the most practical way for those who believe that
> > fording is the "traditional" (and most satisfying) way to do it.  And 
>that
> > is to send your pack across with the canoe while you do the ford.
>
>While I understand the hazards of fording while wearing a backpack,
>is there any particular difficulty to simply swimming the Kennebec
>after sending your pack via canoe?  What is the water temp in
>September/October?
>
>This might be a nice, self-propelled alternative to riding in the canoe.



Fording/swimming without the pack is precisely what I was talking about.  Of 
course for those who can't swim, it's not a real good idea.

Water temp in Sept/Oct is variable - we crossed in early Sept (9th ??) and 
the water and air temp were both warm.  If you tried that on Oct 1 you'd 
likely freeze some rather sensitive (and important) body parts.  Keep in 
mind that it'll probably take 5 to 10 minutes (or more) to get across.  
That's a long time to spend in "cold" water whether you're "fording" or 
swimming.  It's a slow ford cause the rocks on the bottom are really 
slippery and the current is fairly fast and tricky.  I know people who have 
managed to get their feet caught in the rocks and couldn't get out without 
help - that's one reason why I wouldn't recommend doing it alone - or 
barefoot.  Barefoot is also a problem because you're likely to get 
cut/scraped - especially when the rocks are slippery.  Been there and done 
that - in a place where the water was so cold that the cut didn't bleed.  
And I wasn't barefoot - I was wearing Tevas.

One of the major problems with a long ford like the Kennebec is that 
disorientation can occur.  Using a stick/staff can provide some stability if 
it does - as well as providing a "third leg" to counter the current.  Yeah, 
the Kennebec current IS a minor problem.

On the other hand, one of our friends swam across without his pack, then 
swam back to get the pack and then swam back across with the pack.  He 
needed a bath - and he was having fun.  And it was warm.

Hmmm - one more thing - you say:
>I understand the hazards of fording while wearing a backpack

And I'll take your word for that - but not everyone does.  The "hazard", of 
course, is drowning.  But most people don't understand "how" that happens.  
A graphic illustration - pack your pack, seal everything in plastic bags, 
put it on and go for a swim (in shallow water).  You'd find that the pack 
acts like a life preserver - it floats pretty well (at least for a while), 
in part because of the air trapped in the plastic bags and in part because 
your gear is less dense than your body weight (especially after 4 or 5 
months on the Trail).  The problem is that if you're strapped into the pack, 
it'll float -- with you face down in the water.  A guy could drown like 
that.  That's why you unbuckle your waist belt before stream crossings - 
even on a bridge if there's ANY possibility that you might fall off.  It 
doesn't even have to be deep water - you can drown in a couple inches.  I 
watched a guy get himself in that position at Evolution Creek.  He got out 
---- with a little help from a friend, but he was damn lucky.

Y'know - it really is simpler and easier to take the canoe - but some of us 
just don't seem to believe in "easy"   :-))

Walk softly,
Jim

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