Well, if you were my 9-year-old sitting in a canoe with nothing to do you might ponder this. And then you might suggest your dad wear a brown hat, brown pants and a brown cloud sign with the word "toot" on it because you think it's funny that he farts. And then you'd tell your mom she should wear an all purple outfit (her favorite color) with a big mouth cut-out with LOL written on it.
That's what my husband and I get for not giving her a chance to switch seats and paddle the canoe. She had more time than she needed to think out loud and develop her ideas.
I partly blame our new canoe. It has three seats, which is one short of what we need for our family. So since my 9-year-old is the smallest in our crew, she was assigned the cushion on the floor.
Next time we are definitely putting her in the paddle rotation; my husband in particular won't mind taking a turn on the floor to keep her busy paddling rather than chatting.
We just purchased our canoe after many years of borrowing one from various friends so we could go paddling whenever the mood struck us. After several trips to the Sticky River's shore this summer with family members who like fishing there, we agreed that the small, calm water of that river was perfect for our canoe's maiden voyage.
The Sticky River access is just off Route 114 in Standish. There is a short, narrow path that is a bit steep but after watching several families put-in and take-out canoes and kayaks there, we decided we could manage it as well.
Once we got the canoe into the water we discovered a broken glass bottle one of the kids nearly stepped on getting into the boat (luckily no one was cut and we took it upon ourselves to dispose of it properly). We decided that everyone needed to keep their sandals on whenever they stepped out of the canoe. I'd suggest the same for anyone putting-in this area. Sadly there are a few visitors to this popular fishing spot who don't take care of their trash.
We paddled around the river at a leisurely pace and found lots of flowering lily pads. Those were a big hit with the kids. They also excitedly pointed out birds perched on logs and a couple of turtles sunbathing on rocks. It is a small river but there was certainly plenty to see.
As we paddled closer to the old railway bridge that marks the entrance to Sebago Lake, we saw large logs sticking out of the water. It looked like an obstacle course but we decided to go around a few to get a closer look at Sebago. But after catching a glimpse of the faster current beyond the bridge, we opted to keep our distance and paddle in another direction. We preferred to play it safe in the quieter waters of the river.
Finding a picnic spot proved a bit tricky because the shore around the river was more rocky than sandy. But after scoping out a few locations, we found a place to portage with a nice spot to sit under the trees.
It was during our break on land that the creative costume ideas conversation turned and my 11-year-old made a suggestion for her younger sister.
My 9-year-old suddenly didn't want to take about costumes anymore. It seemed she could dish out the ideas but did not care so much for listening to others.
We spent only a couple of hours on the river, including our picnic lunch and put-in and pull-out, but it was an easy and relaxing time during an otherwise busy weekend for us. The kids enjoyed the sights of the river and we all enjoyed each other's company and sense of humor.
That's the great thing about raising kids in Maine -- you can find an easy outdoor adventure that you don't need the whole day to organize and enjoy.
Oh, and for those dads out there reading this, you might want to think twice about passing gas again in front of your kids. Because they won't miss an opportunity to share your transgressions with all of their friends ... or upload a video to their YouTube channel to tell the world about it.
NEED TO KNOW
River name: Sticky RiverNearest Town: Standish
Region: Greater Portland
Difficulty: Beginner
Directions: Located on Route 114 about a mile or two north of the intersection of routes 114 and 35 in Standish.
Other: There are wooden posts positioned near the bridge leading into Sebago Lake so keep an eye out for them. Also, take caution if you plan to paddle into Sebago because the current is much stronger there. And be sure to wear something on your feet in the water by the put-in on the river, there were stray fishing hooks and a broken glass bottle in the water by the shore the day we visited.
Originally published in the Maine Sunday Telegram, July 2007
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