Date: 2021-06-26
From: Caratunk (mile 151.2)

To: Pierce Pond Lean-to (mile 155.2)
Miles today: 4.0
Weather: broken clouds

Slept in, relatively speaking, til after 7 and enjoyed the Sterling's continental breakfast. A couple at breakfast was staying to attend a wedding and had many questions for the two SOBO girls Timber and Zombie who have been resting up for several days.They and Forrest decided to continue resting today, but moved up the road to tent to save some money. Eric, the owner, opined later that the longer they stay off trail the less likely they are to return.He'd taken Joseph, who had arrived before Pappy and I yesterday but was unhappy sharing a room, over to the trail earlier and come back with Pancho. Last night Pancho had hitched up to a restaurant and then camped, but hadn't found his way to a convenience store yet. Eric thought he wanted to resupply and so brought him to the Inn which has a resupply store designed for hikers. Pancho's idea of resupply though was tobacco and beer so, disappointed, he walked off to hitch to a store. Eric then took Pappy and I to the trail, a little over a mile, where a short walk along the Kennebec brought us to the canoe ferry. We could see Joseph being ferried to the other side. The river looked fordable, even shallow, further north but there were likely deeper channels we couldn't see. Mike the ferryman, standing in for Greg, explained that the upstream dam operators are required by the state to release water daily from 10 to 1 for use by the rafting companies along the river. Water released at 10 doesn't reach here until 2, so the ferry schedule in high season runs only from 9 to 2. This seems to imply one could ford before 2 without worrying about a dam release suddenly raising the water level.The shore had a little stone jetty to assist in boarding the canoe with dry feet. The passage took only a few minutes. Then the process started anew with a waiting northbounder. Mike does this from 9 to 11 each day until hours extend to 2 pm in July and August.Pappy and I followed Pierce Pond Stream from its confluence with the Kennebec River up to the pond itself, less than four miles. The plan is to stop there for a short day, rest up from yesterday's late push, and take advantage of the pancake breakfast at nearby Harrison's Pierce Pond fishing camp in the morning. A group of 8 girls passed us on a narrow stretch, heading down to the ferry. The same group Boppit had encountered?The stream had numerous cascades, rapids, and waterfalls. Very picturesque. I stopped at one with a particularly deep swimming hole below one waterfall and above another. It was difficult getting in and out because the bedrock dropped off steeply, but once in the swimming was fantastic. There was a definite current towards the lower fall, but easily managed. Drying off from my usual skinnydip I glimpsed a backpack passing by on the trail thirty yards above and moved to a more modest spot. While I see several people a day moving in both directions there is usually ample time to take a dip before anyone comes along. Swimming in my hiking shorts is generally a bad idea because they can take all day to dry, especially around the waistband, leading to rashes. I took the side trail to Tim Harrison's camp. It's a collection of rustic cabins on the hillside over the stream, with an equally rustic lodge holding a kitchen, dining room and lounge with a wood stove, bearskin, and fishing and hunting decor. This is a genuine backwoods camp from early last century, if not older. It used to be owned by the Sterling Inn, which acted as a stage point to send anglers by horse to the camp. Tim was out retrieving a tractor from New Hampshire. The camp was empty of fishermen, the busy season being May, but for a caretaker who helped me sign up for tomorrow's breakfast.The shelter was less than a half mile away. But first I had to ford Pierce Pond Stream. I started rock hopping but halfway across I reached an impasse and had to sit down and take off my shoes. I remember crossing this a couple times before with dry feet. The water level seems a little higher, covering that key rock. I later learned the trail was relocated. It used to cross at the dam where the stream empties from the pond.The shelter sits in a beautiful spot looking out over the pond. Pancho caught up with us a few minutes later, then a pair of girls - Just Maine and Viewmaster - who had arrived late at the Sterling Inn last night. Pancho is staying for pancakes tomorrow but the girls moved on after having hot tea and muffins. After downing a large lunch - hiker hunger has definitely kicked in - I inflated my sleeping pad to submerge it in the lake to find the leak that left it half-inflated two nights ago. I've used this Thermarest Xlite for about 2000 miles, maybe 60-70 nights on trail, and this is the first problem. The leak was easy to find but I had to let it dry first. Rain drizzled on and off so I brought it into the shelter. Then I lay down. Soon I was asleep. It was 7 in the evening before I fully awoke. I had no idea I was that tired. The rain had ended but the sky was still overcast. I couldn't resist going for another dip here before eating dinner. The water felt clean and refreshing despite the weather and my not having exerted myself all afternoon. Although the shelter is twenty yards from the water, a thick clump of cedars screens the bedrock shelf used for swimming.  A group from the Wallace girls' camp near Damariscotta had arrived while I napped and tented a little ways off. They offered me their leftover fusilli pasta. Having no bowl, I had them dump it on a tortilla. After they returned to camp I heard someone say "You just gave him pasta?" and minutes later Lila their young counselor came over offering shredded cheese. She confirmed what I suspected. They are from the same twin boys/girl camps - the boys' being Camp Kieve - that I encountered in 2019. There are 3 groups of girls who started from different spots but are all going to Katahdin, a trip of about 180 miles. It's the capstone of their camping careers, a trip they've looked forward to for years. The group of boys Pancho and I passed yesterday near Pleasant Pond must be part of the boys camp. Lila later returned to ask how they should protect their food here. Usually they wrap it in a tarp, but tonight they're using the tarp as a raincover. Surprised the camp didn't have clear-cut rules on food storage and trying not to be the trail police, I suggested if all the food were sealed in plastic bags they could store it on the ground well away from camp. Bears fortunately aren't a problem here and, though it's possible rodents could find it despite the sealed bags, the campers didn't seem equipped to hang the food. Heard a loon or two over the lake, as well as some early-season fireworks.