Paddlers work to move a tree on Third Drop. Ron Chase photos
The Cathance River is my river. Not really, but I like to think so. Located in my hometown of Topsham, the Cathance travels through a picturesque wilderness area, most of which cannot be accessed without hiking or paddling. Judging from the placid waters at the put-in and takeout, one would never guess a tumultuous whitewater gem is hidden away in an unseen 4-mile sector.
For decades, challenging the Cathance has been a rite of spring for members of my outdoor club, the Penobscot Paddle & Chowder Society. Consisting of one long, technical rapid and five cataracts, the American Whitewater Association describes it as a Class III/IV creek with two Class V waterfalls.
Proximity and stimulating rapids are not the only benefits of the Cathance. A moderately large watershed for a small river, water levels tend to remain high longer than most similar-sized waterways. The Cathance is usually one of the first to experience ice-out in the spring.
A kayaker avoids the Room of Doom on the Cathance River.
Another noteworthy feature, the Cathance is notorious for collecting hazardous debris. Twice in recent years, the PPCS has organized special cleanup projects to remove dangerous obstructions that had accumulated in the rapids. The latest was last summer.
A painted gauge is located on an Interstate 295 bridge abutment at the put-in. Friends and I have paddled the river between 1.5 and 4.5 on the gauge. The low end is shallow, and the excursion gets pushy and intimidating over 3 feet.
Right after ice-out in early April, I participated in a club trip on the Cathance at a little over 2 feet. We enjoyed an outstanding day of paddling, and all of the rapids were free of debris. Subsequently, two substantial storms visited the area. After the second, I announced another club trip.
When three of us met at the put-in at the end of Old Augusta Road in Topsham, the gauge was over 3 feet, a feisty level. Concerned about the possibility of new hazards as a result of the recent storms, we decided to carefully inspect all of the difficult rapids.
Following a mile of flatwater, two usually easy rapids were more demanding than expected. A reminder that not only did we need to be alert for hazards, but the water level was higher than normal. Just below, we eddied out left to scout Z-Turn, the longest most complex rapid on the river. A small, fallen tree partially obstructed the main channel at the top. After careful scrutiny, we were able to negotiate around the impediment and successfully complete our descents.
Next is a tricky cataract we call Second Drop. Midway through, it takes an abrupt left turn and the water tumbles over a ledge in a narrow twisting passage. A notorious boat flipper, everyone managed to stay upright.
Steeper and more hazardous, Third Drop soon follows. Most of the current flows left over a pitch and then beneath a treacherous undercut rock called Room of Doom. The safest technique is to power through approaching waves while angling right and plunging down a precipitous tongue as far from doom as possible. We encountered an added complication: A downed tree blocked the rapid a little downstream of the pitch. Using a small handsaw and lots of physical effort, we created a passageway around the hazard. Stimulating plummets over the falls ensued.
A canoeist paddles over submerged rocks on Boulder Pile. Ron Chase photo
Boulder Pile is shortly after. So named because of a seemingly impenetrable mass of boulders at the bottom of a steep slide, it’s actually easier at high water. We maneuvered far left and used the robust flow to bounce over submerged rocks at the end.
Intimidating Little Gorilla follows. Careening through a narrow gorge, it ends with a 90-degree left turn down a steep shallow slide into a churning foam pile with boulders waiting just below the surface. Portage was our unanimous decision.
Around the bend, Final Drop is a slightly easier version of Little Gorilla. Not on this day. A large log blocked the channel normally used to avoid a sticky hydraulic at the bottom. After careful consideration, we decided to walk rather than risk colliding with the log or swimming out of the hydraulic.
Our exciting day completed without any mishaps; I anticipate another Cathance cleanup when the water level diminishes to remove the three newest hazards.
My book, “Maine Al Fresco: The Fifty Finest Outdoor Adventures in Maine,” narrates eight more Maine whitewater adventures.
Ron Chase resides in Topsham. His latest book, “Maine Al Fresco: The Fifty Finest Outdoor Adventures in Maine” is available at northcountrypress.com/maine-al-fresco or in bookstores and through online retailers. His previous books are “The Great Mars Hill Bank Robbery” and “Mountains for Mortals – New England.” Visit his website at ronchaseoutdoors.com or he can be reached at ronchaseoutdoors@comcast.net.
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