Visitors get ready to launch canoes on Little Dyer Pond. (Photo courtesy Midcoast Conservancy)
Midcoast Conservancy is offering a new outdoor recreation program called Adventure Mornings. Each month, guided outings will be held at Hidden Valley Nature Center in Jefferson that provide opportunities to try new activities or lean into a beloved sport.
The first adventure will be on Saturday, June 8, from 9:30 a.m. to noon, and get participants out on Little Dyer Pond in canoes. Attendees will enjoy a morning of learning and exploration on Little Dyer Pond. After an easy mile down to the dock where a fleet of canoes will be waiting, everyone will be fitted with a paddle and lifejacket and paired up with a paddling partner.
Before hitting the water, trained instructors will teach the group the basics of canoe paddling, including the parts of a boat, strokes for steering, and the best way to enter and launch a boat. On the water, there will be time to practice the strokes everyone has learned for steering and powering the canoe.
Once everyone is comfortable guiding their boats, the group will explore the pond, checking out beaver activity and the marshy edges where birds nest.
Everyone is welcome, whether a seasoned paddler or new to steering a boat. Children mature enough and interested in learning to paddle are welcome to join with a parent or adult. To learn more and to register, go to midcoastconservancy.org/events-list/adventure-mornings.
