Kayaking is a classic maritime pastime in Midcoast Maine. For the past few months, up to a dozen teenagers were offered the opportunity to experience the outdoor sport on Fridays for free as a participant in the Central Lincoln County YMCA teen kayaking program.
Alvah Maloney, of Maine Kayak, explains the route the CLC YMCA teen kayak program will be touring on Friday, Aug. 22 in Pemaquid Harbor. (Mic LeBel photo)
The kayaking program, which was part of the nine-week CLC YMCA summer camp schedule open to middle school and high school students, held its final session on Friday, Aug. 22. After distributing gear and getting paddling and safety instructions from the paddling experts at Maine Kayak on the pebble beach at the Colonial Pemaquid State Historic Site, a group of eight teens and two registered Maine Guides launched into the ocean and headed upstream with the tide to the northern reaches of Pemaquid Harbor.
Participants observed a variety of wildlife during the trip. An osprey flying with a fish fended off a bald eagle trying to steal its meal, several curious harbor seals joined our flotilla from time-to-time, black guillemots, which are related to puffins were observed, and white snowy egrets and great blue herons coasted along the shore.
The teens also got to see the harbor at work, with lobstermen going about their business pulling traps.
The free, all-day paddling adventures were guided by Maine Kayak, which launches a variety of paddling adventures out of Muscongus Harbor in Bremen, Pemaquid Harbor in Bristol and Boothbay Harbor. Every Friday this past summer, the CLC YMCA provided a shuttle from their recreation center in Damariscotta to the Maine Kayak facility at Pemaquid Harbor. All paddling gear, lunch, and snacks were provided for free.
“It’s typically very hard to get teens to sign up for YMCA programs, but this program that we piloted this summer had strong registration every week,” said Molly Cooper, senior program director for the CLC YMCA. The idea came together last spring when Alvah Maloney, the owner of Maine Kayak, reached out to CLC YMCA about collaborating on a kayaking program for kids. The CLC YMCA had some remaining funding through the Community Health Improvement Fund, a grant from MaineHealth Lincoln Hospital’s Miles Campus and Mid Coast Parkview Campus that that allowed them to offer free programs for middle and high school students.
Lincoln Academy, which also received monies from the fund, partnered with the CLC YMCA by providing busing so that even more students could access the program.
Ayesha Giberson practices her paddling strokes during a free CLC YMCA teen kayaking outing on Friday, Aug. 22 in Pemaquid Harbor. (Mic LeBel photo)
“We thought kayaking would be a perfect way to get teens outdoors, active, and connected with nature,” said Cooper. “Paddling has always been a passion of mine and so has helping kids discover the outdoors. To create a program that brought those two things together was incredibly meaningful to me — and it was clear our community loved it too, as the program was filled nearly every week.”
Cooper noted that the partnership not only gave kids the chance to try something new, but also encouraged them to build confidence, learn new skills, and experience the joy of being on the water. Some of the teens on the Aug. 22 adventure were on their first tour while others had signed up for multiple weeks.
“This is my third week joining the kayaking tour, and it’s been great,” said Meara McManus. “It’s nice to be outside on a beautiful day getting some exercise.”
Ayesha Giberson agreed, noting it had been fun learning how to paddle a kayak with other teens.
“The wildlife has been amazing and I’ve learned a lot from Alvah and the Maine Kayak crew,” said Giberson. “I plan to do it again next year.”
Maloney, whose own love for the outdoors began at a young age when he was exposed to his parents’ whitewater rafting company in Maine, said he just wants to sha
Paton Grant observes a harbor seal during the CLC YMCA teen kayaking trip on Friday, Aug. 22 in Pemaquid Harbor. (Mic LeBel photo)
re the joy of the great outdoors that he discovered in his youth and pass it on to the next generation.
“During the weekly tours, the kids unplug from the challenges of being a teen and experience a whole new, natural world together,” said Maloney. “It’s been rewarding to experience the kids’ reactions while they’re out paddling in Pemaquid Harbor … The kids are already wired to learn, so they’re like sponges out on the water and it’s been easy to nurture their natural curiosity. It is fun, but it’s also a learning opportunity.”
The CLC YMCA is hoping to be able to secure long-term funding to continue to offer the program in the future.
“The free teen kayaking program was truly one of the most exciting parts of our summer camp season,” said Cooper. “We look forward to building upon its success as well as offering more innovative teen programs like this one.”
