Whether you’re heading out with your family, friends or solo, a kayak is an affordable and relaxing way to enjoy the refreshing beauty and peace of our local waters, and with more than 40 ponds, lakes, bogs and other bodies of water in Androscoggin County, there is no shortage of places to go.

Don’t own a kayak? Several local outfitters will be happy to set you up for an hour, a day or longer.

At Lewiston Auburn Canoe and Kayak Rental, you can rent a boat by the hour in downtown L/A. LACKR is located on the river side of the Festival Plaza in Auburn and will provide you with paddles and personal floatation devices as well. For the inexperienced, LACKR offers kayak lessons to teach you safety and paddling techniques for kayaking in moving waters, like the Androscoggin River.

Michael Auger, director of Land Protection and Stewardship at the Androscoggin Land Trust and an enthusiastic recreational kayaker, recommends kayaking the Androscoggin River. Although the area from the boat launch at the Festival Plaza upriver to the Great Falls is a difficult paddle and recommended for strong paddlers with more experience, other areas of the river are appropriate for just about any level of expertise.

Jessica Vocaturo, a summer intern with the ALT, said “it depends on the river, its water levels and how quickly it’s moving.”

Auger suggests heading down the river, “from the boat launch in back of the Festival Plaza to Little Andy Park.” He also recommends the section that flows between the North River Road boat launch and David Rancourt River Preserve.

LA Canoe and Kayak Rental also offers group paddles for your business or other group. According to Vocaturo, it’s a great opportunity for “team building, learning the history of the river, and for celebrating the river as a recreational resource.”

In Poland, the Boathouse at Cyndi’s Dockside Restaurant on the shores of Middle Range Pond can provide you with everything you and your family needs to enjoy a day of quiet paddling on the Range Ponds, where the sometimes strong currents of rivers like the Androscoggin are never a concern.

Further up Rt. 26, on Shaker Hill, Tim Morin of Shaker Hill Outdoors will gladly get you set up for your kayaking adventure, although you’ll need to transport the kayak and gear to your favorite body of water as Shaker Hill Outdoors is located near but not directly on water. 

If you’re considering making an investment in a kayak, there are a number of things to consider. According to Jennifer Elgaaen, a store manager at L.L. Bean Bike, Boat and Ski, how much experience a paddler has, and where they will be paddling, are important. “Fitness, strength and flexibility must also be considered.”

In addition, the boat needs to be large enough that the paddler will be able to sit for extended periods of time, and small or light enough that the paddler will be able to safely lift the boat while transporting it to and from the water.

“Some boats are made for larger people while others are made for smaller people and, more specifically, for women,” said Morin. “Sit-on-tops are very stable. I would put an older person on a sit-on-top, rather than in a kayak that they will have to climb in and out of.”

Tandems – with seating for two – allow two people to paddle together and can be great for parents with children, said Elgaaen.

“I would also recommend a tandem to folks with dogs,” said Morin.

Regarding accessories, “When it comes to paddles, size matters,” said Morin.

And when it comes to personal flotation devices, a properly fitted life vest can save your life. “Kayak PDFs are made of flexible foam and are generally shorter than standard PDFs,” said Elgaaen. They also have more arm room, making movement more comfortable for the paddler.

According to Morin, “You can get a great kayak for between $400 and $600.” From touring to recreational models, whitewater, sit on tops, tandems and fishing kayaks, he says, there is a kayak for everybody.

Kayaking on Androscoggin County’s rivers, lakes and ponds is a quiet and peaceful activity, said Morin.

And some lakes, including Lower Range Pond, Tripp Lake and Hooper Pond in Greene – another location recommended by Auger – have limits with respect to power boats making recreational travel by paddle even quieter and safer.