Four canoeists finish 740-mile canoe trip

FORT KENT - On Thursday, People noticed the four adventurers that finished the Northern Forest Canoe Trail when they walked up Main Street with large blue barrels strapped to their backs.

BLUE BUCKETS ON MAIN STREET - Four canoeists announced their arrival in Fort Kent and the completion of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail when folks saw them striding down Main Street with blue buckets strapped to their backs. - Birden

Four roommates from St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York, arrived in Fort Kent on July 30 in the early afternoon.They began their journey 37 days ago, when they launched two canoes from the shores of the Fulton Chain of Lakes.

The paddlers consisted of Alex Comeau, Evan Haynes, Wesley Norton and Silas Streeter.  Together they call themselves the Rough Water Gypsies, and they chronicled their adventure on a blog located online at wordpress.canoegypsies.com.

Haynes called the trail "beautiful and challenging."

Norton said, "It was tough."

ROUGH WATER GYPSIES - Alex Comeau, Evan Haynes, Wesley Norton and Silas Streeter are heading to the Northern Door Inn for a well-deserved break after paddling canoes 740 miles from New York. - Birden image

Streeter said the last legs of the trip were the most memorable.  He said, "The Allagash was one of the most beautiful parts of the trip."  He added, "It felt like we were done with the trip over the last four days."

The group is one of only a few that have competed the long canoe trail, and possibly only the second group so far this year.