1915 Maine Canoe Trip Photos

From a sold Ebay Link are some vintage pics of a 1915 Maine Canoe trip. These were part of an album containing 59 photos. The seller believes the photographer probably was P. DOUGLAS ANDERSON (1887-1964) or RAY JEROME BAKER (1880-1972). Also included is the name of the canoe guide listed as "Guide: A.F.Ayer"

For canoe enthusiasts, these pics feature some early forms of closed gunnel cedar canvas canoes. Like their birchbark forerunners they lack seats. The sport would sit on the floor of the hull in the bow and the guide typically on a widened thwart near the stern. Some of the pics include a few shots of the classic Maine Guide paddles with their flattened grips. The last photo in the sequence below features a closeup shot of the guide paddling in the stern with a wide flared grip. Reminds reminds me of another photo posted earlier from an 1899 canoe trip down the Penobscot.

Canoe Fleet on Shore - not the widened plank seats in the stern

Loaded up

Northwoods paddle in the stern

Guide paddling a stream - his setting pole resting over the gunnel

Pose by the shore

Guide paddling the stern