Becoming a Maine Guide 1: The Adventure Begins

Better put on a pot of coffee!

Henry and I decided we wanted to become Registered Maine Guides.  We both have a strong love for the outdoors, and we go on wild adventures every chance we get.  Nothing is more rewarding than helping others connect with the Maine outdoors, and we love to share our knowledge with anyone who wants to learn.  Becoming a Registered Maine Guide is a great way to share our passion for the outdoors with others, and make money doing something we love.

A guide for a guide

We knew we couldn’t do it alone- our schedules are always full and our free time is limited, so we called in for backup.  Henry found a Master Maine Guide, Alice Bean Andrenyak of Alice’s Awesome Adventures, to help us with our journey.  Alice set us up with a course online and we hit the ground running.

There’s a lot of homework and studying involved, but it’s great to have some direction.  If you check out Maine’s website on becoming a guide, there is a long list of books that are recommended, and it soon feels overwhelming.  Hiring a Registered Maine Guide to work with you certainly clears the fog!

And so it begins…

AWW
Henry and I on the Allagash Wilderness Waterway.

There’s a boat-load of things that you need to know to become a Registered Maine Guide Specializing in Recreation.  We began studying the plants and animals of Maine.  Many I knew, some I wasn’t familiar with.  We learned the history of becoming a Registered Maine Guide, and then began planning our first major (simulated) trip.  There’s a lot of homework that goes along with the reading and training!  Not long after we started studying to become Registered Maine Guides we went on our own major trip- canoeing the Allagash Wilderness Waterway.  We learned a lot about ourselves and planning major trips  (what to do, and what not to do next time)!

Stay Tuned!

The next step in our adventure?  “Classroom” time with Alice and other Guides in Training.  We were going to be paddling and swimming in the Androscoggin River in Brunswick in October.  Bring it on.

Read about our next adventure in becoming Registered Maine Guides:  Becoming a Maine Guide 2:  How to Tip Over a Canoe

2 thoughts on “Becoming a Maine Guide 1: The Adventure Begins”

  1. I recently listened to a podcast of The Maine Show where one of the guests talked about becoming a Registered Maine Guide. It’s quite an undertaking! Good luck with your studying. It sounds like it will be a great fit for you!

    Reply
    • Hi Karen! It is quite an undertaking! Thank you for the words of encouragement–this is certainly a different kind of adventure!

      Reply

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