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Gabor Degre | BDN

A long exposure turns night into day as (from left) Chris Audet, Roy Curtis and Justin Varney surf the reversing falls on the Sheepscot River during the dawn hours in mid-September.

Gabor Degre | BDN

A great blue heron browses the muddy banks of the Sheepsot River in the early morning hours in mid-September.

Gabor Degre | BDN

Roy Curtis gets onto the wave at the Sheepscot River Reversing Falls as the sun starts to light up the horizon.

Gabor Degre | BDN

From left Chris Audet, Justin Varney and Roy Curtis paddle back to the parking area after surfing the reversing falls on the Sheepscot River on mid-September morning.

Gabor Degre | BDN

Justin Varney drags his kayak over the seaweed-covered ledge after the group finished surfing at the Sheepscot Reversing Falls.

The gravel scraped the bottom of the boats as they slipped into the dark water of the Sheepscot River during the cool, foggy predawn hours in mid-September. It was the day Chris Audet was going to round the big four-zero. There were muted shouts of happy birthday as Chris, Roy Curtis, Justin Varney and I started surfing in the dark. “I don’t feel 40!” Chris said as he paddled into the eddy from the rushing, foamy water of the wave-train below the Sheepscot Reversing Falls. Our group has visited the spot countless times in all hours of the day, timing our arrival with the tide to catch the forming wave. Due to the rapidly changing water level, after a couple of hours the surfable wave was gone and the party was over. We got back in our cars and went to work shortly after the sun rose.