WHITEFIELD — Levy Swartzentruber really loves to canoe and fish.
How much does he love it?
Enough to wake up at the crack of dawn — not unusual for fishermen — throw two canoes to a carriage connected to his horse and buggy, and ride to the lake.
You read that correctly, a horse and buggy.
Swartzentruber, who is Amish, took up his current hobby after moving to Whitefield from Aroostook County two years ago. The 23-year old, who is originally from northern New York, tries to get out on the water as often as he can, when he is not plying his carpentry trade.
Swartzentruber made the trek to Clary Lake in Jefferson on Thursday morning, starting his day at 5 a.m.
Q: Is it more challenging to go with a canoe?
A: No, I like a canoes, for me. It’s more comfortable, easier to go.
Q: With a carriage and going down a road (with the canoes in tow), is it more challenging?
A: Yeah, but I always like to canoe, and that’s why I kind of use it.
Q: Where’s your favorite place to fish?
A: Clary Lake, or out in Gardiner (on the Kennebec River).
Q: If you didn’t have a fishing rod, or you didn’t have a canoe, what would you do? Canoe or fish?
A: I’d probably canoe.
Q: When did you start canoeing?
A: Down here, a few years ago.
Q: What made you start canoeing when you (moved) down here?
A: Fishing.
Q: Is there a fish that you like to catch or eat?
A: I like perch, crappie, sunfish and bass.
Q: What do you get out of canoeing and fishing?
A: The sport of fishing, and getting fish to eat.
Q: How often do you get the chance to fish or canoe?
A: Whenever I want to.
Q: What do you do for a living in your community?
A: I’m a carpenter.
Q: And you work six days a week?
A: Yup.
Q: And you’ll work later today, probably?
A: Yup.
Q: So, you probably got home at about 10:30, you’re working later, but as soon as you get the chance, you’re going to go fishing?
A: I’ll probably go tonight again, I don’t know.
Q: What’s been the most interesting thing you’ve constructed with your carpentry skills?
A: Metal roofing.
Q: Do you ever look to your cousin and go ‘Let’s go to the ocean (to fish)?’
A: I was thinking, maybe some time this fall, we’d go out to the ocean, do some deep sea fishing, but I don’t know if we could get that far or not.
Dave Dyer — 207-621-5640
ddyer@centralmaine.com
Twitter: @Dave_Dyer
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