Wednesday, July 30, 2008

High Summer Paddling on Springtime Water Levels

This afternoon's perfect weather enticed me to stop on the way home from work and launch my kayak in the town of Sudbury. I trash patrolled the Sudbury River from River Road/Route 27 to the power lines about a mile downstream from Stone Bridge Road. Thanks to the recent rains, the water levels were nice and high and everything from purple loosestrife and cardinal flowers to buttonbush was in bloom.
Found a few pieces of trash below Route 20 and noticed that a temporary bridge is being installed to carry traffic during the replacement of the Route 20 bridge. The temporary bridge looks like it might be the same one that carried Route 117 over the Sudbury while a new Lees Bridge was built in Lincoln. Right after Route 20, is the old wooden trestle that carried the rails of the Central Mass Railroad until the late 1970s or so.
By the time I passed under Pelham Island Road, I had 7 emptys that were fairly typical: Bud, Bud Light, Millers, Heineken, Coke, Pepsi, and several plastic water bottles. Reaching the outlet from Heard Pond I had 17 empty containers on my deck. After entering the oxbows between Heard Pond outlet and the sign for Allen Morgan Avian Area, I came upon a plethora of flotsam trapped behind a log. The 25 empty containers found here went into a trash bag in my lap until I found a place to land and stow it below deck.
I turned around at the power lines and began enjoying the river's current helping me back to River Road.
Wildlife observed were killdeers, eastern kingbirds, great blue herons, a cormorant, and painted turtles. Not many ducks or red-winged blackbirds seen today.
While out on the water, I saw no other boats, but arriving back at River Road several boats were being launched by fishermen.
My trash count for the day was 47 empty containers bringing my year to date total to 1460. I should mention that I always leave some trash so as not to totally deplete the Trashery stocks.

No comments: