Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Assabet Misadventure

This afternoon's trash patrol of the lower Assabet River seemed fairly typical until one of my boat's hatch covers decided to go swimming.  It was like one of those accidents that only gets worse as events progress.  First, I could see it on the bottom, but when I touched it with my paddle blade, the swift current swept it beyond my reach.  It teased me again with another glimpse before finding one of the deeper holes where it could hide.  The fact that it is black in color didn't help.  So, I waded out a little ways, feeling the bottom with my paddle.  Then I waded further using a stick.  I waded and waded until up to my shoulders and soaked to the bone.  No luck!  To my hatch cover lying somewhere on the bottom of the Assabet I say "I will find you!  I will."
Until that day, they'll be no "batten down the hatches" commands!

Today's haul numbered 33 and consisted of 18 recyclable containers (2 redeemable) and 15 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish such as fishing line, a bait tub, a plastic bag, and a spray bottle of Deer and Rabbit Repellent.  YTD total stands at 4154.

2 comments:

Erik Eckilson said...

Bummer - I feel your pain. Last time I went wadding out into the water like that I was looking for a lost camera - never found it. Hopefully you will have better luck.

PenobscotPaddles said...

Bad news! I hope you are able to rescue your cover. Mark lost a footpeg once while rolling at a lake and recklessly offered $25 dollars to whoever found it. Sure enough, by later that day one of our boys had managed to spot the tiny black peg against the murky bottom.