Sunday, September 30, 2012

Paddling Alongside the Nipmuck Trail

Breakneck Pond first caught my eye while scanning a map and noting there were no roads leading to it.  Subsequently I learned it was located in the least populated town in Connecticut and within the combined 9,000 acres of Bigelow Hollow State Park/Nipmuck State Forest, and that the pond's northern end is the terminus of the Nipmuck Trail.  So while I was already there mentally, there remained the matter of physically transporting my boat and myself to the water's edge.  That required parking my vehicle near the northern end of Bigelow Pond and wheeling my boat for just a little over a mile along the "no motorized vehicle" access road...

 The scenery at this spot along the route was worth stopping to admire...
 
 
After launching into the shallows at the pond's southern end and passing two small islands, the narrow pond stretched out to the north looking much like a river...
 
 
With no nearby roads, houses, or businesses, things were extremely peaceful on this pond.  The only flowers still blooming were these...
 
 
Possibly Daisy Fleabane?
 
Some nice color was provided by this swamp maple...
 
 
After paddling the pond's 1.5 mile length I approached the north end...
 
 
I located the stone and earthen dam that holds back and reroutes Breakneck Brook...
 
 
The dam appears to be creating about a 4 foot difference in water levels.  It leaves me wondering why someone did all this work so long ago.  Was there a mill nearby?  If so, I didn't see any evidence of it.  The brook now exits the pond about 50 yards to the west of the dam...
 
 
Near the brook was this strange looking fungi...
 
 
I'd never seen one of these before.
 
Because the very northern tip of the pond is in Massachusetts it made a nice spot to enjoy an early lunch and visit the official boundary marker...
 
 
 
As I began my trip back the skies began to brighten a bit...
 
 
Wildlife seen were Canada geese, a belted kingfisher, a blue heron, and near the pond's southern end this osprey...
 
 
I found Breakneck Pond to be both beautiful and remote.   Visitors can enjoy hiking, paddling, or camping (by reservation only).  The pond is also said to offer good fishing.  During my visit, I saw only 2 pairs of hikers and no other boaters.  Because of the pond's remoteness I didn't expect to encounter much trash.  I was wrong and instead encountered 3 floating mylar balloons, a plastic bag, several beer, soda, water, and energy drink containers.  The worst of the trash was at the pond's Massachusetts end where atv riding folks have been accessing the area. 
On my hike into the pond, I noticed an abandoned wheelbarrow sans wheels laying in the woods.  On my return trip, I found that someone had retrieved it and placed it alongside the trail.  It was bungeed to my boat and once back at the parking area, it cradled the day's haul...
 
 
There were 22 recyclable containers (possibly all redeemable in CT.) and 16 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish such as 3 balloons, 4 bait tubs, 4 plastic bags, and the aforementioned Bud Light wheelbarrow (minus wheels).  YTD = 5730
 
Happily there were no broken necks to report.
















Thursday, September 27, 2012

A Pristine Tributary of the Merrimack

This morning I paddled a pristine tributary of the Merrimack River by following its northward course from Massachusetts towards New Hampshire.  The water was crystal clear, the skies were bright blue, and the fall foliage just beginning to catch fire.
The approximately 2 miles of brook that I traversed had the appearance of wilderness as no houses, cars, or people were evident.  However, after portaging around 2 beaver dams, I came upon this testament to the works of mankind...
The granite-arched bridge was built around 1872 to carry the rails of the Nashua, Acton, and Boston Railroad over the brook.  It is located in Massachusetts, very close to the New Hampshire border.  This photo from the downstream side provides a better view...
The railroad line was abandoned in 1925 and is now just a straightline path through the forest...

My boat looked much smaller from atop the bridge...

Wildlife seen were wood ducks, great blue herons, red-tailed hawks, tree swallows, painted turtles and one large snapping turtle.

Only a small amount of trash was encountered...
 
There were 10 recyclable containers (5 redeemable) and 4 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish that included this lawn chair and styrofoam cooler cover.  YTD = 5692
 
And last, but not least, the name of the brook...
 
 


Sunday, September 23, 2012

Angry Bird on the Assabet

This was a very peaceful Sunday morning on the Assabet River, at least at the start, I should say.  I'd launched at Russell's Bridge on the Maynard/Stow line and began heading upriver.  After encountering a bunch of old beer cans, I came across the cockpit section from a very small aircraft.  Upon retrieving it, the miniature pilot fell out of the cockpit and was placed temporarily on my camera box...
The cockpit of his experimental aircraft is in the milk crate behind him.  Guess he wasn't able to radio his position before the crash.

At Sudbury Road (aka Whitman's Crossing) someone has improved access to the river while preventing erosion...
Looks like a lot of hard work went into the project.  I recall seeing a sign stating it was an Eagle Scout project.

At Fort Meadow Brook the box culvert that the brook passes through before reaching the Assabet has been blocked by beavers.  Therefore an ascent of the brook was not possible today.

Returning downriver, I heard quite a ruckus going on in the trees about a quater mile below Sudbury Road.  On closer inspection the source of the shrill cries was this small hawk...
 The object of his anger was this great horned owl who seemed to be saying "can you believe this guy?  And on a Sunday morning, no less."...
The hawk was obsessed and, after a display of spread wings and tail, he flew to a limb closer to the owl...
I'm thinking the small hawk might be an immature Coopers Hawk, but it's only a guess.

My crate full of trash posed on dry land...
There were 15 recyclable containers (11 redeemable) and 12 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish such as a balloon, fishing line, bobber, and the experimental aircraft.  YTD = 5678


Thursday, September 20, 2012

Concord River and a Feel of Fall

Each time the sun disappeared behind the clouds, there was little doubt that fall is approaching.  Other changes noted while paddling on the Concord River between Lowell Road and Buttricks Hill this afternoon were masonry work being done at the abutments for the Old North Bridge.  Another was the large pump in place to maintain water levels in the marshes and ponds of Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge...

This seems to be done about this time every year.

Despite recent rain events, the river's water level remains low.

Trash encountered was enough to fill a milk crate...
 
 
There were 14 recyclable containers (7 redeemable) and 13 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish including plastic bags, bait tubs, a balloon, and styrofoam.  YTD = 5651

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Saluting Summer's End on Cape Ann

Yesterday, a spectacular late summer day, I finished my workday on Cape Ann, Massachusetts.  Considering that the following day's work would begin again on Cape Ann, it just didn't make sense to battle traffic on Rt. 128/95.  Instead, I dropped in at Cape Ann Camp Site, pitched my tent, drank in a gulp of salt air, and launched my boat at Long Wharf Landing.  This had me afloat in the Jones River on a nice high tide of 10' plus and meant there wasn't quite as much sand for small sandpipers like this little guy...
Also a fair amount of previously captive trash had been set afloat.

After paddling over to the Annisquam River, I was able to pass under Rt. 127 and enter Goose Cove for my first visit...
Usually, the tide is too busy running into or out of this cove to allow entry.  Slack water found it to be a peaceful place...

After returning to the Annisquam, I paddled to its mouth at Wigwam Point where Annisquam Harbor Light stands guard (opening photo).  Majestically entering the river from Ipswich Bay was the two-masted schooner Ardelle...
It truly was a splendid day and I decided to head over to Lanes Cove and enter the granite gateway for my first ever visit to the small harbor...
Inside things were found to be serene...
Following a short break for leg stretching, I relaunched and prepared to enter the open sea...
I noticed the American flag flying with a tattered Jolly Roger beneath it, and tried to get a photo of the smiling skull.  My first attempt failed, but, surprisingly, captured this ominous raven above the mast...

A moment later, the smile appeared...
Soon I was paddling back towards Annisquam Harbor Light and entering the river while the tide was rapidly heading the other way.  Rather than taking the first exit to the Jones River, I paddled past Pearce Island and took the second one allowing me to see the osprey nest that had been occupied earlier this summer.

Back at Long Wharf Landing my day's catch posed hullside...

There were 11 recyclable containers (6 redeemable) and 11 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish such as plastic bags and styrofoam items.  But wait, there's more...
Yes, one more Hooksett disk or "Merrimack Wafer" bringing my trash count YTD to 5624 and my Merrimack Wafer count to 1021 to date.

Before retiring to my tent, a fine meal of Lobsta Land's haddock chowder with Virgilio's bread was savored!  A warm thank you to the Summer of 2012! 


Sunday, September 16, 2012

Trash Pedalling the NRRT to Unquetynasset Brook

Today Mrs. Trashpaddler and I biked the Nashua River Rail Trail from Groton Center to Unquetynasset Brook in Dunstable.  The weather was beautiful and there were many folks enjoying time on this great pathway through the woods.  There were folks on bicycles, skateboards, roller blades, and pushing baby strollers.  Additionally there were folks walking, jogging, and a gentleman propelling himself along in his wheelchair.  All the folks we saw seemed to be enjoying the time outside.
Because we "brake for trash" we recovered these items that had been cast to the side of the trail...
There were 22 recyclable containers (7 redeemable) and 5 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish.

Maybe there would have been fewer empty water bottles if they had a redemption value of a nickel... or, perhaps, none at all if worth a dime! 

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Patrolling Powdermill Dam's Impoundment




Today, the group OARS held their 26th Annual River Cleanup in many towns throughout the Assabet, Sudbury, and Concord rivers watershed.  I participated with my town's contingent under the direction of Bob Guba, who's been organizing the Acton group for many years...


While others patrolled for trash downstream of the Assabet River's Powdermill Dam, my boat and I patrolled the impounded area immediately upstream of the dam (opening photo).  Trash of a floatable nature was plentiful along the banks and also congregated at the dam's gates...

My haul enjoyed a brief moment in the sun...

There were 56 recyclable containers (41 redeemable) and 79 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish such as styrofoam, plastic bags, an empty plastic gasoline jug, and a truck tire's inner tube.  YTD = 5574

Post photo session, they were swallowed up by the Acton group's much larger haul, where they were dwarfed.  At the post-cleanup pizza gathering they looked smaller still when compared to what the Maynard contingent had pulled from the Assabet...

Of course, there were also contingents working in Framingham, Wayland, Sudbury, Concord, Westborough, Northborough, Marlborough, Hudson, and Stow.
It amazes me to see what many hands can accomplish in just a three hour timespan!
All in all it's fair to say that the Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord rivers are feeling much less encumbered this afternoon.
 

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Where the Merrimack Mingles with the Sea




I wasn't planning on paddling out the mouth of the Merrimack River this morning.  However, time and tide did coincide to create the ideal conditions seen at left.  In addition, I had an escort eager to make the trip...
I launched into the Plum Island River at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge in Newbury, Massachusetts about an hour before high tide.  No sooner had I started heading towards Joppa Flats than a harbor seal appeared and seemed intent on accompanying me.  On our way to the drawbridge, we encountered these sandpipers...

Here we're approaching the bridge at slack water...

After passing the appropriately named Seal Island and crossing Joppa Flats I began to realize that conditions were favorable for paddling out the mouth of the Merrimack, something I'd never done before.  I crossed the boating channel and hugged the Salisbury Beach side while following the long breakwater out to its end...
This view looks towards Hampton Beach in New Hampshire.  Here, the Mighty Merrimack empties into the Atlantic Ocean at the rate of approximately 4 million gallons a minute (if my math is correct).  Mingling beneath my hull are the waters of the Pemigewasset,Winnipesaukee, Contoocook, Souhegan, Nashua, Concord, Shawsheen, and Powwow rivers and too many brooks and streams to name.

One of the nicer boats seen today...

Almost no trash was encountered...

Part of the reason I was drawn to salt water this morning had to do with a recent work assignment.  One of the wastewater treatment systems I work with is conducting a Whole Effluent Toxicity Study, and the lab required ocean water for the study group of inland silverside larvae to get started in.  My task was to gather 5 gallons of ocean water from a Cape Ann beach on 3 days this week.  It sounds easy enough, but proved trickier than one might think.  Carrying a cooler with two empty 2.5 gallon jugs to the water's edge was no problemo...wading into the surf (especially on Monday thanks to swells from TS Leslie), filling the jugs with water, then dragging the 40 plus lbs across the sands of the Sahara is real work.  I've never been much of a beach fanatic, preferring to be afloat in my boat!