Monday, April 22, 2013

Chased Inland by a Cold Sea Breeze

My original Earth Day plan was to paddle some salty Cape Ann waters late this morning.  However, a stiff wind blowing in off the cold Atlantic Ocean sent me some 30 miles inland to the Sudbury River where I paddled from Route 20 up to Heard Pond and back.  While the winds out of the east were still blowing all afternoon, air temperatures felt a bit warmer than at the coast.  This is the longest month of March I ever remember!

The opening photo was taken near my turnaround point above Heard Pond and at 2:50 pm (the exact time of the first Boston Marathon explosion one week ago).  Church bells could be heard ringing off to the north and the tranquility found on the river today contrasted with last week's horrific events.

Upon beginning my upriver trip Nobscot Hill loomed to the west...
Since it's Earth Day, I wondered if there's any limit to how many antennas one hill can be forced to bear.

Nearby, a Canada goose sat sentry on a beaver lodge (hopefully with beaver family permission)...
...and wasn't welcoming visitors.

The recent construction work on the Pelham Island Road bridge appears to be complete...


At Indian Point I found water levels high enough to allow passage into Heard Pond.  Paddling through the shallows I noted this solitary rock which seemed out of place...
 Upon closer inspection, it began moving...
 
 
In the pond proper, these 3 cormorants were taking a break from fishing...
Other birds seen today were numerous tree swallows skimming the surface of Heard Pond, red-winged blackbirds, a turkey vulture, and a hawk.
 
Looking out on the pond from a small bluff where lunch was taken...
 
My Earth Day trash haul back at the takeout...
There were 33 recyclable containers (8 redeemable) and 30 pieces of misc. rubbish.  Most of today's trash was found at spots frequented by shore-fishermen.
 
Yesterday, Mrs. Trashpaddler and I scooped up this catch while biking the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail in Chelmsford...
Found on the bike trail were 24 recyclable containers (9 redeemable) and 12 pieces of misc. rubbish.
 
YTD total = 1981
 
Each haul was noted to contain 10 plastic single-serve water bottles of less than 1-liter. 
 
Happy Earth Day!


Saturday, April 20, 2013

Seeking Sanctum on the Sudbury

Following the events of the past week in greater Boston, I'm sure I wasn't the only person seeking a quiet place for thought and reflection on the "day after".  The place providing that sanctum for me was the Sedge Meadows section of the Sudbury River in Wayland.  Here the river flows through the center of a nearly one-mile wide marsh and it was my hope that some kind of sense could be made of the otherwise senseless events.

Prior to launching at Sherman's Bridge Road, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife officer stopped for a friendly visit and verified that I would be wearing a life jacket.   For those not aware,  Massachusetts Law requires all kayakers and canoeists to wear a life jacket when on the water between September 15th and May 15th.

Skies were fittingly moody and the gusty winds out of the west seemed intent on slowing my upriver progress.  The opening photo shows how gray things looked as I returned to the river from a side-channel.

Hawks were plentiful and undeterred by the wind...


A lesser yellowlegs sandpiper stayed close to the ground...

The abrupt end of the old causeway below Route 27 made a good spot for lunch...

Still fairly high water levels allowed passage under the 4-arch "bridge to nowhere"...
...and a loop back to the river via its ancient, though now by-passed, course.

One of three brightly colored balloons encountered on the river today...

Back at Sherman's Bridge the day's catch found shelter from the wind...
There were 22 recyclable containers (8 redeemable) and 42 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish such as a very brittle plastic 5-gallon jug, balloons, plastic bags, and an empty spray paint can.  YTD = 1882

Note that Dunkin' Donuts is kicking off another season with the polystyrene huggies for their iced coffee customers.  Talk about senseless, how can they justify this kind of waste?

Enjoyed my quiet time on the water.  However, no amount of thought on my part could make any sense of recent events and my sympathies go out to the injured, and the families of those killed.

Yesterday will long be remembered as one of the most surreal days ever experienced 'round these parts.


Monday, April 15, 2013

Lobster Cove from Jones River

Lobster Cove (at left) isn't a bad destination for an after work paddle.  In fact, my short journey there this afternoon was quite pleasant as the incoming tide was busy refilling the Annisquam River.  I would find out later that during my time on the water a tragedy was in the making at today's Boston Marathon: a senseless act ruining the lives of many innocent people and bringing disgrace to whatever cause may have inspired it... a sad day in Boston.

I'd pushed off from Long Wharf on the Jones River in Gloucester...
 
It was mid-tide and a group of clammers (I believe) were hauling out their boats as I was preparing to launch mine. 
 
Exiting the Jones River I saw the village of Annisquam lying across the river of the same name...
 
 
On the short paddle over to Lobster Cove I encountered these sandpiper-like birds...
 
...this eider duck...
 
...and this long-tailed duck...
 
A good number of buffleheads were also seen in Lobster Cove.
 
My return trip to Long Wharf included a circumnavigation of Pearce Island which allowed me to take a look at the osprey nest on the small islet to the island's west.  The nest is occupied by one adult...
 
...while the other stands guard in a nearby tree...
 
...and makes frequent sweeps to clear the surrounding area of encroaching herons and egrets.
 
Very little trash was encountered today...
 
There were only 5 recyclable containers (1 redeemable) and 4 pieces of misc. rubbish (plastic bags). 
YTD = 1818  The soda bottle embossed with "Pepsicola" is a type I don't recall having seen in recent times.







Saturday, April 13, 2013

Squeezin' into Fort Meadow Brook

This morning I pushed off from Russell's Bridge at the Maynard/Stow line and headed upriver on the Assabet.  My hope was to enter Fort Meadow Brook if water levels would allow.  Once I arrived there, the box culvert (at left) teased me offering just enough water to clear the beaver-placed branches and sticks but very little in the way of headroom.  It took a couple of minutes but I did manage to squeeze through by grasping the ceiling and both walls using my hands, paddle, and head.  Passage would have been easier had I removed my life jacket.  Once free and in the clear, I was rewarded with this view into the brook...
 
I always enjoy the feeling this place provides.  Even though it isn't really that remote, it somehow feels like a special place to me.  I paddled up to the old Mass Central RR trestle and found a fair amount of water pouring over the debris-clogged east portal...
 
This was probably the result of yesterday's rainstorm.
 
While on the Assabet today I encountered this pair of wood ducks...
 
...this pair of belted kingfishers...
 
...this solitary blue heron...
 
...and this solitary hawk...
 
Also seen today were several other kayakers, including two who could continue making upriver headway while throwing a frisbee from boat to boat without missing.
 
Additionally there were folks fishing from both boats and the shore.
 
My trash haul for this trip gathered hullside...
There were 36 recyclable containers (14 redeemable) and 27 pieces of misc. rubbish.  YTD = 1809
 
Oh yeah, the trip back through the box culvert was much easier going with the flow and sans life jacket. 





Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Disks Along the Merrimack

After launching into the Merrimack River late this morning from Southwell Park in Chelmsford, I was surprised to find that the river was all mine between there and the Rourke Bridge.  Consequently,  with there being no boat traffic and very little wind, the river's surface was smooth as glass (photo at left).
I trash patrolled the river's west side while paddling downstream and at this section of low lying shore, found the majority of today's trash...
 
Another 102 Hooksett disks (1,127 to date) were recovered from congregations such as this...
 
 
Before leaving the small beach the day's catch gathered hullside...
 
There were 78 recyclable containers (26 redeemable) and 161 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish such as plastic bags, styrofoam, and the aforementioned Hooksett disks.  YTD = 1746
 
Here's a closeup of a big gulp container holding the 102 disks...
...simply fill with wastewater and aerate with a straw to provide adequate oxygen and mixing :)
 
 
Yesterday while walking around downtown Ipswich, Mrs. Trashpaddler and I came across someone's unique solution for kayak storage...
 
...and also got a better look at the Choate Bridge over the Ipswich River...






Monday, April 8, 2013

Little River from Dunfudgin

With my workday complete it seemed only natural to launch my boat from Dunfudgin Landing in Gloucester and spend some 'top of the tide' time on the Annisquam River.  My destination was the landing at the head of Little River in West Gloucester.  The photo at left looks down Little River from that spot officially named Stubby Knowles Landing...
By the time I stopped there for lunch a beautiful afternoon was in the making.

Earlier, before the clouds gave way, I came across one of the boats featured in National Geographic's television series "Wicked Tuna"...
It's the Lisa & Jake captained by Paul Hebert.  Looks like a few tuna tails are decorating the end of the wharf.

Two testaments to all the wind we've had around here lately were this errant flagpole rope...
 
...that ended up in the treetops of Rust Island, and these three turbines kept busy of late...
 
 
Quite a bit of trash was encountered in a small cove near where my map shows Lower Banjo Pond's outlet entering the Annisquam...
 
Many plastic water bottles, coffee cups, plastic bags, and another 2 Hooksett Disks (numbers 1024 and 1025) were recovered.
The street names atop the hill just to the northwest of this spot are named for many of the cast members having played major roles in Massachusetts history: Winthrop Ave, Samoset Road, Uncas Road, Cononicus Road, Massasoit Road, and King Philip Road.
 
Only a few other boats were seen underway one of which was this dory...
 
Wildlife seen today included eider ducks, buffleheads, gulls, hawks, and this little egret near Stubby Knowles Landing...
 
 
Back at Dunfudgin my trash haul posed in the tidal zone...
 
Today's catch consisted of mostly plastic/styrofoam items: 53 recyclable containers (3 redeemable) and 76 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish.  YTD = 1509
 
The most recent total also includes this litter Mrs. Trashpaddler and I encountered yesterday while biking on the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail in Chelmsford...
 
Once again, mostly plastic!