Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Acton to Concord via the Assabet River

Thanks to Monday morning's deluge there was just enough water remaining in the Assabet River to allow my boat and me to slide on down from the Acton Canoe Launch to river's end at Egg Rock in Concord.  With a gauge height (at Maynard) of 1.82' there were still several spots where my boat required coaxing to surmount moss-covered rocks.
   
For me, an entire downriver trip such as today's was a nice departure from my usual up and back paddles...sort of like eating "lazy man's lobster".

The broken dam at Damonmill was about as tranquil as I've ever seen it.  After sliding through, I turned about and snapped this photo of the opening...

Below the dam, I'd no sooner passed under Route 62 than I came upon this fellow on the river's west bank...


Numerous blue herons and belted kingfishers were also seen.

At West Concord I passed under Route 62 for the third and final time...


Traffic on the Assabet was light this morning.  Only 2 other kayakers were encountered, and they were going upriver.  At Lowell Road some folks from Middleton were getting ready to paddle in that direction as well.

My morning's trash haul...
There were 33 recyclable containers (4 redeemable) and 47 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish such as a small inflatable boat, window screening, plastic bags, and Styrofoam.  YTD = 3594

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Reed's Island in the Merrimack



When I drove to Reed's Ferry Landing in Merrimack, NH early yesterday morning, my intention was to head in an upstream direction towards the falls below Amoskeag (Manchester).  It was a short trip.  Not even a mile.  After going around the first bend I encountered a rocky section that extended across the whole river...


  On the right or east bank were what looked to be the remnants of an old canal...
If so, it was one of many such canals and locks that once allowed boats passage around the many rapids between this point and Concord, NH.  The Thoreau brothers would've passed through this one  on their 1839 voyage (described in A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers).

A great blue heron laid claim to the largest rock...


Since it was only 7 am, I elected to turnaround and head back downstream to Reed's Island.  Approaching the northern tip of the larger of the two islands, I saw that others had beat me to it...

The fawns were still wearing their spots...
Some believe that the great Native American sachem Passaconaway spent his final days on this very island. 

So, another mile was paddled down to where the Souhegan River and Baboosic Brook enter the Merrimack.  The crystal clear waters of the Souhegan drop down through the falls into a pool...
...where many grains of sand have been deposited over the eons...
 ...a natural swimmin' hole.

 On my return to Reeds Ferry Landing I saw my first Cardinal flowers of the year...
...a sure sign that summer is entering its later stages and August will soon be upon us.

At Reed's Island a paddler has 3 routes of passage.  I stayed far right as I passed the southern tip of the smaller island...
On the larger island (to the left) the Thoreau brothers boiled up a rice dinner and rested during the heat of the day.  After their rest, they raised their boat's sail for the first time to aid their upriver passage.

Approaching Reed's Ferry Landing on the Merrimack's west shore...
...and its tunnel allowing passage beneath the once busy but now sleepy railroad tracks.

The day's trash haul enjoyed some time in the sand...

There were 57 recyclable containers and 96 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish including 36 Hooksett Disks.  YTD = 3514

The "Hooksett Disks" are plastic bio-media accidentally released from the Hooksett wastewater treatment facility located 40 miles from the mouth of the Merrimack.  It is estimated that between 4 and 8 million of these disks travelled down the Merrimack River on a stormy night in March, 2011.  Some disks made it all the way to Cape Cod.  This is how the stragglers look underfoot...
 
Hooksett Disks to date = 1415

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

An Easy Going Assabet

Days such as yesterday are what I long for all winter.  Classic summertime.  Sunny and hot with a light southwest breeze and a sense of time almost standing still.

The hottest hours of yesterday afternoon were wiled away on a very tranquil Assabet in Stow where the river was in no hurry to get anywhere, not even through the narrow passage downstream of Gleasondale...

An osprey was seen overhead, and painted turtles were hauled out on every rock or log.

One non-painted turtle that stood out from the crowd was this very relaxed fellow...

He was close to where I saw an old stinkpot musk turtle in April.  Perhaps it's a family member?

Trash was mostly old and stale...
There were 12 recyclable containers (1 redeemable) and 9 pieces of misc. rubbish.  YTD = 3361

The bottle standing to the left originated at the Simpson Spring Co. in So. Easton, Mass.  Later I would Google the company expecting to find it had, long ago, gone out of business.  Not so.  It is still bottling water and soda from the very same spring today.  Their web site says they're one of the oldest independent bottling plants in the United States.  Good to see a relatively small operation survive the test of time.

The bottle cleaned up nicely...
Markings on the bottom are G-6800 with a 3 and 59 on either side of an encircled I.

Sunday, July 20, 2014

A Blackburn Weekend

To say I look forward to participating in the Cape Ann Rowing Club's annual Blackburn Challenge each and every year would be an understatement.  Sandwiching the event into 3 nights of camping at Cape Ann Camp Site allows this paddler to get closer to a Cape Ann state of mind. 
So before earning the right to wear this year's T-shirt (at left), a few days were spent paddling about the Jones and Annisquam rivers, swimming at Wingaersheek Beach, and enjoying the taste of Cape Ann's seafood (my favorite was the fish chowder at the Causeway Restaurant).

And then, at last, yesterday morning the day of the event arrived and I paddled off from the campground...
...and glanced to my left at the rising sun...
    
Shortly I arrived at a busy Gloucester High School where nearly 400 rowers and paddlers were getting ready: race numbers, T-shirts, meal tickets, and a Skipper's Meeting.

Then all boats and paddleboards passed through the Gloucester Draw...

 ...to the official start line and the beginning of our clockwise circumnavigation of Cape Ann.

Conditions couldn't have been better: cool temperatures, little wind, calm seas, and a nice ride from the Annisquam's outgoing tide.

Awaiting us, 20 miles distant, at the Pavilion Beach finish line were good food, music, camaraderie, beer, and the satisfaction of having successfully made it round the Cape.

This morning, following a good night's sleep in the campground, some of Gloucester's Sunday Mornin' waterfront was visited on foot:

a two-man dory out for an early morning row...

a reminder of Blackburn's still standing building where he lived and ran his saloon...

a short summary about Blackburn on Gloucester's Harbor Walk...

a statue of Gloucester artist Fitz Hugh Lane...

...and an invitation to step into his shoes and be inspired...

...and begin thinking ahead to next year's event.


Some trash recovered from the Annisquam River on Thursday...
...which included another Hooksett Disk and an empty bottle of Captain Hook's preferred root beer...

Saturday, July 12, 2014

Back on the Concord


After several days paddling the waters of Casco Bay in Maine, I was back on my local and non-saline Concord River this morning and it was found to be none too shabby.
 
After launching at the Bedford Boat Launch, I headed upriver (photo at left) and journeyed to the point where the Sudbury and Assabet rivers converge at Egg Rock...

Along the way a portal of Flint's Bridge (Monument Street) framed this view of the Buttrick Estate...

Approaching the Route 225 bridge on my subsequent downriver run to Two Brothers Rocks...

Trash encountered along the way...
There were 20 recyclable containers (7 redeemable) and 20 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish such as bait tubs and a Mylar balloon.  YTD = 3329

Favorite souvenir brought back to Massachusetts from Maine...
There's a desirable "Bottom Line" for our state.

Thursday, July 10, 2014

Another Day in Casco Bay

For me it is like a dream come true.  I awaken, once again, on an island and my first order of business is to get my boat in the water.  Conditions are ideal: west winds 5 to 10 knots, seas 1 to 2 feet, and the sun is climbing from the horizon.

My goal this morning is a counter-clockwise circumnavigation of Peaks Island with a short side-trip to Crow and Cow islands.  The cliffs of Cushing Island bask in the morning sun (at left) as I head towards the ocean side of Peaks where seabirds are about and an occasional seal pops up to check me out.

Swells riding in from the east and the incoming tide meeting the westerly breeze kept things lively at the entrance to Hussey Sound.  However, once astride little Pumpkin Knob the paddle could be put down long enough to snap a photo...

Paddling alongside Great Diamond Island I saw the Casco Bay Lines Wabanaki round the island's tip...

...and before I knew it my starting point and some breakfast were at hand...
This is an island where bicycles outnumber automobiles, both carbonated and non-carbonated beverage containers have redemption value and neither lay about as litter.

It is said that some Native Americans look forward to a hereafter called the "Happy Hunting Ground" where game will be plentiful and not too wary.  For an avid paddler such as I, a "Happy Paddling Place" such as the waters of Casco Bay and Peaks Island would do just fine.

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Some Casco Bay Osprey

Started today with a an early morning paddle in the waters of Casco Bay.  First tune out of my shuffle was Van Morrison's "Sweet Thing" and the morning proved to be all that.
 
In less than 2 hours I passed 3 occupied and busy osprey nests.  The one pictured at left was the third, and is on Little Diamond Island.

Before clearing the harbor I'd launched from, there was a short wait for a couple of work boats going to their next job...

 
Osprey nest # 1 off of Great Diamond Island...
 
Osprey nest # 2 on little Cow Island...
 
There was also this egret hangin' with a gang of cormorants...
 
Trash was next to nothing perhaps due to Maine having, long ago, expanded their bottle bill...
 
Upon landing, I was reminded to keep the noise down...