Saturday, August 30, 2014

A Bit of the Dedham Water Trail

This morning I joined with Warren and Riley, L.L. Bean Outdoor Discovery School's kayak guides, in trash patrolling a section of the Charles River on the Dedham Water Trail.  It was a pre-work patrol for all three of us and we got started shortly after 8 am.  Conditions were ideal.
Amanda Popp of L.L. Bean organized the event which originated from the Dolan Recreation Park located on Common Street in Dedham.

This map of the Dedham Water Trail greets paddlers at the launch site...
We first paddled downriver through Motley Pond and later paddled a bit upstream of the Dolan launch.

Warren was glad to retrieve a tire he'd frequently seen when guiding kayakers through Motley Pond...
...and also a piece of corrugated drainage pipe.

Riley recovered this pool skimmer along with other assorted trash...


At one blowdown on our way downriver, Warren removed a fair amount of trash.  Later on our return trip at the same spot, we got to share this fisherman's joy in landing a 4.4 pound largemouth bass...

There were quite a few pink hibiscus in bloom, but only one or two of these giant white blossoms...

At the conclusion of our 2 hour patrol, Riley and Warren crouched by our collective haul...
In addition to the tire, pool skimmer, drainage pipe, milk crate, and a construction worker's hard hat were approximately 75 plastic bottles and aluminum cans.  It made for a productive way to start the day.

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Quinsigamond's Upper Half

Having yet to explore the upper portion of Lake Quinsigamond, I launched early this morning from the Leo R. Corazzini Memorial Boat Ramp in Shrewsbury off of N. Quinsigamond Ave . The facility is a good one with ample parking, portable toilet, and a paved ramp.

Lake Quinsigamond is a natural glacial lake approximately 4 miles long that runs in a north south direction separating Worcester and Shrewsbury.

After launching I paddled over to the lake's west side at Coal Mine Brook and headed in a northward direction.  Trash along the shore was plentiful and at one point I encountered a fellow recovering redeemable containers using a remote grabber-type tool.  His patrol was of a terrestrial nature.
 
Arriving at the lake's north end I thought of historical records that mention Ephraim Curtis' 1670s trading post. It is said to have been located "on the Connecticut Road, to the west of the head of the Lake Quinsigamond".  It may have been located near the left side of this photo...
I passed under the Lincoln Street Bridge into a marshy area mostly covered in water lilies...

Sewall Brook and Poor House Brook flow into this area.  This immature hawk (red-tailed?) watched over the proceedings...

Returning to the lake proper, I passed under a busy Route 290 and, a still tree-covered, Wigwam Hill...
From this point south the lake's shoreline is mostly developed on both sides.

A group of 6 kayakers were encountered heading in the opposite direction...
The Route 9 bridge, under construction, can be seen behind them.

This power boat was being used for some kind of inspection along the shoreline...
Near Regatta Park a mute swan appeared to be shooing away a yellow duckie...

Just south of Route 9, Ramshorn Island Park proved an ideal spot for lunch...

I continued to the south to Kings Point, resisting this ice cream temptation along the way...



My trash haul for the day...

There were 50 recyclable containers (13 redeemable) and 87 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish that included a higher than usual percentage of plastic bags and Styrofoam cups.  YTD = 4138

Once again there were plenty of containers that presently are not covered by our state's Bottle Bill.  Single-serve bottled water, Gatorade, and Arizona Iced Tea containers numbered 32.
 

Monday, August 25, 2014

Mystery on the Merrimack


I had just settled into my boat this morning at Southwell Park in N. Chelmsford when I noticed a moving white object in the Merrimack River.  It was fairly close to shore and I paddled over for a closer look.  As I approached I saw another curious party approaching from the sky...an adult bald eagle who swooped up upon seeing me.  The eagle perched in a tree near the boat ramp and watched my investigation...
 

The moving white object turned out to be a plastic shopping bag (actually 2 bags) tied in such a way as to entrap an animal inside.   By the strong odor emanating from the bag, I guessed correctly that the animal inside was a skunk.  While not a big fan of skunks, I couldn't just leave the animal to die in such a cruel way.  Using my gloves I carefully untied the knot and placed the bag on the shore.  Detecting no movement, I pulled the bag away to reveal the skunk...
  ...which was deceased. 
I was left to wonder if it was the skunk, while still alive, causing the bag's movement, or if perhaps fish (such as carp) were pushing the bag around from below the surface drawing both my and the eagle's attention.  Who would place a skunk inside a plastic bag, especially if it was alive?  By the way, any thoughts of human to skunk CPR were quickly dismissed.

I paddled down to Stony Brook to clear my head...and sinuses.  The eagle remained on his perch...

After regrouping at Stony Brook, I paddled up to the 547 foot span Tyngsborough Bridge...
...arriving just in time to watch Pan AM Railways engine 515 pull a 10 car freight under the bridge's approach in a southbound direction...

The view of the bridge from below...

It was a truly splendid morning and I was lucky to be out on the Merrimack.

Numerous large carp were seen in the shallows, mostly where there was shade.  Good food for eagles I suppose.

Unfortunately, trash was also abundant...
There were 92 recyclable containers (14 redeemable) and 27 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish such as Styrofoam and plastic bags.  Those doubting the need for expanding our state's Bottle Bill might want to look at the large number of plastic water, juice, iced tea, and Gatorade bottles.  I counted 55 of them and gave them their own quarters in my boat's fo'c's'le...
They're just not getting recycled (especially by folks "on the go") and we need a financial incentive to get the job done.                       My YTD trash total now stands at 4001. 

Saturday, August 23, 2014

Athol to Orange Via the Millers

This morning I re-visited the Millers River in Athol and paddled it down to Orange Center and back.  I launched from the Alan E. Rich Environmental Park in Athol which is located about a quarter of a mile below the Millers River's confluence with the Tully River.  The water level was OK and skies varied between clouds and sun.

Just before reaching Rowlandson Rock, I passed under the Pan AM Railways bridge and turned around in time to see a train of empty automobile transport cars heading west...
Strange to see a Burlington Northern - Santa Fe locomotive on what was once known as the Fitchburg Division of the Boston and Maine Railroad.  Today this section of railroad is called the Pan AM Southern Patriot Corridor.

At Rowlandson Rock I hiked up the riverbank to get a closer look at this historical marker...
Quite a bit of trash littered the woods alongside the roadway's guardrail.

The view into Mill Brook which flows into the Millers from Lake Rohunta...

Looks like some fishermen nailed trash bags to a tree and filled them...
Do you suppose they'll be hauling them out?

Arriving at Orange and my turnaround point just before the dam...

The boat launch at Orange Riverfront Park...

  On the way back upriver I came across this piece of trash which was already spoken for...

Here's some Caribbean flavored trash...

The day's haul...
There were 46 recyclable containers (13 redeemable) and 64 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish such as Styrofoam and plastic bags.  YTD = 3879

It's interesting to note there were 27 empty water, juice, or Gatorade containers.  These are the containers which will become redeemable if voters elect to expand our state's Bottle Bill in November.  The proposal will certainly have my vote.

Thursday, August 21, 2014

Paddlin' Some Chazy Waters

This past Saturday I met up with Capt'n and Mrs. Dangerous for some paddling and camping in Chazy and Champlain, NY, the last two townships before the Canadian border.  Champlain, like the lake, is named for Samuel de Champlain who paddled up the Richelieu River from the Saint Lawrence in 1609.  Chazy is said to be named for Captain de Chazy of the French regiment Carignan-Salieres who was killed in a skirmish with the Mohawks near the mouth of the Little Chazy River in 1666.  He'd been stationed at the French fort Sainte Anne on nearby Isle La Motte which is named for, yet another, French Captain Pierre la Motte.

The area is at Lake Champlain's northwestern end and near to where it transitions into the Richelieu River before flowing north into Canada. 

We launched at the mouth of the Great Chazy River where several marinas are located nearby.  With the cloud-laden sky and occasional showers most of the boats in the marinas remained tied-up for the day.  No complaints from us...

Heading up the Great Chazy we saw the tree-lined banks give way to rolling fields of corn.  Along the way we encountered blue herons, belted kingfishers, a green heron, an osprey, tree swallows, and a few cedar waxwings.  After traveling a little over 5 miles we reached the hamlet of Champlain and this distinctive building hard by its side...

It was once the First National Bank built in 1880 and today serves as...

Beyond the building there's an island where the river becomes too shallow for paddling.

Once back at the river's mouth we loaded up our boats and assembled the trash we'd recovered from the Great Chazy...

Then with the rain getting steadier we headed off for some local vittles before camping on the shore
of Lake Champlain's Monty Bay...
 
The family of Mrs. Capt'n Dangerous has maintained a camp here for several generations.

On Sunday morning, with peeks of blue sky finally appearing, the Capt'n and I paddled out on the lake from Monty Bay south to Treadwell Bay, rounding Point Au Roche State Park in the process...

 Once around North Point we enjoyed the view to the south...

The Point Au Roche Lighthouse is obviously no longer on the job...

A peaceful cove provided this mysterious structure which the Capt'n investigates...


Some rugged Point Au Roche shoreline...

At the conclusion of the paddle the sun had almost restored the feel of summer and a post-paddle swim in Monty Bay was enjoyed by all.

After a little hemming and hawing I elected to take the long way home via Champlain and Rouses Point, the latter being a railroad hot spot I'd long hoped to visit.

Driving through Champlain I stopped at the Elm Street Bridge and drank in a last view of the Great Chazy River under sunny conditions...
At Rouses Point the Delaware and Hudson RR station has been restored to reflect its 1889 design...
These days it contains a museum and serves as an Amtrak stop for the Adirondack which runs between New York City and Montreal.
Another adjacent station may possibly have once served the Rutland Railroad (long abandoned)...
 I noticed red signals to the south and a Canadian Pacific powered freight waiting 'in the hole'...
Within another 20 minutes I heard the approach of the northbound Adirondack and watched as it made its last stop in the USA before heading into Canada...
Once the Adirondack had cleared the station, the Canadian Pacific locomotive began moving in a southward direction...
...and I watched as the longest single commodity freight train I've ever seen slowly stretched out from behind the station...
Tank car after tank car of Bakken crude oil possibly bound for the Port of Albany.  There were so many cars that I began to doubt how one locomotive could possibly pull so many.  That's when I saw there was a second locomotive bringing up the rear...

Once calm had been restored I drove across the top of Lake Champlain into Vermont where Route 89 brought me back home.