Saturday, December 20, 2014

Feel of Winter on the Annisquam

With the winter solstice due tomorrow, I went off today in search of some wintry conditions....and found them on Cape Ann in Gloucester.  Having left the sunshine at home I drove east towards a horizon under dark clouds.  Arriving at the Long Wharf boat launch a stiff and biting north wind greeted me as I emerged from my car.  Was re-considering my plans when a pair of duck hunters motored in and looked to be handling the conditions OK, so
I launched and headed downwind towards the Annisquam River and the A. Piatt Andrew Bridge (at left).   It's the first time in quite awhile I've seen the bridge without much of its understructure encased in construction related shrouding.

Once past the bridge and around Biskie Head, I found some shelter from the wind and paddled along the south end of Rust Island until heading up the Little River where snow was in the air...
 
Aside from these bufflehead ducks...
...I had Stubby Knowles Landing to myself...
...and the ground was getting a sugar-coated look...

I stopped there only long enough for a quick bite and a cup of hot cocoa before getting back in motion and generating some heat.

Passed these on-water structures that looked rather forlorn...


On the trip back to Long Wharf the light snow continued in a horizontal fashion but the scenery was great...

Duck hunters were in action near Ram Island when I landed at Long Wharf.

Not much trash was seen today.  A paltry 7 pieces...

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