Sunday, January 4, 2015

Starting Anew on the Assabet

It was a very promising weather forecast that sent me to the Assabet River in Stow late this morning.  I launched at Magazu's Landing (at left) on Sudbury Road in anticipation of temperatures in the 50's.  Rather than wait for the warmth to actually develop, I decided to get there early to beat the crowds.

The rain had let up and it was 34 degrees F. according to my car's thermometer.

After launching I headed up river towards Gleasondale anxious to  soon shed my pogies.

The river looked quite peaceful...

Wildlife was plentiful and consisted of mute swans, Canada geese, loads of ducks, and these red-tailed hawks...

They were frequently moving from one perch to another...

The first piece of aquatic trash for this new year...
...a Remington shotgun shell.

Arrived at Gleasondale and found my boat's thermometer only nudging 36 degrees F....
Paddling beyond the Route 62 bridge brought me to within sight of the dam upstream of the footbridge...

On my return trip downriver I stopped at a wintry-looking portal to Fort Meadow Brook...

A fog developed without any noticeable rise in temperature...
...allowing me to get closer than usual to these mergansers...


Back at the landing the day's trash haul jumped ashore...
Somewhere upriver there's a litterer with very fresh breath!

The 50's were never reached.  In fact the 40's were never reached.  Upon driving home my car's thermometer showed only 36 degrees F.  Yet, I'm not that disappointed...for it was still nice out on the river and my 2015 paddling season is now officially underway without my having to leave Massachusetts.

By the way, my New Year's resolution is that no Styrofoam will touch my lips in 2015.  I'll be bringing along a stainless steel travel mug ready to press into service for any store-bought coffee.

6 comments:

BERNIE said...

Happy New Year, Let the 2015 wanderings begin.

Al said...

Thanks Bernie

Mark Mayall said...

Do softball bats float? That's an interesting find. Something tells me there's a depressing story behind those empty mouthwash bottles...

Al said...

Hello Mark, As I recall the softball bat was half out of shallow water along the shore. My guess is that it would float.
Sadly I agree about the mouthwash.

David Mark said...

New York City is on the cusp of banning foam coffee/tea cups. The law was proposed at the end of 2013 and will go into effect July 2015.

Al said...

Hello David, That's good news to hear.

I recently went into my local DD with a hankerin' for a medium hot chocolate and had forgot my dedicated cup. Asked if I could get it in a paper cup and they did so...even included a cardboard-like cup-holder.