Saturday, June 27, 2015

Paddling with the Future

Lucky indeed was this paddler in being accompanied by his granddaughter early this morning on the Assabet River.  When mentioning possible start times for our river outing it was she who suggested leaving at 6 am and sure enough there she was, binoculars in hand, at the appointed time.

We launched from Lowell Road in Concord (opening photo) and checked the Egg Rock inscription...
...before beginning our ascent of the Assabet.  Water levels were good.

Near Willow Island I saw a doe with 2 fawns but they disappeared into the brush before my granddaughter could see them.  I was thinking that might have been our only deer encounter of the day. 

Then after finding these two poems floating face-down in the river...

 she espied another deer...
...and this deer allowed her slow approach...

A closer look at the accommodating doe...

I don't think words can adequately express just how privileged I felt at being able to share this moment with my granddaughter and I get the feeling she'll be having many more encounters with nature in the course of her lifetime.

Upon our return to Lowell Road we found a much busier boat launch than the one we'd left several hours earlier.  Mike with his electric motor-powered canoe was heading out for some fishing and photography while a group of paddlers from neighboring New Hampshire was preparing to get underway.


The items we removed from the river this morning...

The poems presented a dilemma of sorts in that while they compliment the river nicely we felt it would be better if they were posted at a river-side kiosk rather than floating face-down in the water. 
 
It was good to see a trash barrel had once again been placed at the boat launch.  Thanks to whomever was responsible.

6 comments:

Erik Eckilson said...

Nice - great picture with you and your granddaughter, and your granddaughter and the deer.

Al said...

Thanks Erik

BERNIE said...

Cheers to the future, one accommodating our high hopes and expectations. Those like your granddaughter, who explore, and appreciate natures grandness, will help insure she is treated better than by those before their time.

May the rivers
continue to flow
though with less
litter and refuse,
and more quiet paddlers,
whom aspire for nothing more
than solitude, peace, and tranquility.

Trash Paddler, may the rivers continue to be your muse.
~Bernie

Al said...

Thanks Bernie

Tom said...

You are indeed lucky to have a granddaughter who is so appreciative of nature and shares your love of the water - I hope I will be so fortunate. The lack of appreciation of the natural world among the younger super-wired generation sometimes gets me down. I enjoy your posts and am encouraged to see such an enthusiastic fellow Trash Paddler out there - keep up the good work!

Al said...

Thank you Tom