Assabet Shares Some Secrets

Got out on the water at daybreak today and found water levels to still be on the low side (see Egg Rock at left).  It seemed like it was trying to rain but couldn't muster more than a drizzle.

On the last bit of the Sudbury River, where it passes some shore fishing spots accessed from the Calf Pasture trail, 2 spots were found trashed by folks who'd recently fished there.  Seems everything they carried in they decided not to carry out...despite walking past a trash barrel both upon arriving and leaving.  I'll never understand it.

Despite the shallow water level I found myself ascending the Assabet River.  Due to the water's clarity and perhaps the cloudy sky, objects on the river bottom appeared crystal-clear...more so than usual.

The first old bottle I recovered was this Father John's Medicine bottle (corked closure)...

In the area of Spencer Brook, where the old railroad bridge was, this old Waltham Dairy Company milk bottle...

Heading back downriver I passed someone's developmental work on an exposed gravel bar...

 Good to see they planted a shade tree.


A heron provided some company in this area...

...and the streamside Cardinal flowers didn't seem to mind the lack of sun...

Another couple of bottles were found downstream of this point.  One a Baypath Beverage Co. of Sharon, Ma...

...and the other a W H Jones and Co. of Blackstone St. in Boston (side-strapped, corked closure)...

The bottle had their "walking bear" logo and a latin slogan "Optima Satis Bonum" which oddly was found written in reverse order on bottles seen online. I believe the W H Jones may be pre-1900 and the Father John's to be pre-1906.

The 4 old bottles were all in fair condition especially considering all the years they've resided in the Assabet.  Rarely does a husband see such a display of joy on his wife's face as when another four old bottles are brought into the home.

Most of the pictured trash came from the 2 shore-fishing spots along the lower Sudbury...