Saturday, June 24, 2017

Connecticut River by Ottauquechee

 
Early this past Sunday morning I ventured to White River Junction, Vermont for a couple of days paddling on the Connecticut River.  Just above the Wilder Dam I joined my friend Paul (aka Captain Dangerous) in paddling upriver...

to Wilson's Landing and back thus completing the section of the Connecticut River between Woodsville, NH and Wilder Dam.  The return trip down to Wilder proved tough against the afternoon's southerly breeze.  Post-paddle Paul returned to New York while I found the nearby Quechee KOA and pitched my tent for the first time this season.

The weather forecast for Monday included flash flood advisories, and potentially strong thunderstorms were predicted for mid-day.  This prompted me to launch at 6 am from Blood's Brook in Lebanon, New Hampshire where the water level was found to be on the low side.  Other than a lone shore fisherman I had the river to myself.  Shortly after launching I reached the confluence of the Ottauquechee River where a short ascent of it brought me to two waterfalls beneath two covered bridges...
Some five miles or so up the Ottauquechee from this spot these waters squeezed their way through Vermont's Quechee Gorge.

Once back on the Connecticut I approached the Hen and Chicks...
The Hen close-up...
 
 
Another mile or so downstream I reached Sumner Falls...
...where I landed upstream and walked the portage trail. 
 
Along the trail are picnic tables and a portable toilet...
 
 
Downstream of the falls the river looked tranquil...
 
...and an eagle soared overhead...
 
 
Walking the trail back to my boat I thought of Major Robert Rogers' 1759 account of portaging these falls before having one of his men release his crude raft for the tumble through.  He then swam out to retrieve the raft and they continued their journey down to Fort # 4.  Rogers referred to the falls by their Native American name "Wattockquitchey".
 
I began my return trip back to Blood's Brook encountering an eight boat flotilla of canoes and kayaks on their way to the falls.  Also encountered was this kayak sporting a Bimini Top of sorts...
 
 
Back at Blood's Brook...
 ...I exited the river as clouds began to take on an ominous appearance.
 
On my drive back to the campground I stopped at Quechee Gorge for the obligatory photo...
 
The afternoon's thunderstorms found me in the Montshire Museum where numerous exhibits were enjoyed.  One video exhibit Adrift by Simon Christen gave me a whole new appreciation for fog.
  
Before leaving the area on Tuesday morning I visited the White River Junction railroad station...
 
 
 ...and watched as Vermont Railways engine 303 received some TLC in preparation for the upcoming day's work...
 
My two paddles on the Connecticut River produced very little trash...
 
Yesterday, closer to home, I got chased off of the Sudbury River's Fairhaven Bay by clouds that suddenly became ominous and from which emanated a few claps of thunder...
I guess that makes it official...summer has begun!








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