Saturday, June 11, 2011

Sudbury & Concord Rivers - Sherman's Bridge to Old North Bridge

Today, I joined a group of intrepid paddlers from the Rhode Island Canoe and Kayak Association (RICKA) in paddling from Sherman's Bridge in Wayland down to the Old North Bridge in Concord.  Trip leader Erik and I had scouted and trash patrolled this section only 7 days ago.  Sadly, there was already a fresh crop of trash at each spot frequented by shore fishermen.  Heath's Bridge (Sudbury Rd.) was the worst offender.

The opening photo shows the RICKA group preparing to get under way following a lunch break at Fairhaven Bay's Brooke Island Bistro. 
Unfortunately, some heavy rain showers tried to put a damper on our trip downriver.  This pair of paddlers displayed a determined spirit as they paddled onward, into the mystic...
Also present on the river today, despite the rain, were numerous blue herons and tree swallows.

Ultimately, our 10 boat flotilla (4 canoes, 6 kayaks) reached the Old North Bridge and we enjoyed paddling beneath a replica of "the rude bridge that arched the flood".  Some photos of our flotilla at the bridge and enroute can be seen at Erik's Open Boat, Moving Water blog.

I paddled just a bit further downriver to accomplish one of my main goals for the day: recovering the can that Ava saw...
There is a little story behind this particular red Coke can.  Yesterday evening my family accompanied me to the 2011 Riverfest Awards Ceremony where I was one of 8 River Stewardship Award recipients.  This program is co-sponsored by the League of Women Voters and the Wild and Scenic River Stewardship Council and was held at the Buttrick Mansion which overlooks the Old North Bridge.  While there, my 6-year old granddaughter Ava (aka Hawkeye) espied an errant red Coke can floating at river's edge.  She made a point of showing me its exact location so I might recover it from the river.  Mission accomplished!

Today's soggy trash haul of 44 pieces posed hull-side at the takeout location...
It brokedown as follows: 17 recyclable containers (12 redeemable) and 27 pieces of miscellaneous trash such as styrofoam bait tubs, coffee cups, plastic bags, fishing net frame, and cardboard packaging.  My YTD total stands at 3155.  (Most of today's trash was recovered while enroute upriver to meet the RICKA folks at Sherman's Bridge.)
   

3 comments:

Erik Eckilson said...

Hey Al - congratulations on the River Stewardship Award – its well deserved. Thanks for your help yesterday. Hopefully we can do some sections of the Assabet sometime.

Al said...

Erik, Thanks. It was great paddling with you and the RICKA gang yesterday, despite the rain. Glad there was no mutiny!
The Assabet River for some future jaunts? Sounds good to me!

suep said...

Congratulations on the Award, Al -if anyone loves the rivers, it's you !