Sunday, July 31, 2011

New Trashpaddler on SuAsCo Waters

Late this morning I was joined by my grandson, John, for some SuAsCo paddling in the vicinity of Egg Rock.  In the picture at left we are enroute to Concord's Old North Bridge.  John enjoyed paddling close to the many painted turtles that were basking in the sun this last day of July.  At one point, he came upon this chipmunk that seemed to be hanging with the turtles...

John did the chipmunk one better by actually "counting coup" on a turtle.
Observing the turtles brought us close to some floating trash.  John espied this errant plastic bottle which became the first piece of trash he would remove from the river...

Soon the bottle was out of the river and under his bungee...
and John couldn't hide his satisfaction.

After paddling a bit of each SuAsCo river, we landed and John stood beside our trash haul of 9 pieces...
There were 7 recyclable containers (2 redeemable) and 2 pieces of rubbish (disk drive and plastic bag).
YTD total = 4094.

The International Society of Trashpaddlers has a new member.  Can this force be stopped?!...




Thursday, July 28, 2011

Concord River - Back on SuAsCo Waters

Egg Rock was looking rather nice early this morning as I found myself back on familiar waters.  In the photo at left my boat is in the Concord River and the view is looking upriver with the Assabet on the right and the Sudbury to the left.  After snapping the photo, I turned about and began heading down the Concord as far as Ball's Hill.
I began seeing cardinal flowers along the riverbank which is a reminder that August will soon be upon us...

A little further downstream was a larger patch of them...

Also in bloom are the buttonbush flowers...


On this day I would see my first American woodcock in the wild...

These turtles looked to be different species...

Other creatures seen were Canada geese, blue herons, mallards, a musquash, and a belted kingfisher.

By the time I arrived back upriver my trash count had reached 52 pieces of trash and they assembled alongside my boat's hull...
Today's breakdown: 29 recyclable containers (10 redeemable) and 23 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish such as styrofoam bait tubs, half of a plastic bucket, a flower pot, and a vintage looking bottle of "Old Spice".
My YTD total stands at 4085.


Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Nashua River Rail Trail & Fruitlands Museum

On this beautiful summer morning, Mrs. Trashpaddler and I pedalled our bikes from Ayer to East Pepperell and back on the Nashua River Rail Trail.  Conditions were perfect.  On our way home, we decided to stop in at Fruitlands Museum in Harvard, Massachusetts.  Having heard that the war-club purported to have belonged to Metacomet (aka King Philip) was on display, we took a look at it in their Native American Gallery.  The club was impressive.  However, I was most impressed by a diorama of a Nipmuc village and a related audio presentation.  The audio narration addressed the aspects of life depicted in the diorama but then listeners were asked to imagine the aspects of life not depicted...  an interesting approach.

Outside on the lawn was a mishoon or dugout canoe.  I'm wondering how it would do in a race with no portages such as next year's Blackburn Challenge...


We found a fair amount of trash lying by the side of the rail trail today.  Total count was 31 and they are pictured here...


The breakdown: 18 recyclable containers (4 redeemable) and 13 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish such as styrofoam, plastic bags, and a can of "OFF".  YTD total stands at 4033.

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

The Lure of Lobster Cove


This past Friday, one of the hottest afternoons on record, I found myself paddling amidst some busy powerboat traffic on the Annisquam River in Gloucester, Massachusetts.  In my sea kayak, I felt like a little kid waiting for a chance to cross a busy street.  Finally there was an opening and I dashed across towards Annisquam Village and past its busy gas station for powerboats.  Beyond was a wooden bridge spanning Lobster Cove, and it was crawling with kids taking turns diving off.  Over to the right I found a place to pass under the bridge and entered the inner sanctum of Lobster Cove.  Here I found serenity…



And at the end of the cove was this idyllic scene…



Was this heaven where someone would walk out to greet me and say “we’ve been waiting for you, what took you so long?”



Not today anyway, and after a too short interlude, I was heading back out into the madness.  Just before running the “Annisquam Gauntlet” again, I came upon this tough old working boat that brought Quint’s Orca to mind...



Paddling back to my temporary home at Cape Ann Camp Site, I thought back to my last paddle in these waters on New Year’s Day 2011 when there wasn’t so much ‘hustle and bustle’ in Annisquam…



Only a small amount of trash was encountered along the way…



These 6 pieces combined with 7 recovered the following day brought my YTD total to 4002.

Note the re-usable green “Huggie”.  Wouldn’t that be a better option than the Styrofoam cups Dunkin Donuts presently offers their clientele for keeping the chill in their plastic iced coffee cups?

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Blackburn Challenge 2011

My 2011 Blackburn Challenge started with this promising sunrise enjoyed while paddling to Gloucester High School where sign-in takes place.  Instead of arriving by automobile and dealing with the associated logistical problems, I decided to keep things simple and paddled my boat to and from the event.   This was made possible by camping at the Cape Ann Camp Site in West Gloucester on the road to Wingaersheek Beach.  The campground has been in operation since 1949.  For me, it was a novelty to awaken in my tent, or perhaps with the heat wave we've been experiencing, I should say "sweat lodge", and walk my boat to the campground's boat launch on the Jones River.

Like most participants, I was anticipating a morning of glaring sun and temperatures quickly rising into the 90's.  Lots of sun protection had been slathered on and extra drinking water was onboard.  However, as we all headed to the start area following registration, skies had darkened and raindrops were falling.  Additionally, a welcome breeze was stirring.

With ominous looking clouds to the west, I was concerned the start might be delayed.  That concern disappeared when the loudspeaker came to life and began calling boat classes to the start line.  At 8:25 my class began heading up the Annisquam River and our 2011 Blackburn Challenge was underway.  Soon, I would have the question answered for another year: Do I still have what it takes to propel my boat approximately 20 miles around outer Cape Ann within the 6 hour timeframe allowed?

As we approached the mouth of the Annisquam River, 2 or 3 claps of thunder were heard behind us and this resulted in a short burst of speed (and a little graveyard humor) in hopes of staying ahead of any nastiness.

While we pushed on towards Halibut Point the storm, thankfully, veered off to the south and not another peep was heard.

Upon rounding Andrew's Point we looked across Sandy Bay to Straitsmouth Gap and the grand view of Thacher Island's twin lighthouses.  Still no hot sun, and a pleasant breeze was now keeping everyone cool and collected. 

After calling out our boat numbers at the halfway point, we prepared for the toughest part of the event (in my opinion).  Though I've never run the Boston Marathon, I suspect the 5 mile stretch between Milk Island and Eastern Point might be akin the that event's Heartbreak Hill.  This is where a participant's mettle is put to the test.  It's a long slog to say the least.  It was during this section that, despite a fresh breeze, I began to enter the doldrums.  My cadence was falling off and other boats, previously behind, were now in front.  Then I heard a 6-woman outrigger canoe approaching and the vocal instructions from the boat’s coxswain to the crew were hard to ignore.  Their cadence was exactly what I needed, and I decided to try my best to keep paddling alongside them.  Doing so brought me back to life and gave me something to focus on all the way to Eastern Point at which time their speed exceeded what I could continue to match. 

Once around the Dog Bar Breakwater the finish line, just 2 miles away, is within sight.  This was when the sun finally emerged from the clouds and things began to heat up.  Boat wakes from every direction required frequent course corrections and my arms were feeling like boiled spaghetti.  It was during this stretch run that one errant and floating beer bottle was scooped from the water while on the fly.  It was sort of like shooting a basketball from mid-court in an empty gymnasium and having it pass through the rim touching nothing but net!

Then, after what seemed to be an eternity, I was passing between the Greasy Pole and the timing boat to the spot where my boat’s bow kissed the sand on Pavilion Beach.  Following this line of boats that finished before me brought me to the food tent, the Ipswich Ale tapmobile, and other participants with whom Blackburn Challenge exploits could be shared...


So, at least for one more year the question has been answered in the affirmative!

Oh yeah, almost forgot some trashy tidbits.  To call yesterday’s paddle a trash patrol would be quite a stretch.  However, in addition to the swooped beer bottle were several pieces of trash recovered while enroute to the start line…



Then this morning, after a good night’s sleep in my tent, I awoke to 2 choices for breakfast: freeze-dried scrambled eggs or a short drive to Jim’s Bagel and Bake Shop.  Shortly, my bagel, coffee, Sunday paper and I were enjoying each other’s company while parked along Stacy Boulevard as the Blynman Canal drawbridge opened and closed periodically.  It was while sitting there, I saw the gentleman wearing a black NASA T-shirt pulling a 4-wheeled wagon along the sidewalk.  He stopped at each trash receptacle and fished any redeemable containers from within.  Was he perhaps a laid-off Shuttle worker?  Only 10 minutes later, along came a contractor’s pick-up truck with a crew of 2 men emptying the same containers.  Perfect timing by the wagon-pulling man!

A little later, I’m back at the campground and notice a true recycler going through the trash dumpster and pulling out a considerable amount of recyclable containers.  He was placing these into the adjacent and well-marked recycling bins.  I’m thinking, perhaps folks were busy and didn’t have the time to recycle.  Then I remember, this is a campground where folks come to escape time constraints.  If they can’t bring themselves to recycle here, it’s not likely they ever will and that begs another question: Would the Native Americans find us worthy of inheriting the land they once revered?   

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Assabet River - Pompositticut at Daybreak

Before venturing east to the waters of Cape Ann, I headed out in the pre-dawn hours to watch this summer day begin in Pompositticut.  The view at left was looking back downriver towards the east.  Clouds were hanging tough on the eastern horizon while patches of blue sky were developing to the west.  Proceeding upriver, I encountered these tree swallows living up to their name...

A little further along a beaver was still working near the end of his shift...

This duck didn't seemed the least interested in turning to see the sunrise.  In fact, it seemed to be comatose....

However, I did turn around just in time to drink-in this view...

Upon reaching the Route 62 bridge in Gleasondale, I turned around and headed back to my takeout location at Sudbury Road in Stow.
There, my newly aquired 55 piece of trash assembled hullside...

There were 33 recyclable containers (19 redeemable) and 22 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish such as paper and plastic bags, styrofoam, and a few nip bottles.

Yesterday's trash pedal on the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail with Mrs. Trashpaddler resulted in the 14 pieces of trash pictured here...
YTD total stands at 3989.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Blackburn Challenge Salty Stew


Here it is “high summer” and I’m getting a hankerin’ for some Blackburn Challenge Salty Stew.  In fact, this upcoming weekend, those venturing to Cape Ann, Massachusetts should find all of the ingredients at their peak of ripeness.  With that in mind I’ll share my recipe for cookin’ up this mess.



The first thing you’re gonna need is a big ole pot or, better yet, a great big vat. Next, get yourself a paddle, or perhaps an oar, for stirring. In addition to these items, you’ll need a heat source such as a fire, or, if using the Native American method, some good-sized “boiling rocks”: Twelvefoot, Bass, Brace, Normans Woe, Black Bess, and Tablet (any or all will do). These rocks will need to be gingerly added to the pot after having been heated in the fire.
 

To get started, fill the pot with some Annisquam salt water and rockweed. Throw in a small cape. Cape Hedge will do.  Now add the following coves: Goose, Lobster, Hodgkins, Plum, Lanes, Folly, Hoop Pole, Gap, Whale, Loblolly, Brace, Lighthouse, Old House, and Freshwater. 
 

Using your paddle or oar, stir the pot while adding some heads: Biskie, Gap, and Stage followed by some points: Stanwood, Thurston, Wheeler, Babson, Wigwam, Folly, Halibut, Andrews, Gully, Flat, Emerson, Eastern, and Mussel.


Next grab hold of some necks and toss them in: Davis, Brier, Dolliver, and Rocky.


At this point things will be coming to a boil. Now add a few islands: Straitsmouth, Thachers, Milk, Salt, and Tenpound.  It’s important that they be added in this exact order.


Let all of this boil for 3 to 5 hours and then let simmer. If it starts to boil over the top, cool it with a little Good Harbor water or Cape Pond Ice.


And don’t forget the two most important ingredients. Remember to stand back, before throwing in a Dog Bar Breakwater and a Greasy Pole!!


Lastly, allow this concoction to cool to taste and wash it down with an Ipswich Ale on tap. See you on Pavilion!!!

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Early Morning Jaunt to Fairhaven Bay

It was just a little past daybreak when we launched into the Sudbury River and headed upstream towards Fairhaven Bay.  The photo at left was taken by the first mate (aka Mrs. Trashpaddler) from her station near our boat's bow.  We were fast approaching Martha's Point and could see the bay in the distance.
We'd already encountered numerous blue herons.  This one was wading in front of the flowering buttonbush...

Another heron preferred this tree from which he may have watched the day begin...

Also seen along the way were adult female ducks with little ones in tow, red-winged blackbirds, and tree swallows.
When we arrived at Fairhaven Bay, Mrs. Trashpaddler used binoculars to scan the far shore to the east and soon spotted a doe with 2 fawns in tow.  The doe was enjoying some breakfast while the frisky fawns seemed more interested in playing.  We watched them from Brooke Island where we stopped briefly to stretch our legs.

Back on the water, we circled the bay before beginning our trip back to the takeout.
Along the way we encountered another white-tailed deer near Jennie Dugan Brook...

At the takeout the day's trash haul of 27 pieces posed in the fast warming sunshine...
Today's haul brokedown as follows: 13 recyclable containers (9 redeemable) and 14 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish such as styrofoam food containers, bait tubs, and a few plastic bags.  YTD total stands at 3920.

With only 6 days remaining until the Blackburn Challenge I find myself envisioning the bow of my kayak crashing through big seas much as the crab vessel Northwestern does in the opening of each Deadliest Catch episode.  I have to admit enjoying this program that airs on the Discovery Channel and wonder, hypothetically, if I were 28 years old, unattached and looking to earn some fast money while working on the water, which crab boat would I sign-on with: the Cornelia Marie, the Kodiak, the Northwestern, the Ramblin' Rose, the Seabrooke, the Time Bandit, or the Wizard?
For me, it would be the Northwestern.  I recently asked Capt'n Dangerous the same question and with very little hesitation he answered "the Kodiak".  How about you?  Hypothetically speaking?

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Cochituate's Three Ponds

In addition to providing some welcome and refreshing air, yesterday's thunderstorms, having swept in from the Adirondacks, also brought along Capt'n Dangerous of the Adirondack Pirate Paddlers.  The Capt'n was taking a brief hiatus from pirate duties and joined me today in trash patrolling all three of the Cochituate ponds in Wayland and Natick.  Our boats entered the water at DCR's North Pond cartop boat launch off of Route 30.  This site is a little further east and north of the paved ramp used by trailered boats.  Here's the Capt'n at the helm of his trusty Caribou...

It was his first visit to this body of water which, before the building of Wachusett and Quabbin Reservoirs, provided drinking water to the city of Boston.

Coincidentally, Wikipedia mentions that the civil engineer who performed the survey and plan for Cochituate's use as a water supply was James F. Baldwin.  James was the son of Loammi Baldwin who designed the Middlesex Canal and Shawsheen Aqueduct 


Trash was refreshingly light today as can be seen in this photo...


Total was 18 pieces and these consisted of 9 recyclable containers (3 redeemable) and 9 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish such as a deflated floatable, plastic bag, bait tubs, etc.  YTD total stands at 3893.

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

An Enchanting Assabet Patrol

After a hot day at work and a hot drive down Route 128, I needed a respite from the heat.  The Assabet River in Concord provided that and more as I paddled from Egg Rock to Spencer Brook and back.  It seems the wildlife were also enjoying a respite and they were not their usual shy and retiring selves.  This Muscovy duck almost climbed aboard my boat...


Handsome devil, isn't he?

This blue heron held his ground, as well...

There were also sitings of musquashes, 2 large snapping turtles engaged in combat (or something else), and a tail-slapping beaver.  But the real story of the day was the amount of white-tailed deer seen.  In all there were 3 fawns and 3 different adults.  This group was the most inquisitive...

With the dropping water levels, some new trash had become exposed and was captured...
The haul of 23 pieces consisted of 10 recyclable containers (2 redeemable) and 13 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish such as styrofoam, plastic bags, and what appears to be either a flexible bucket or perhaps one of those upside down plants.  YTD total stands at 3875.

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Trash Pedalling on the Nashua River Rail Trail

Mrs. Trashpaddler and I trash pedalled from Ayer to  East Pepperell on the Nashua River Rail Trail early this morning.  Arriving in Railroad Square in E. Pepperell, we decided to leave the trail and head down Groton Street.  Doing so soon brought us to this covered bridge.  We were amazed at how close it is to Railroad Square, yet we'd never seen it.  It had been freshly reworked just last year and the kiosk in front of was made from remnants of an earlier version built in 1846.  The bridge spans the Nashua River about a half mile upstream of its confluence with the Nissitissit River.  There's a few I's to dot and T's to cross!  The Nissitissit is a river I hope to paddle one day. 
Despite the beautiful job done on refurbishing the covered bridge and surrounding area, I was disappointed to see that a boat launch hadn't been included.  Perhaps there's one nearby and I just didn't see it.
Another big change since our last visit was the demolition of the spawling mills between Mill Street and the Nashua River.   Looks like a bomb hit!  Will the dam remain for the hydro-plant?  The aquatic plants about a half mile above the dam are growing fast and furiously.  Almost looks like one could walk across some of the backwaters!

Our trash haul is pictured...
 It totaled 23 pieces of trash and brokedownas: 19 recyclable containers (8 redeemable) and 4 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish.  Note the plastic/styrofoam twofer scored by one Dunkin' Donuts patron.  YTD total stands at 3875.

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Shawsheen River - Under the Canal and Upstream

Having recently paddled a stretch of the Shawsheen River, for the first time, I decided to return on today's beautiful afternoon and explore a bit more of this serpentine body of water.  The view at left shows one of the few straight sections.
I launched into the river between Rt. 129 and the Boston/Lowell commuter railroad bridge.  It is on the Wilmington/Billerica border.  Almost immediately I found myself admiring the remains of the Shawsheen Aqueduct...
This stonework, built while George Washington was our president, supported a wooden trough that carried the Middlesex Canal over the Shawsheen River (the stone bridge visible behind the column carries Route 129).  It is hard to visualize a flat-bottomed canal boat being pulled by a horse so high above...

If the structure were still there today, there would probably be water leaking from between the wood timbers.  The water supply for the canal was the Concord River so there was probably some inter-river mixing, so to speak. 
This plaque attests to the historical significance of the canal and this aqueduct...


The Middlesex Canal was built between 1795 and 1803 and operated until 1853.  It allowed freight and passengers to be conveyed from the Merrimack River (upstream of Pawtucket Falls, Lowell) to where the Charles River empties into Boston Harbor in Charlestown.  This was a distance of 27 miles.  More information about the canal can be viewed at this link.

The area under the aqueduct was too shallow for paddling, today, and required pulling my boat with a rope, much like the horse and canal boat.

Once back in deeper water, progress upriver resumed.
The most prevalent flowers lining the riverbank were these Morning Glorys...

Less prevalent were these Pickerelweed flowers...

As a consequence of all the tight bends in the river there were many surprised river critters along the way: a wood duck family, a blue heron, an eastern kingbird, several musquashes, and numerous turtles.
After proceeding about a mile upstream, I began to encounter some beaverdams and blowdowns such as this one...

While this may look impassable, it actually had just enough nooks and crannies to allow passage.  Another blowdown about a quarter-mile further up wasn't as accommodating, so I turned around and began the trip back downriver.
Reaching my takeout location, the day's catch of 41 pieces disembarked onto the only remaining sunlit section of beach...
It was an interesting mix of glass, plastic and styrofoam and brokedown as follows:  18 recyclable containers (3 redeemable) and 23 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish such as 6 plastic bags that once contained GAF roofing shingles, other plastic bags, a styrofoam food container, and a plastic baseball bat.  YTD total stands at 3852.

I got home in time to enjoy the remnants of the day in Summerville...