Sudbury River - Oxbow Route to Power Lines

Upon launching my boat into the Sudbury River at Little Farms Road in Framingham, late this morning, I noticed the upper entrance to the oxbow had sufficient water to allow passage.  Once I'd entered and began the mile-long passage I couldn't help but think of how "a river used to run through it".  Up until 1957, according to McAdow's The Concord, Sudbury and Assabet Rivers, the Sudbury River took this side trip to the east before resuming its northerly course.  Today, while there is adequate water, there isn't much in the way of flow.  The photo at left attests to just how quiescent this forgotten stretch of river is.  Wood ducks, mallards, and Canada geese were enjoying the solitude.  These tall pines are leaning and may someday fall across the old channel...

When my passage was complete, I rejoined the present-day's river only 100 yards from where I had started.  The much swifter current allowed me to get close to this pair of wood ducks...

Floatable plastic containers had, recently, been on the move and were, now, snagged behind several blowdowns.   My ship's hold was filling at a good rate.

At the point where power lines cross the river in Wayland, a hawk was perched up high and appeared to be checking out the nearby nest...

Here, I turned around and began the trip back upriver to Little Farms where passengers disembarked...

Today's haul of 112 pieces was made-up of 76 recyclable containers (9 redeemable) and 36 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish.   YTD total stands at 6002.