Sunday, January 27, 2013

Punkatasset Perspective

On many occasions I've looked up from the vantage point of my boat's cockpit towards the top of Punkatasset Hill in Concord, MA.  My boat's bow has also nudged into the mouth of Saw Mill Brook which drains Punkatasset's northeastern slope to the Concord River.  Yet, I've never visited this very accessible hill with such an interesting Native American name...until this morning.  Since the wind backed off just a little, and the bright sunshine brought temperatures to the plus side of 20 degrees,  Mrs. Trashpaddler and I decided to see things from a "Punkatasset Perspective".
Hiking in from the kiosk we took the first trail heading to the hill's summit and soon drank-in this view of the Concord River valley below...
 
 
According to this Town of Concord Conservation Land Guidemap  "Punkatasset is Native American for Broad Topped Hill.  It is one of the highest points in Concord; from here, minutemen watched and gathered their troop strength before approaching the British at the North Bridge in 1775".
 
Returning to the trail network, we followed a loop around Hutchins Pond seeing ample evidence of busy beavers having done yeoman's work under last night's bright and full "Wolf Moon"...
 
Mrs. Trashpaddler provided perspective to better demonstrate that these beavers aren't afraid to think 'big'.
 
At the point where water flows out of Hutchins Pond this man-made spillway regulates the flow into Saw Mill Brook...
 
The pond itself appears to have been man-made as it does not show on a map dating from 1894...
An ingenious device was installed to fool the beavers.  Water from further out in the pond is conveyed to the inside of this fenced enclosure via a submerged pipe.  The beavers can block off the fence all they wish without stopping the flow of water.  It must frustrate the heck out of them!



Saturday, January 26, 2013

A Heart-Cooling Sight

Yesterday, while driving from one Cape Ann worksite to another, this view of a frozen-over Essex River presented itself...to my dismay.  Considering that this is a tidal river, and more than a little salty, it serves as testament to just how cold it has been 'round here of late.

Since I'd left the warm confines of my trashmobile with fingers still functioning, I snapped a photo of the nearby H. A. Burnham shipbuilding facility and a frozen-in Ardelle, the two-masted schooner returned to its birthplace...
Check out this view (from the Ardelle's website) of the same area on a more hospitable day.

Looks like a weekend where staying close to a warm stove will be the best bet.




Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Driving into the Norlun Trough

Though I'm well aware that Old Man Winter has many heinous weapons at his disposal, I'd never heard of the phenomenon called a "Norlun Trough"....until late yesterday that is, when I noticed that the TV weatherman on the evening news seemed more excited than usual.  He was quite knowledgeable about this somewhat rare phenomenon, and was predicting that one would be happening right where I would be heading early this morning.  What really caught my ear was his mention of possible snowfall rates between 1 to 3 inches per hour and accumulations between 6 to 10 inches or perhaps even more!  Yikes!
After a fitful night's sleep I arose at 3:30 am to find only a dusting of snow in my hometown 40 miles to the west, and no snow falling from the sky.  However, he'd mentioned this might be expected inland from the coast.  So, with a considerable amount of trepidation, I began my drive to the east and north.  I encountered falling snow in Lexington and readied myself for what lay ahead.
But the snow soon stopped and no more was seen all the way to Ipswich.  In fact there was even a lighter dusting in Ipswich than at home.  If the dreaded Norlun Trough did occur, it must have been out at sea where it wouldn't be such a big deal.  So, while I felt a little cheated, I'm certainly not complaining as my day went a lot smoother without the drama.  As to what a Norlun Trough is, there's the long scientific explanation which is fairly complex (at least to my puny brain), or one can think of a localized blizzard similar to what occurs in Buffalo, NY when 'Lake Effect Snow' is generated.    

Sunday, January 20, 2013

A Wide-Open Concord River

It's not very often that I would elect to launch my boat at daybreak on a January morning.  However, Old Man Winter was offering a very brief window of opportunity before commencement of his next onslaught.  Temperatures had stayed near 40 degrees overnight and would rise to 50 with a gaining wind throughout the day.  Thanks to my early start, I made it down the Concord River to Sawmill Brook where Buttricks Hill was found looking very unwinterlike (at left), before the winds began gusting.  I was reminded of that old Irish toast "May the river rise to meet your paddle, and the wind be ever at your back".

On the way downriver I'd passed the ever vigilant Minuteman (statue) ...
standing ready near the Old North Bridge in Concord, Massachusetts.

On my trip back upriver I ran into traffic gridlock in the form of Canada geese...
This time it was me doing the honking to get a clear passing lane.

By the time I reached Egg Rock the wind was really starting to howl, so I decided to check the veracity of Nathaniel Hawthorne's claim about the lower Assabet River in Mosses from an Old Manse: "...It is sheltered from the breeze by woods and a hillside; so that elsewhere there might be a hurricane, and here scarcely a ripple across the shaded water."  At the Assabet's Leaning Hemlocks I found Hawthorne's statement to be true...

At my takeout the day's modest trash haul posed in the sun...
There were 18 recyclable containers (5 redeemable) and 24 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish such as plastic bags, nip bottles, tennis balls, a hypodermic needle, and someone's left shoe.  YTD = 203

Note the presence of 4 PET single-serve water bottles, the type recently outlawed in Concord. 
Speaking of bottled water, a reader named Emily recently shared this short video about the hidden cost of bottled water.

In yesterday's Boston Globe an article by Andy Metzer mentioned how a coalition of beverage/food industry folks are hoping to eliminate the bottle deposit program (Bottle Bill) in Massachusetts.  Apparently, they're emboldened by their recent success (with help from our state's legislative leadership) in, once again, preventing the 'Bottle Bill' from being expanded to include non-carbonated beverages.  According to Metzer's article this group is working with State Senator Michael Moore of Millbury to replace the present 5 cent per bottle redemption program with a 1 cent per bottle (4-liters or less) fee paid to the state by the bottlers/distributers.  This fee would be used to fund recycling initiatives.
As I understand it from the article those that support eliminating the 'Bottle Bill' believe that most communities now provide curbside recycling programs and thus there is no need for folks to be bringing empty and possibly dirty containers back to food stores for redemption.  They also mention that "pay as you throw" programs (where there's a charge for items not recycled) would further encourage recycling.  I wouldn't disagree with either of these positions.
However, what they don't address is the issue of litter generated by folks purchasing beverage containers for use away from their homes while 'on the go'.  These are the containers that are littering our streets, sidewalks, streams, rivers, bike paths, and public parks.  Our present Bottle Bill, despite being a slight inconvenience, does a great job of reducing litter of carbonated beverage containers.  It would do an even better job if expanded to include non-carbonated beverages.

If only there was a way to differentiate the containers purchased for use in the home from those purchased for use 'on the go'.  One thought that came to mind this morning was to have a 5 (or better yet 10) cent deposit affixed to single serve containers sold from refrigerated cabinets, and no deposit on containers sold from stores when kept unrefrigerated.  Something tells me that this idea, while sounding complicated, might just work in helping to solve the growing litter problem in Massachusetts...especially in these times where there's an app for this and an app for that. 
At any rate, that's what I woke up thinking about this morning.   


Tuesday, January 15, 2013

A Walk to the Store and Back


The one mile stretch of sidewalk that Mrs. Trashpaddler and I spruced up just 9 days ago yielded this ugly batch of litter today.  Houston, we have a problem (and it's getting worse)!

There were 22 recyclable containers (8 redeemable) and 37 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish such as scratch tickets, nip bottles, and plastic bags.  YTD = 220 

Sunday, January 13, 2013

Apparitions on the Assabet

There were many apparitions on the foggy Assabet River in Concord, MA today.  Willow Island (at left) was one, and a partially submerged (deceased) white-tailed deer (6-point buck) was another.  Numerous ducks also stepped into ghostly roles, as well as my boat and I when it was our turn.
The day started with visions of 50 plus degree warmth that never materialized.  Perhaps that's why boat #1 preferred to stay in cozy hibernation.  Fortunately, boat #2 jumped at the chance to ascend the Assabet River from near Egg Rock.  Though this was my 2nd paddle of the year, it was my first on local waters.

Approaching Egg Rock, while still on the Sudbury River, I encountered 2013's first piece of local aquatic trash.  Ta-da...
 
...a single-serve Poland Springs plastic water bottle...the exact type of container that is now outlawed in the Town of Concord.  Contrary to popular belief, Concord did not ban the sale of bottled water (as has been reported in numerous news articles).  What Concord did ban was the sale of bottled water in single-serve polyethylene terephthalate (PET) containers holding 1 liter or less, such as the one pictured.  These containers have the unique ability to drop in value from $1.00 plus to absolute zero after just 15 gulps.  The vast majority of them do not get recycled, and even those lucky few that do can never be used in the making of new plastic water bottles.  Is there an award for "most unsustainable product"? 
 
At any rate the 'outlaw' was joined by others of its kind and many law-abiding containers during a trash patrol up to Nashoba Brook and back.
 
The double blowdown above Spencer Brook offered passage through an arched portal...
 
 
With some saw work the portal became a little more open...
 
 
 
The river level has dropped quite a bit since late December's rains...

 
 
Back at the takeout, the first local haul of the year posed on some still fairly green grass...
 
 
There were 24 recyclable containers (8 redeemable) and 46 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish such as nip bottles, plastic bags, balloons, footballs, and polystyrene containers.  YTD = 161
 
The Wachusett Octoberfest beer bottles served to remind how relatively close the Native American named hill is to the local (and also Native American named) Nashawtuc Hill.  On a clear day Wachusett might be visible from atop Nashawtuc Hill.  Today was not such a day!





Sunday, January 6, 2013

Condiments Anyone?

Today's more moderate temperatures allowed for the year's first terrestrial trash patrol.  Mrs. Trashpaddler and I didn't expect to find much trash due to the snow cover.  Unfortunately, that wasn't the case and trash was found atop the snow.  Our trek took us along a plowed sidewalk for about a mile and a half to the Assabet River near Knox Trail.  At the edge of the road and next to the river was a nicely tied plastic bag filled with all kinds of condiments.  Actually there were 53 individual packets of ketchup, mayonnaise, soy sauce. cocktail sauce, etc.  Kinda weird.  By that I mean, I've been known to carry an extra packet of salt or sugar inside my vehicle; but not a whole restaurant booth's worth.  Perhaps it was someone who'd stowed away a few extra in case the Mayan  cataclysm materialized....
...and what better way to go out than with a box of Mike & Ike's! 
There were 16 recyclable containers (5 redeemable) and 74 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish including the aforementioned condiments.  YTD = 91

Friday, January 4, 2013

A Promising Look into 2013

Work brought me to Cape Ann this morning and while driving from one job to the next, I remembered having brought along my camera.  I'd just seen a truck bearing the company name "Circle Recycling" (great name) when I came upon the wintry view (at left) looking down the Little River in Gloucester, MA.  Though a nice testament to Old Man Winter's mighty powers, it didn't exactly lift my spirits.

However, when I crested the next hill these recent additions to the Gloucester skyline came into view...
The two wind turbines on the left were busy working thanks to their ability to harness a portion of the aforementioned power.  My spirits were nicely buoyed!

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Paddlin' in 2013, Adirondack Style

My first paddle of this very new year came about yesterday when I journeyed to Lake George (photo at left) in the Adirondack Region of New York State.  Getting there was an adventure, in its own surreal way, as I left home in the predawn hours to begin the drive to and along the Mohawk Trail.  I drove the first 37 miles without passing or being passed by another car (and I'm a slowpoke).  The first daybreak of 2013 found me cresting the Hoosac Range of mountains at Whitcomb's Summit (2272') and becoming increasingly concerned as gusty winds buffeted my little car and roof-mounted kayak.  Descending into North Adams and the Hoosic River valley, Route 2's Hairpin Turn had my full and utmost attention.  Next, I followed the course of the Hoosic River as it flowed through the small villages of North Pownal, Hoosick Falls, Valley Falls, and Schaghticoke on its way to the Hudson River near Mechanicville, NY.  In Maltaville, I picked up the Northway (Rt.87) and soon arrived in the Village of Lake George where I would rendezvous with a hardy band of Adirondack Pirate Paddlers undertaking their 10th annual New Year's Day Paddle.  Also on hand was fellow blogger, Sue P. (Water-Lily), who graciously stopped by to offer encouragement, and take some photos such as this one...
Our party included (left to right) Ellen (Smellie Ellie), yours truly, Paul (Capt'n V. Dangerous), John (Bonecrusher) and Gary (Jacquedeuxlames).  Sue stayed on land as we paddled away from the shore...

Shortly after getting underway, we encountered two other kayakers heading in the same direction...

At this spit of land where the Jolly Roger was proudly flying we turned about...

Heading south, with the wind at our back, we encountered the vessel Lac du Saint Sacrement heading uplake with passengers enjoying a New Year's Day champagne brunch...

Near a small island, this very vocal pileated woodpecker commanded our attention...

We reached the lake's south end just before the 2013 Lake George Polar Plunge was to begin.
Now, however nutty you may think us to be boating at this time of year, consider, if you will, the sanity of these folks going in for a refreshing dip...
 


and lingering too...
Brings to mind a particular "Seinfeld" episode about laundry.

The new year was officially under way and we began our paddle back to the takeout...
The day and paddle had turned out to be quite decent considering what had been forecast.
As usual, Lake George was neat as a pin and no trash was encountered...until just before I stepped out of my boat, and this one errant beer can was recovered bringing my 2013 YTD trash count to "1" ...
 
Happy 2013!