Saturday, March 29, 2014

Real Warmth on the Concord

This morning's thermometer showed a rare 40 degrees with another 10 degree rise expected.  It both felt and looked like springtime was really here and the inscription at Egg Rock (at left) indicated an ideal water level.  However, with heavy rains predicted and a flood watch in effect, I decided to get on the river early while there was still some sunshine to enjoy.  By the time I'd paddled down the Concord River to Davis Hill and back the clouds had moved in. 



 
This hooded merganser was hanging around Egg Rock...

The Old North Bridge was being guarded by a lone Red Coat...

Below the Monument Street bridge this red-tailed hawk allowed me to drift underneath the branch he was perched on...

Upon reaching Davis Hill it was all open water northward towards Rt. 225 and beyond...
I turned about and began the trip back upriver.

Back on solid ground my trash haul posed under the now cloudy skies...
There were 32 recyclable containers (5 redeemable) and 33 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish such as Styrofoam, plastic bags, and a very happy balloon.  YTD = 794

One nice find today was another John Paul Jones one-pint amber whiskey bottle in excellent condition. 

Thursday, March 27, 2014

A Nice n' Full Sudbury River

While yesterday's howling winds had subsided, today still felt more like winter than spring.  Temperatures struggled to get through the thirties. 
I launched just before noontime from the Route 20 boat launch in Wayland and paddled the nicely full Sudbury River up to the Power Lines.  By the time I passed the Greenways (photo at left) the afternoon had warmed to near 40 degrees.
Earlier I'd stopped for a hot cocoa break at Indian Point near Heard Pond.  A beaver had provided me a bench with a little nook cup-holder...

From the elevated point I could see that Heard Pond was still iced over in places...

Wood ducks, mergansers, mallards, and Canada geese were seen in good numbers.  Numerous red-winged blackbirds and robins were also seen.  No blue herons yet.

With today's high water levels, trash not usually accessible could be reached and recovered resulting in a fairly good-sized haul...
There were 92 recyclable containers (12 redeemable) and 62 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish.  Worth noting were 40 single-serve 16-ounce plastic water bottles.  All of this in just a 3.5 miles stretch of the river.  YTD = 729

Saturday, March 22, 2014

Bow Loop on the Sudbury

Today I launched from one of the few places where a paddler can propel his boat steadily upstream for one mile and find himself back at the exact point from which he'd started.
This was made possible by an old one mile long oxbow navigable due to today's high water level.  The majority of the river's flow bypasses the loop via a 50 yard short cut at the oxbow's neck  which is located at the Little Farms boat launch in Framingham, MA.

Aside from some wood ducks, mallards, Canada geese, and many red-winged blackbirds, I had the oxbow to myself.  Fly nymphs are also out and about.  About three quarters of a mile into the loop, a still lingering Old Man Winter required a little nudge to allow my passage...



  Once back on the main channel I continued upriver to this flood control structure in Saxonville...
When my return trip downriver brought me back through the oxbow, I encountered 2 other kayakers and what appeared to be a father and son fishing from a motorized inflatable.

My trash haul back at Little Farms...
There were 45 recyclable containers (6 redeemable) and 40 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish such as plastic bags and Styrofoam.  YTD = 575

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Neponset on the Eve of Spring


I got my first look at the Neponset River this afternoon and also paid tribute to a very worthy adversary...Old Man Winter.  No doubt about it, he put us all to the test this year.  I accessed the river from Neponset Street in Canton, MA.  The boat ramp is very basic with a short dirt road leading to a small gravel ramp.  Perfect for canoes and kayaks.  Unfortunately, there's been some illegal dumping of construction debris...

No sooner had I launched and passed under the Neponset Street bridge than this deer greeted me just downstream of the bridge...
The deer was only a few yards from the busy roadway.  Other wildlife seen on the river today were red-winged blackbirds, chickadees, a marsh hawk, and wood ducks.

I traveled a little over 3 miles down the Neponset passing 3 brooks: Purgatory, Pecunit, and Ponkapoag where I turned back.

In some spots the riverside terrain looked to be shrouded within a mat of grass...


A bit of higher terrain was found at Signal Hill which made a nice spot to take a break...
If I'd hiked the short trail to the hilltop, I would have been able to see Great Blue Hill for which Massachusetts is named. 
Boaters launching at Signal Hill can use this sign to help with selecting a destination...

Nearing my takeout, this backwater provided a last glimpse of Old Man Winter's handiwork...

 Trash was plentiful in the river today as evidenced by my mostly plastic and Styrofoam haul...
There were 66 recyclable containers (9 redeemable) and 39 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish. 
YTD = 490

I found this stretch of the Neponset River to be surprisingly secluded given its proximity to Greater Boston.  Civilization is present mostly in the form of noise from Route 95 and the Boston to Providence high-speed rail line.

Saturday, March 15, 2014

A Stirring Assabet

The look and feel of spring was enjoyed on the Assabet River in Stow, MA today.  I launched at Magazu's Landing and paddled between the fordway below Gleasondale and Crow Island's northernmost tip.   Ice remained in most of the coves and also blocked passage on Fort Meadow Brook.  Recent rainfall and snow-melt had the river chugging along nicely.

A wide variety of ducks were seen: mallards, wood ducks, common mergansers, and one pair of hooded mergansers.  Also seen were robins, tree swallows, a belted kingfisher, and large numbers of red-winged blackbirds.  The blackbirds were congregated on a point downstream of Gleasondale and chatting up a storm amongst themselves...perhaps catching up on how they spent their winter vacations.

Quite a few musquashes were seen as well...
...and one mink was encountered.
 
This unfortunate mallard had become a meal for some predator...


All of its feathers had been removed.  Oddly, the head was left intact.  At first I thought it was the work of a hawk, but I would later see a mature bald eagle just below Sudbury Road.

These common mergansers were sticking together in the area where the eagle was seen...

It seemed odd not to encounter any fly nymphs out on the water.  They seem to be running late for some reason this year.

Temperatures were in the upper 40's and, when out of the breeze, the sunshine had a warming feel. 

My trash haul posed during a very brief shower...
There were 23 recyclable containers (8 redeemable) and 42 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish such as Styrofoam, nip bottles, and plastic bags.  YTD = 385

Monday, March 10, 2014

Seekonk Below the Blackstone

Yesterday, under a bright blue sky, I journeyed to Pawtucket, Rhode Island with plans to visit the spot where the Blackstone River transitions into the Seekonk River.   I launched from the Pawtucket Boat Launch on the east side of the Seekonk River.  The boat launch was once a state pier and there is ample parking and launching area.  Heading upriver I paddled to the northernmost reach of Narragansett Bay's tidal waters which is also where the Seekonk River terminates at Pawtucket Falls...
  Looking a little closer...

If I could have catapulted my boat up and onto the Blackstone River and paddled another 1.25 miles upstream, I would have come to the historic site where an epic battle was fought during the conflict known as King Philip's War.  Rather than attempting anything so foolish, I instead had earlier driven through Central Falls, RI on my way to Pawtucket and visited the site located near the intersection of High and Blackstone streets.   This monument erected in 1907 was found sitting behind a chain-link fence on the west side of High Street...
It was dedicated in 1907 and on that occasion descendants of Captain Michael Pierce recounted the battle and events leading up to and subsequent to it.  The dedication program can be found at this link.

That day's combatants occupied this ground on a Sunday in the month of March, 1676.  I'm standing here in the same place on a Sunday in March separated by only the passage of 338 years.  When Captain Pierce and his combined force of 63 colonial militia and 20 supportive Native Americans (from Cape Cod) reached the eastern bank of the Blackstone River, they found themselves surrounded by a Narragansett force (perhaps 700 warriors) under the leadership of the sachem Canonchet.  Between a "rock and a hard place" they chose to cross the river near this spot...
Once, on the side from where I took the above photo, they gallantly fought for several hours before all was lost.  It is said that Pierce, earlier that morning, sent a messenger to Providence requesting re-enforcements and that, when the messenger reached Providence, everyone was attending church services.  Rather than interrupt the minister, he waited until the sermon's conclusion.  A fateful decision.

Meanwhile, back on the Seekonk, I paddled downriver to Bishops Cove passing this houseboat?...

...and this large congregation of mute swans at, appropriately named, Swan Point...

Reaching Bucklin Point, I could see the Providence wind turbines getting in some exercise thanks to a building breeze from the north...

Here I turned about and returned to the Pawtucket Boat Launch where my, mostly plastic, trash haul posed hull-side...
There were 38 recyclable containers and 29 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish such as plastic bags and Styrofoam cups (several late arrivals missed the photo). YTD = 320

Saturday, March 8, 2014

Feel of Spring on the Sudbury

The plan was to paddle in Rhode Island waters today, but a morning job taking longer than expected thwarted that plan.    Finding myself near the Sudbury River I decided to checkout Sherman's Bridge and, much to my surprise, found open water and a level place in the snow to park.
Shortly my boat and I were heading downriver towards Weir Hill (opening photo) and wondering how far this open water would last.  The mouth of Pantry Brook was still iced over...
  
The beaver lodge near this spot looked to be still locked in winter...

The next question to be answered was "Is Fairhaven Bay still iced in?"
The answer was "yes"...
...and this became my turnaround point.

My trip back upriver was under sunnier skies and included some sure signs of a New England spring such as this old tree wearing a pair of sap-collecting pails...

 ...and this merganser "just chillin'"...

...and this mute swan gaining altitude...

Even old Sherman's Bridge looked happy in the afternoon sunshine...

A little trash a la mode...
A lucky 7 pieces.

I believe the worm has turned and spring is finally upon us.