With a goal of paddling the lower 18 miles of the Connecticut River in Massachusetts, Capt'n Dangerous of Adirondack Pirate Paddlers and I rendezvoused at the Donald W. Barnes Boat Launch in Thompsonville, CT yesterday morning.
Having seen many boat ramps, we were both impressed by this one...good signage, ample parking, paved ramp, clean, containers for trash, a port-a-potty...and the sun was out.
However, after leaving one vehicle there, we drove north to South Hadley Falls, MA where we launched from the Perjovski State Ramp which had little to nothing in the way of amenities, or sunshine. The ramp is a little downriver from the Holyoke Dam...
We then launched and began our downriver passage under uncertain skies...a little rain, a little sun. Fortunately air temperatures were in the 60's.
Numerous old mills such as Riverside Paper pictured below line the banks between the river and the Holyoke canal system running parallel to it...
Jones Ferry was busy with both paddlers and rowers getting out on the river...
Eagle nests were both above and below the river's confluence with the Chicopee River. At both, eagles were noted to be nearby. The one above the Chicopee...
...and the one below...
Both were on the west shore of the Connecticut.
Next we approached the Connecticut River's largest city, Springfield...
Past the Boston and Albany railroad bridge lies the city's distinctive Memorial Bridge...
Downstream of Springfield we reached Pynchon Point at the river's confluence with the Westfield River. It was a good spot to take a lunch break before exploring the lower mile or so of the Westfield River (aka Agawam or Woronoco River). Pynchon Point and the park there are named for William Pynchon who is credited with founding Springfield in 1636. Pynchon has the distinction of having written the first book banned and burned in North America, and you probably guessed correctly that the banning and burning happened in Boston. Pynchon's book offered his own thoughts on matters of religion. Oddly enough the burning of his book took place on October 17, 1650 and we were enjoying lunch at a park named in his honor on October 18, 2014. He ultimately returned to England rather than denounce his own writings. Only a handful of copies of his book The Meritorious Price of Our Redemption exist today.
I'm inclined to think Pynchon would have supported expanding our Bottle Bill, especially after the lion's share of today's trash was recovered from behind a partially submerged tree in the middle of the Westfield River within sight of the point named for him...
Just a few miles further downriver in the State of Connecticut most of these containers would be candidates for redemption.
Before exiting the Westfield River the sun nicely illuminated the confluence area in a view looking to the east...
Once back on the Connecticut we resumed heading downriver, stopping briefly on Willy's Island, where a few rumbles of thunder were heard and ominous dark clouds approached from the west...
Just as we came alongside Six Flags amusement park the skies let loose with pelting rain...thus no photos of Six Flags.
We were welcomed into the State of Connecticut by this eagle...
...standing watch just upriver from our takeout at the Donald W. Barnes Boat Launch where our day had started.
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