Friday, August 21, 2015

Quinebaug to Siog Pond

Yesterday at East Brimfield Lake I rendezvoused with Captain and Mrs. Dangerous who were visiting down this way from the Adirondack Region of New York state.  Our goal was to paddle up the Quinebaug River Canoe Trail to Siog Pond (aka Holland Pond) in the town of Holland, MA.

The afternoon was a late summer beauty with a pleasant breeze from the southeast providing just a bit of refreshment.  Water levels in the Quinebaug were on the low side with ample aquatic plant growth for the bottoms of our hulls to slide through.

While following the trail we passed the location where damage to trees from a 2011 tornado can still be seen...

Also passed were locations where a trolley line once crossed the river, and the New England Southern Railroad would have crossed had it ever been completed.

Near the river's confluence with Mill Brook we passed Curtis Island named for a young Ephraim Curtis. He'd been tasked in July 1675 (at the outbreak of King Philip's War) with contacting the Nipmuck tribes to see where they stood in regards to the conflict.  Curtis and his small party crossed the river and stumbled into what, most likely, was a sizable Nipmuck War Council. Only by keeping their wits were they able to escape with their lives.  This post from my 2012 visit explains the encounter in more detail.  A map copied from The Bay Path and Along the Way by Levi Badger Chase (1919) shows the island's location...


A little further upriver we passed under Pond Bridge Road and entered Siog Pond...

...which was found breezy and inviting...

While chatting with some fellow paddlers from Connecticut, an eagle and osprey were seen fishing in fairly close proximity.  The eagle was later found perched in a tall pine on the pond's west side...

While looking online for Siog Pond info I came across the Chaubunagungamaug Nipmuck Council's website showing they'll be hosting a 35th Annual Nipmuck PowWow at Siog Pond in just a few weeks.  Certainly seems a fitting location.

Our trip back to East Brimfield Lake went faster than we would have preferred, but got us back before the sun sank too low in the sky...

Very little trash was found in the river or pond and what little we did find was either from the boat launch, or within the fire pit on Curtis Island...

Included in the small haul was this bag of trash left at the boat launch...
 
 
Always a good day when an eagle is spotted.
 

2 comments:

George said...

What a coincidence. I was going to suggest you visit this area. I was just there a week ago, only I was on my mountain bike. Every time I ride through I think it would be a good place for a paddle. Great to see an eagle so close to my house.

Al said...

Hi George, Looks like plenty of trail options in the area.