Bonus Day at Oxbow

Saw lots of cars carrying items atop their roofs yesterday but, unlike my boat, their items were green and pointed at only one end.   The day was splendid, especially considering it's December, and it was hard to believe I had the Nashua River in Harvard all to myself.

In paddling the river between the railroad bridge (near Oxbow Wildlife Refuge) and Jackson Road, I saw many signs of otters but not the critters themselves.  Perhaps they were all holed up somewhere on account of all the gunfire and artillery booms emanating from Fort Devens.  Not sure if it's like this every Saturday or if it's a reflection of recent events. 

There were numerous exit ramps from the river such as this...

...which are in the area where I've seen otters before.  It's also possible beavers could have made the ramp.

The deceased deer I saw on the riverbank last month was now in the river, a little further downstream...

The backwaters between Route 2 and Jackson Road remain open water with hardly a trace of ice...

...and that's a good thing.

Trash wasn't bad...

...though a little nippy.