On this unseasonably warm last day of January I headed up the Sudbury River to answer the burning question of the day. No...not what did the latest poll show or what did some pundit or candidate say... but rather, was Fairhaven Bay still frozen over? My guess was I'd be finding open water and enjoying a hot cocoa break on Brooke Island.
En route I passed under several of Concord's bridges including the one at Nashawtuc Road (opening photo). Between the South Bridge and Route 2 this portly fellow was enjoying some Sunday brunch...
After seeing him, I didn't feel nearly as bad about the extra pounds I put on during the recent holiday season. He gave me a look like he might be considering me as his next meal...
At Fairhaven Bay I got within sight of Brooke Island...
...where I found I'd guessed wrong, and my upriver progress came abruptly to a stop as the bay was still iced all the way across...
Even worse the ice was still thick enough to support these ice fishermen...
So, with the question of the day now answered I turned about and headed downriver as the sun emerged and the day warmed nicely.
Caught one of the new MBTA locomotives crossing the recently rebuilt bridge over the river near Rt. 62...
Reaching the confluence at Egg Rock...
...I elected to try having my cocoa break on the smaller Willow Island in the Assabet River. Arriving there I found the island giving me the cold shoulder...
Fortunately there was one small gap in the ice shelf just big enough to allow my landing...
...and some hot cocoa was finally enjoyed in the proper manner.
The recent drop in river level was easy to see where bits of ice shelf clung to the riverbank...
So long to a relatively benign January 2016.
A small amount of trash gathered up along the way...
2 comments:
Greetings Al,
I too was considering launching the green canoe to see if the bay was frozen.
I am glad you broke the ice for me,no pun intended. With this week's continued warm spell I might give it a go this weekend.
The picture in the following link will show you why those ice fishermen take that kind of risk.
See you soon..
Mike in the green canoe
http://www.onthewater.com/forecasts/2016/01/massachusetts-fishing-report-january-28-2016/
Hello Mike, Thanks for that great link. I believe the guy holding that beautiful fish in the picture is standing not too far from where my upriver progress came to a stop on Sunday. Looks like Fort Fairhaven in the background.
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