Winter Setting In

Paddled away from a wintry-looking Route 20 boat launch in Wayland today just before noontime.  Yesterday, we had our first snow of any consequence (about an inch) and with temperatures early this morning in the 20's, I hadn't expect to get out on the water.  However, with bright sunshine and nearly calm winds temperatures rose to near 40 degrees by the time I launched.

A short way past the Greenways this beaver lodge and dam exhibit the look of winter...

 

Further along I came across a bottle floating upside down.  It looked old and was embossed S.O. Dunbar, Taunton, MASS...



I learned online that Samuel O. Dunbar was born in 1800 in Tittecut, Massachusetts and was a druggist in Taunton selling medicines and inks.  The bottle I found could date from the mid to late 1800s.  It was in good condition with what looks like a ball of congealed ink inside.

At the outlet from Heard Pond I was able to surmount the beaver dam but soon encountered ice too thick to easily break...

I returned to the river and settled for a glimpse of the pond's open water from Indian Point...

There were 2 guys fishing from a small powerboat in the pond.

After enjoying a cup of hot cocoa I headed back downriver to Route 20.

Today's paddle produced this winter's first trash a' la mode...