Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Trash on the Grille


That's how it struck me when I emptied my trash bag yesterday.  The plastic grille was apparently the front cover of some sort of appliance.  Anyways, what little trash there was, wouldn't soon be sizzling.

Otherwise seen were herons in trees...
...and on the stump...

A pair of hawks...

A salt-water themed weather vane...
...near some fall color...

All this and a serene Fairhaven Bay...

Monday, October 28, 2019

Trash with a Message


Sunday morning, during the calm before the storm, I ventured out on the Assabet River from Maynard.  After paddling  a short distance I came upon a bottle with a message inside.  It wasn't the first time I'd encountered such a bottle. However, the others were in glass bottles with better seals for keeping the river water out.  Plastic bottles just don't seal well as almost every plastic bottle I've found in the river is partially full of water.  I believe bottle-messages traditionally were placed in a glass bottle and sealed with a cork.

This bottle was seen on the Stow side of Russell's Bridge on the Assabet...

Looking closer it was noted that some water had already leaked into the bottle and the ink was beginning to run. I pulled the note out of the bottle...
...and read the message which asked for a text message but didn't provide a phone number....oh well.  Sam's bottle took an unexpected detour at this point when, instead of flowing toward the ocean, it went further upriver from Maynard to Gleasondale with me.

About a quarter mile or so beyond the bridge a bald eagle flew over head...

Approaching Crow Island I scanned the area for the eagle...
...and sure enough, after rounding the bend in the river, there he was above the island...

A closer look...

At Sudbury Road it looked like some folks partook of some seasonal apple cider...
...only one bothered to put the cap back on the plastic container.   The message bottle now had some company in my trash bag.

Continuing upriver a hawk and his tormentor were encountered...

Fort Meadow Brook was loudly forcing its way through a debris filled box culvert...

An early Christmas Tree?...

Reached Gleasondale just as the day's predicted rain got underway.  At that point the message bottle got a ride back in the direction intended, even if only as far as Ice House Landing.  So Sam,  while your bottle's journey was relatively short, it was eventful.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Dropping In

"Just dropped in to see what condition my condition was in". Doing so required raising the shades and brushing aside some cobwebs. So, while here, I'll hit the "New Post" tab for the first time since 2017 and post a little tribute to my trash hauling dry bag.  Was posting the same on mywaterroots.com blog when I realized it would be more appropriate here...and to be honest, I kind of miss this place.  So, in the future, posts related to intercepting trash otherwise bound for the sea will be posted here, whereas posts concerning historic water routes will continue to go on mywaterroots.com.

It's probably fair to say that most folks have a piece of equipment or perhaps a tool that they use so frequently and for so long that they just take it for granted.  The other day, while out on the river, I encountered a mess of plastic trash accumulated behind a fallen tree...
...and without thinking reached for my dry bag which I've used as a trash repository for many years.  It's usually attached to a bungee cord on my boat's deck...ever at the ready.

The bag was able to contain this much plastic...

...and while it didn't get everything, it made a dent...

The bag can also accommodate larger plastic items that are occasionally encountered...
...especially when the colors match.

I remember buying the old bag at REI for a paddling/camping trip back in 1994.  Until 2007 it was used exclusively for keeping my camping gear dry.  However, by that time it had developed a small leak and was relegated to trash hauling service.  These days the leak helps in collapsing air from the bag when it's empty which makes it easier to store on deck.  The bag measures 29" long by 14" wide and has a round bottom with a 8" diameter.  It's made of fairly heavy vinyl and more than tough enough for keeping some sketchy-looking plastic refuse contained.  I tip my hat to this old bag and wonder if it might, in fact, actually outlast me...