Worth a Second Look

Three weeks back I had an unexpected encounter with a petroglyph etched into a standing stone.  After consulting with one of the area's writer/historians, I'd learned the image may be a representation of the Native American motif known as the "Underwater Panther" or "Mishipeshu". This past Tuesday I decided to revisit the stone and make sure it hadn't been a dream.

Got a crack-of-dawn start and arrived early at the launch site.  No sooner had I arrived than a nearby homeowner approached...not to hassle me, but to provide a bear alert as he'd just seen one in his backyard.  Shortly after he departed, I saw the bear ambling towards where I needed to go. Needless-to-say I found myself doing a good bit of loud whistling. First time for me seeing a black bear in my home state which I considered a good omen.

The mighty Connecticut River had been greatly reduced by a relatively long spell without meaningful rain.  The Montague City gauge showed 7.5' compared with 13.8' when I was there on 5/20.  As a result things were tame enough to allow paddling to Smead Island...

History tells of 100 wigwams and 30 canoes having been destroyed on Smead's Island by colonial forces in the days following the Turners Falls massacre of 1676.  However, the Smead's Island referenced in those accounts was likely the next island upriver, known today as Rawson Island.

After visiting the island I headed down the Connecticut paddling past the Deerfield River's mouth where swirling currents often prevail.  On Tuesday the confluence was calm and clear as could be with this sea lamprey enjoying his digs there...

From here on down to Third Island were dozens of dead shad...some on the bottom, most floating or stuck in branches...

A dead opossum? ended up in the mix.  For the many immature eagles seen that day it must have been like an all-you-can-eat buffet.

At the railroad bridge a train crew pulling out of the East Deerfield freightyard enjoyed a commanding view of the river...

 

A little further downriver I stumbled upon a riverside campsite located at the mouth of Hatchery Brook...

After ascending the above pictured stairs another 3 flights await...

...which brought me to the well-maintained (by the AMC) campsite located high above the river.  There's a picnic table, tent platforms, and a bear-proof storage container.  The site can accommodate 10 campers and users are reminded to secure their boats and asked to refrain from having campfires. 

Approaching Third Island I could appreciate why the young Pocumtuck sachem Wattawolunksin chose to maintain his lodge there within sight of Mt. Toby (known to Native Americans as Kunckwadchu) ...

In The History of Montague:A Typical Puritan Town by Edward P. Pressey the author wrote the following regarding life of indigenous peoples before the arrival of Europeans: "Life for the most part was one long sweet dream" and also "When no war cloud hung over Kunckwadchu, this was paradise."  A map of Franklin County in 1858 by H.F. Walling identifies this island as Grindstone Island.

Today the island provides lodging for an eagle family...

 

...and the nesting adult eagle enjoyed the view of Kunckwadchu.

My main objective for the day, however, was to re-visit the petroglyph I encountered on 5/20 and eventually I came upon it veiled in shrubbery...

After temporarily pulling back the veil, the glyph and I were, once again, eye to eye...

How could I not respect this mythical creature I've been learning more about, and the powerful legends associated with it?  The story about the image and its possible creator is slowly unfolding, and I'm left to wonder why the creature revealed itself to me. I proceeded to make what I considered to be an appropriate offering...

  ...in hopes of keeping our relationship on good terms.

Additionally, this small amount of trash was removed from Mishipeshu's waters...

...which included one of the more colorful inflatables I've ever encountered...