Mattakeesett Waters

Paid my first visit to the tidal North River in my home state of Massachusetts yesterday.  Thanks to helpful information on the North and South Rivers Watershed Association's website, as well as the Wild Turkey Paddlers website,  I was able to find an ideal place to launch and get accurate times regarding the delay in high tide occurring further upriver.  Arrived at the Pembroke Town Forest at sunrise and shortly thereafter was on the river. The boat launch is near the site of the long-gone Brick Kiln Shipyard where it's said over 121 vessels were built between 1730 and 1848.  The sun was getting to work on clearing things up after the previous day's thunderstorms...

Followed the tide's flow upriver past signs commemorating the many historic shipyards...

...that formerly flourished here.

The river got narrow and  shallow just before passing through the stone bridge under Washington Street...

A bit further along was the more modern Columbia Bridge...

Just above this bridge 2 river otters caught me by surprise...and before I could get my camera out they were submerged.

Paddling on, it wasn't long before the river's confluence with Herring Brook and the Indian Head River came into view...

The sign proved helpful in directing me to the Hanover Canoe Launch on the Indian Head River...

I was hoping to paddle the remaining distance to Luddam's Ford but obstacles in the form of fallen trees persuaded me to check out the location on my drive home. At that time I came across this historic plaque at the center of the Luddam's Ford Bridge which concisely tells the story...

The site was given this name by governor John Winthrop in 1632 in honor of his guide, James Luddam, who'd carried Winthrop across the river on his back.  Luddam was guiding the governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony on a journey by foot from Weymouth to Plymouth where Winthrop would meet with Governor William Bradford of the Plymouth Colony for several days.  Luddam provided Winthrop the same piggy-back ride on the return trip.  The basic story is told on the plaque under the word "Hanover".  Under the word "Pembroke" is mention of the anchors for the warship Constitution having been made here at the Curtis Anchor Forge in 1797.   The forge was one of many industries to use the area adjacent to the dam.  Today all of the old mills and forges are long gone as can be seen in this pastoral view of the river above the dam...

Herring trying to reach their spawning grounds in the many herring ponds further upstream would need to enter and navigate the fish ladder here...

If I understand correctly, most of the area I paddled was known to Native Americans as Mattakeesett.  The area of the herring ponds much further upstream was called by them Namassakeesett which may have meant something along the lines of "plenty of fish for all".

As for the Indian Head River's name I could not find any explanation.  Perhaps it has something to do with the shape of Indian Head Pond as it appears on a map?

My paddle back down the Indian Head River got underway as the tide was beginning to ebb...

At the confluence with the North River there was still enough slack water for a short trip up Herring Brook...

...which along with the North River is part of the Wampanoag Canoe Passage...a 70-mile paddling/portaging route connecting the North River on Massachusetts Bay with Taunton River and subsequently Narragansett Bay.  Details about the Wampanoag Canoe Passage can be found here. 

Once back on the North River I got a little worried upon seeing a pair of black helicopters overhead...

...and was relieved when they didn't hover above me.

This small bit of trash was encountered along the way...

Glad to have experienced a little of the North and Indian Head rivers.  Hope to check out the lower section of the North River on a future paddle.