Wednesday, December 29, 2021

2021's Wake

Got out on the Assabet River in Concord, MA yesterday where my boat and I left our last wake of 2021.  Visited one of my favorite touchstones, the Egg Rock inscription...

...where water levels have stayed in the text portion for most of 2021.  Saw a couple of deer for a few fleeting moments, and towards the end of my paddle had an encounter with this male pileated woodpecker busily at work...

His vocalizations reminded me of one who whistles while he works.

Paddling back to the takeout I reflected upon the past year.  2021 had plenty of ups and downs (both on and off the water).  On my 2021 New Year's Day paddle I was gifted with this bald eagle sighting on the Sudbury River...

...an encounter that was a harbinger of many more 2021 eagle sightings including the privilege of watching a nest-bound pair of eaglets grow and ultimately fledge alongside the Assabet River.  It was something I'd never expected to experience so close to home.  

On the COVID front, the virus seemed to be relenting in the spring and some out-of-state travel restrictions were relaxed allowing a trip originally planned for 2020 to finally occur.    It was a paddling/camping trip to western Maine in May where I was able to paddle and/or visit additional parts of the 1775 Arnold Expedition's route.  I picked up their trail a few miles from where they left the Kennebec River and began a combined portaging/paddling to the Dead River and the Chain of Ponds.  A three mile paddle upriver on the Kennebec (now Lake Wyman) brought me to a landing...

...where Arnold's expeditionary force began contending with some of the most difficult conditions they'd encounter on their journey from Cambridge, MA to Quebec City in Canada. 

A short hike from the landing brought me to this sign confirming I'd found the right place...

...and a spot I'd been envisioning for more than a year.  Oftentimes I'd wondered if I'd ever be able to get there.

Back in 1775,  advance scouts established the course the 1100-man expeditionary force would follow at portages such as this one.  In doing so the scouts used the surveyor's tools of the day: a quadrant compass for finding bearings, and a surveyor's chain for measuring distances.  Once determined, the course and distance were posted at each of the many portaging places.  It was about as simple as could be, a compass bearing and the distance that should be paced off.  Looking at the steep portage trail...


...I thought about how daunting this portage must have been for those who undertook it.  According to Arnold's journal found in Kenneth Roberts' March to Quebec the scouts had left the following directions for the next 13 miles (edited to be more concise):
"...Portage to the first Pond or Lake course W 27 degrees N, Distance 3.25 miles-rising ground, bad road but capable of being made good; Over the first pond half a mile which is 1.25 miles long; Portage W 6 degrees N half a mile and 20 rods-very hard but ruff roads; The Second Pond is in length from N to S 2.5 miles long and 0.75 miles wide; The Third Carrying Place is 0.25 miles and 40 rods, the road very bad-Course W 10 degrees N; The Third Pond is in length from N to S 3 miles width 2 miles-Course over W by N; The fourth or last portage is W 20 degrees N-Distance 2.75 miles and 60 rods, the first part of the road tolerable good-the last mile a Savanna, wet and miry about six or eight inches Deep." 

I became fascinated by the scout's use of quadrant compass headings as opposed to today's 360 degree headings and, even though I had a quadrant compass with me, I was glad for not having to follow that route (even with my relatively lightweight gear) and instead returned to my waiting boat which was paddled back to my starting point on Lake Wyman.  Later I drove to and paddled/visited other sections on the Dead River and Chain of Ponds where the Expedition had passed. While I'd originally planned to paddle some of Lac Megantic's southern end, a pandemic-closed US/Canada border prevented that from happening leaving me to imagine the remaining 600 men marching off to the northwest.
   
Paddled some new stretches of rivers, lakes, and ponds in 2021 including: bits of the Quinebaug and Shetucket rivers in Connecticut's "Last Green Valley",  the Blackstone River from Skull Rock Lock down to Millville, MA, the Deerfield River between Readsboro, VT and Rowe, MA,  Sadawaga Lake and its floating island in Whitingham, VT, Paradise Pond in Princeton, Massapaug Pond in Dracut/Groton/Tyngsborough, and Thoreau's Walden Pond in Concord all in Massachusetts.

In August I was grateful that the pandemic had subsided enough to allow the Blackburn Challenge with its paddling/rowing around Cape Ann to resume after having been cancelled in 2020.  Though a scaled- back event it did nonetheless include the traditional course. 

In September, thanks to a spot on WCVB's Chronicle television show, I was able to share my concerns regarding the amount of plastic in our waterways.  Thank you to the Chronicle team: Sangita, George, and Brian.

Also in September I witnessed a fellow kayaker being rescued from a swift-flowing Nashua River in Harvard, MA.  It was a sobering experience and one that left me acutely aware of just how fast things can go from good to bad for anyone out on the water.

Enjoyed some 2021 camping and paddling at Cathedral Pines Campground in Eustis ME, Wilgus State Park in Weathersfield, VT, and Cape Ann Campsite in Gloucester, MA.

One hopeful sign as 2021 comes to an end was a Xmas Day Boston Globe article by Nick Stoico mentioning the US Dept. of the Interior having restored the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe's legal status and right to have land placed into reservation.

Trash encountered over the year included an ever-growing portion of so-called "nip" bottles such as these...

...each miniature bottle containing only 50 mls of alcohol.

One of 2021's "nippiest" trash hauls was this one which included 222 of the little bite-sized bottles...

While I no longer count the pieces of trash recovered while paddling, I did however make it a point in 2021 to count "nip" bottles.  There were 1,765 of them and of those 1,203 were recovered from one eight mile stretch of the Nashua River between Route 117 in Lancaster, MA and Ayer's Ice House Dam. Here's hoping 2022 might include an updated "Bottle Bill" which would place a redemption value on "nip" bottles as well as include other beverage containers not presently redeemable.  The Massachusetts legislature could make it happen.

Yesterday's final trash haul of 2021...


Looking at the confluence of the Sudbury and Assabet rivers under yesterday's very changeable sky...

...I couldn't help but think of how divided our country stands at year's end.  My hope for the coming year is that we'll come together as a country and follow a course beneficial for all.






 

   

Wednesday, December 22, 2021

Solstice on the Assabet River

 

Yesterday's solstice sun was becoming obscured by clouds as I paddled back to the Assabet River takeout in Stow, MA.  Earlier in my paddle, and about an hour after the 10:58 am solstice, I encountered this eagle familiar to this stretch of the river...


 The eagle was gazing down upon this large congregation of Canada geese...


On the way to the Stow village of Gleasondale, several new homes are nearing completion by a bend in the river...


Upon reaching Gleasondale Mill the Route 62 bridge replacement project was noted to be moving at a faster rate with one half of the bridge span having been removed...


Proceeding past the bridge project afforded this glimpse of the waterfall above the mill's pedestrian footbridge...


On the way upriver quite a few photographs on Kodak paper were encountered floating in the water.  One photo depicts what I believe to be the Hindu deities Shiva and Parvati...


Left me to wonder how and why the photos would've ended up in the river.  

Around 2 pm the day's earlier breeze subsided and blue skies began to take hold...


This hawk reversed positions to face the sun...


With less than two weeks remaining in December comes the realization that each paddle may be the last for 2021.  While more days like yesterday can't be guaranteed, I'd be grateful for just one or two more.  At least the shortest day of the year is now in the rearview mirror.

Trash gathered up along the way...



Saturday, December 18, 2021

Hold the Ice

 

This past Monday it was a pleasant surprise at this point in December to find the slough at the Lincoln Canoe Launch completely ice free (photo above).  It was a day where you could almost forget what the calendar says and just appreciate the opportunity for one more paddle across a wide-open Fairhaven Bay on the Sudbury River...


The sky was getting bluer by the minute and temperatures were rising into the 40's F.

The only spoiler was coming upon this white-tailed deer...a spike that almost looked like he was sleeping...

I'm not sure if he'd been shot by a hunter or died of some other cause.  No blood or wounds were visible.  It appeared that predators had not yet discovered the deer.

The sun was sinking fast as I prepared to leave the boat launch...



Yesterday a mid-morning errand brought me to Waltham and close proximity to a Charles River boat launch just upstream from the Waltham Watch Factory...
...where fine pocket watches such as this were once made...

Despite some strong westerly wind gusts the day was unusually warm...mid 50's F and sunny.  Therefore the decision to launch was a "go" and shelter from the wind gusts was found by hugging the river's west shore.  In one cove a group of bufflehead and ring-necked ducks were doing the same...


Staying on the west side brought me close by some riverside sculptures...


...as well as Norumbega Tower where Stony Brook enters the Charles...

Before reaching Riverside I passed under 3 levels of madness (Routes. 95, 90, and 30)...
...compared to the peaceful conditions on the river where there was no traffic to contend with...not one other boat was encountered.

Don't know how long the ice and snow will hold off but I'm grateful for the way things are going so far.


Monday's trash was on the light side...


...while Friday's saw more in the way of plastic containers...

...and this hazardous materials label...




Saturday, December 11, 2021

All the Leaves are Gone


In paddling the above pictured bit of the Sudbury River last Sunday morning the lyrics to the song California Dreamin' came to mind: All the leaves are brown (gone in this case), and the sky is gray, I've been for a walk (paddle in this case) on a winter's day....

At the Sudbury/Assabet confluence I drifted down the Concord River passing the Concord Minuteman who's been standing sentinel there since the 1875 Centennial...


At Saw Mill Brook the river sweeps gently around the "Holt"...


While retrieving a beer can this old whiskey? bottle was found just below the surface...

It's embossed with Patrick Gillon and Co. of Milford Mass and is quite likely from the early 1900's.  Still watertight but has a crack in the glass.

By the time I reached Davis Hill the day had turned into a beauty for this time of the year.  Several other boats were encountered including these two...
...temporarily beached near October Farm.


Yesterday I returned to the Concord River launching a little further down at the Bedford Boat Launch.  Paddled downriver and passing Two Brothers Rocks along the way...
Interesting to think that Governor John Winthrop (the "city on a hill" guy) and Deputy Governor Thomas Dudley rowed a boat to this spot in January of 1638.   Standing at these two boulders they divided their respective land grants of roughly 1,000 acres each.  In the above photo Dudley's rock and land are to the left (north) and Winthrop's to the right (south).

Another few miles further downriver is Jug Island.  This upriver view shows Jug to the right and what might have been H.D.T.'s Fox Island to the left (only speculation on my part)...

Below Jug Island a riverside signpost covers a wide variety of near and far destinations...

My turnaround point was where the Old Middlesex Turnpike once crossed the Concord River in the early 1800's...

Going ashore here allowed a glimpse of the old turnpike minus the bridge...


On my trip back upriver an old stone chimney and cabin foundation were seen on a riverside knoll...
...and improving skies to the south offered a glimpse or two of sunshine...


This beaver's tree cutting looked like an hourglass and reminded me of how fast time is running out for 2021...


 

Trash for the week:

Sunday's...


Friday's (most of it found near the Old Middlesex Turnpike)...






Friday, December 3, 2021

Into the Leaner Season

 

On the Assabet River in Stow, MA this past Tuesday I encountered an eagle (above) feasting on an unfortunate mallard.  It served as a reminder that with the Thanksgiving feast behind us and the start of meteorological winter there are leaner, darker, and bleaker times ahead (can you tell I'm no fan of winter?).  After snapping a few photos of the eagle I turned away to find its mate staring at me...

Lucky for me I'm a bit larger than a duck!  This same pair of eagles successfully raised two eaglets alongside the Assabet this past spring, and one was spotted earlier in the day hanging around the very nest they used...


Interestingly another mated pair of eagles were seen along the Sudbury River the week before.  That pair was also in the vicinity of their nest.   Perhaps this is the time of year they lay claim to the nest site they'll use.

River levels have dropped quite a bit of late and this relic of days past was grabbed off the bottom...

Been awhile since I've seen a can of Ruppert Knickerbocker Choice Lager.  The brand is said to have ceased production in the 1970's.  If true this can most likely went into the river before our state's "Bottle Bill" went into effect...1983.

Went upriver to Gleasondale where work continues on the Route 62 bridge repairs...


On Thursday, the second day of meteorological winter, I returned to the Nashua River in Harvard, MA and paddled upriver passing under the railroad bridge on this still active remnant of the old Worcester, Nashua, and Portland route...

The recent spell of colder than normal temperatures gave way to more seasonal temps with predicted rain and building winds holding off until paddle's end.

Found it odd to hear gunshots from the Devens shooting range while, at the same time, bells at a nearby monastery were calling monks to prayer.  

A small and apparently little used stone chapel sits atop a riverside knoll...
...and a slough below the chapel provides a place for a paddler to get out of the current and reflect...
...on such things as the latest Covid variants and how far they might set us back.  I also found myself wondering about what a newly designed Massachusetts State Seal will end up looking like.  I think that for pure simplicity nothing beats the City of Watertown seal which shows a Native American and a newly arrived European standing on equal ground while exchanging at an honest arm's length a biscuit for a bass as witnessed by Roger Clap in 1630.  Another version of this encounter appears on the Watertown Founders Monument alongside the Charles River.  It was sculpted in bas-relief by Henry Hudson Kitson.


Trash for the week:
Tuesday's...
...anyone lose a red kayak hatch cover?


Thursday's, which included 150 "nip" bottles...
So far in 2021 the 8 mile stretch of the Nashua River upriver of the Ice House Dam in Ayer has produced 1,203 nip bottles which far exceeds what I find on any of the other rivers I frequent.