A Week Out of the Ordinary

 

On my way down Still River Depot Rd. to the boat launch in Harvard, MA (Oxbow NWR) on Sunday morning, I caught the above glimpse of a fog-blanketed Mount Wachusett.   After launching into the Nashua River I headed upriver working against the strong current resulting from last week's heavy rainfall.  Near a small stone chapel I left the river's main stem and entered a parallel-running portion of the Still River...

...which was -"still"...and the paddling was much easier.  Following the Still River brought me up to Bolton Flats where I turned about and eventually found my way back to the Nashua's main stem for the return trip down to the boat launch.  As I approached the launch there were flashing blue lights and a police officer asked if I was with the boaters in distress. He informed me that a person had fallen out of their boat and was in the river somewhere.  Because I had been 2 miles upriver and seen no other folks, the officer asked that I head downriver and let the boater(s) in distress know that the fire department would soon have a rescue boat on the way.   About a mile and a half below the boat launch, at a bend in the river, I came upon a woman in a kayak holding onto a fellow paddler who was in the water.  She was in communication (via 911 and a hands-free cell phone) with the Harvard Fire/Police.  She told me her companion's kayak had capsized as he tried to pass under a tree limb spanning the river.  After some difficulty he was able to extricate himself from his boat and drift about 10 or 15 yards downstream to a partially submerged tree limb which now served to anchor him and her adjacent kayak.  At some point he'd activated the CO2 cartridge inflating the PFD (life jacket) he was wearing.  The life jacket and her having a hold of him helped to keep his head above water. 

Shortly Harvard Fire Rescue arrived at the scene...

...and tossed a life-ring with attached rope to the woman in the kayak, instructing her to place it around her.  Then, simultaneously, they pulled her, her kayak, and her companion over to their rescue boat where the man was lifted from the water.   Rescue personnel immediately began assessing his condition as they started the trip back upriver...

...and transported him to Nashoba Valley Medical Center.  His body temperature was said to be 93 degrees.  Fortunately he survived the ordeal.  His kayak was found and recovered a few days later.  

I'd certainly not expected to witness such a rescue when I'd launched earlier into the river.  As Murphy's Law would dictate, the location of the capsize was virtually inaccessible by land.  Emergency responders could only reach the scene by boat.   As I paddled back upriver I couldn't help but think "what if the paddlers hadn't had a working cell phone?", "what if both kayaks had capsized?", "what if the capsized paddler hadn't been wearing a PFD and/or his fellow paddler hadn't been able to keep his head above the water?".

A change to any of the above and the outcome might have been very different.  It helps to remind us all of just how suddenly things can go from good to bad.   All food for thought on the drive home. 

 

On Tuesday a piece about my trashpaddling activities was included in an episode of WCVB's "Chronicle" TV show.  For me it was an honor to be included.  The folks at Chronicle are great at what they do.  

Yesterday's beautiful weather had me paddling a bit of the Millers River from Orange, MA to Athol and back.  It'd been awhile since I last paddled this scenic stretch...

A long westbound PanAm Southern freight train pulled by 6 locomotives broke the morning's serenity and livened up the river's north bank at a point...

In a shady spot this Cardinal flower was in full bloom...

A riverside campsite looked well-stocked with firewood...

 

Trash encountered this week:

Sunday saw way more trash than I could ever fit in my boat.  It seemed that during the recent high water conditions a significant quantity of plastic containers had drifted downriver.  One trash trap visited was a well-stocked "all-you-can-pick buffet"...

  

 

...and resulted in a new single-day record for nip bottles, 170 of them...

I was reminded of Jack Coughlin's efforts in getting a deposit placed on these "nip bottles".  Jack, of Agawam, passed away back in April after being tragically struck by a car.  Presently there's a bill before the Massachusetts legislature which would provide a redeemable deposit on "nip bottles".

 Wednesday's trash was more run of the mill...