Merrimack and Three Tributaries

 

Paddled a bit of the Merrimack River/Stony Brook and two other Merrimack tributaries this past week.  Water levels were high Monday as the above photo of where Stony Brook enters the river shows.  I believe the pictured freight train is a westbound CSX M427 having originated in Waterville, ME and destined for Selkirk, NY.  A portion of the train ran a short distance north on the New Hampshire line before backing down to the rest of the train.  Once their work was done and the train was back together the freight would leave the Merrimack and follow the Stony Brook line westward.  While they were doing that I passed under the low-headroom bridge and followed the brook beneath a good-sized mill building...

...so as to get ahead of the train's intended route.  Got a few casts into Stony Brook before the freight came along...

...with 3 locomotives pulling 128 freight cars heading towards Ayer, MA where it would then follow the Nashua River.

The day was a beauty with a busy breeze out of the northwest.  Once back out on the Merrimack I ventured downriver to about a half mile above Pawtucket Falls...

...where it appears the warning floats ahead of the dam are yet to be deployed.  Both the Merrimack River and Stony Brook were running high and fast.

I'd launched earlier at Southwell Park in North Chelmsford and found that the boat launch is now open to canoes and cartop boats only...

Trailered boats can still access the river from the Lowell side within sight of  Southwell Park.

On Wednesday I launched into the Nashua River from the Oxbow NWS (north access) at Hospital Road in Devens, MA and paddled 3 miles upriver and back down.  The day was another beauty with a refreshing breeze as well...

Encountered folks working in or on the water on both days.  On Monday two guys in waders were gathering water quality data from Stony Brook, and on Wednesday one worker rowed while another took measurements where the Nashua River passes under Route 2...

Both days were ideal for working outdoors.

Wrapped up the week yesterday with a visit to the Assabet River eagle family and its newest member...

A proud parent gazed up at the nest...

Nearby a newly expanded Canada goose family was on high alert (as they should be) considering their close proximity to the eagle nest...

The Assabet River was looking fine on a splendid morning...

Encountered this osprey on my way up to Gleasondale...

The long-ongoing Rt. 62 bridge replacement project is starting to show a finished look on the half that's been completed...

Monday's trash was of a mostly plastic nature from the Merrimack...

...and included 7 "miniature" alcohol bottles and one more Hooksett disk.

Wednesday's  trash from the Nashua...

...included a whopping 218 "miniature" alcohol bottles.

Friday's trash from the Assabet...

...was on the lighter side and included 8 "miniature" alcohol bottles which brought the weekly total for "miniatures" to 233.