The Assabet, From Another Perspective

 

How could I not say yes to heading down the Assabet River between Acton and Concord, MA with fellow paddlers Bill, Jonathan, and Erik...even if the boats were canoes instead of kayaks?  Despite the rainy weather forecast we stayed dry for the most part.  Erik described our downriver trip best on his blog, "Open Boat, Moving Water".  Link is here.

Found myself sitting in the bow much higher above the water's surface than when in my kayak, and most of my kayak paddling instincts proved to be opposite those needed in a tandem canoe.

Changes On and Off the Water

 

Got out on the Nashua River from the Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge in Harvard on this past Monday (photo above).  Water level was high from the weekend's rain events.

Getting to and from the boat launch required crossing the CSX Worcester Line railroad tracks at the bottom of Still River Depot Road.  The rails are going to be upgraded with 136 lb/yd continuous-welded-rail which has been laid alongside the old and lighter rail still currently in use...

When the upgrade is complete trains that formerly moved at 10 mph will be able to go 25 mph as they travel through the valley.

Noticed this old rail driven into the ground still bearing the name of the location...

In my previous visits I'd never noticed the lettering.

This afternoon I got out on the Assabet River in Stow, MA where June's theme of cloudy skies continued...

There was no sign of the eaglet at the Assabet River eagle nest.  The adult eagle was near the nest...

...but no sign of the eaglet...until he was eventually found to be on a limb a few feet above the nest where he showed-off his mighty wingspan...

Will he fledge by the 4th of July?

Trash couldn't have been more disparate with a 1.5 mile stretch of the Nashua producing this mess...

...which included 101 miniature alcohol bottles.

In contrast a 3.5 mile section of the Assabet produced only this...

...which included 1 miniature alcohol bottle along with this 5 in 1 highlighter...

 

Just Enough Water

 

Found just enough water in the Assabet River this past Wednesday for a paddle up to Westvale from West Concord.  Pictured above is the bridge carrying the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail.

Had blue skies for a change...

Returning to West Concord an MBTA locomotive pushed an inbound commuter train across my path...

A newly installed stairway down to the river at the Assabet/Nashoba Brook confluence was noticed...

Trash gathered-up...

Summer's Starts and Stops

 

The past week's weather was, for the most part, fickle as we were under the effects of a pinwheeling low pressure system that just didn't want to leave.  The repeating cycle of days had some amount of sunshine in the mornings followed by building clouds and a rain shower or two.

Working around the uncertain weather conditions allowed getting in some time on the Concord River (above photo), the Assabet River...

...the Sudbury River...

...and the Merrimack River where finally the feel of summer returned...

...and 80 degrees F. was exceeded.  Some welcome shade was found under the old Nashua and Lowell railroad where Salmon Brook enters the Merrimack...

Wildlife over the eight day period included an eaglet (one of a pair) stretching his wings on the Sudbury...

...and this adult eagle with a band on its right leg on the Merrimack...

A pair of deer on the Sudbury now in their lighter summer color...

This great blue heron along the Sudbury with a good-sized fish sliding down its throat...

An oriole alongside the Merrimack...

Some of the stranger things encountered were this colorful storm drain/candy cane along the Merrimack...

This fishing platform, or is it a sailing raft along the Concord?...

This floating-down-the-Concord egg with currency inside...

This Sudbury River launch site warning sign giving one pause...

Trash wasn't too bad and there were no miniature alcohol bottles (first time in awhile).

From the Concord/Assabet...

 From the Sudbury...

From the Merrimack...

Clear Sailing on the Assabet and Nashua

This past week provided two warm and sunny days out on the water.  On Monday it was the Assabet River (above photo) between Maynard, MA and Gleasondale and yesterday the Nashua River...

...between Petapawag in Groton, MA and the Squannacook River.

One of Monday's objectives was to check-in on the Assabet eaglet...

...who's getting bigger by the day.  A parent kept watch from four trees away...

...which was closer to the eaglet's food supply on the ground below...

"Don't look up" seems to be their policy.

Yesterday the Nashua River was amazingly quiet for such a splendid day.  I saw only one other boat while heading up the river.   Shortly before reaching the Squannacook I noted a flag planted on a small islet...

  A closer look at the skull and cross paddles flag...

Then it was under the abandoned railroad trestle...

...to the Nashua/Squannacook confluence...

...Nashua to the left and Squannacook to the right.  While in the Squannacook at a shady bend I threw out a few casts of my hook-less jitterbug lure which got bounced around a bit by the fish.

Nearby a canoe was tied off to the shore awaiting the return of its owner...

Trash from Monday on the Assabet...

...included this odd looking creature which may be some kind of leech...

...that didn't want to give up its attachment to a DD container.

Yesterday's trash from the Nashua River...

...included 86 miniature alcohol bottles which brings my 2023 year-to-date total of these containers to 1,107.  Considering we're only half way through the year it looks as though 2023 is on a pace to easily exceed 2022's total of 1,432.

Most of the trash found on the Nashua was collected from this mid-river trash trap at the Rt. 111/119 bridge...

...providing one stop shopping.