Left Me Beachless

 

Wrapped up my paddling week on Thursday morning with a loop around the Merrimack's Wickasee Island (above photo).  I found high water levels throughout the week.  Places to make landfall were at a premium.  Most of the small sandy beaches were submerged.

Started off the week with a Sunday morning paddle on the Assabet River in Concord, MA...

...which included a short trip up Nashoba Brook to a blowdown at the Commonwealth Ave bridge...

The Assabet itself had several recent blow downs, including this one below Pine Street...

On Tuesday afternoon I found ideal paddling conditions on the Concord River from the Bedford, MA boat launch.  Paddled upstream into a refreshing and summery southwest breeze...

Thursday saw our first 90-degree F. day since last August and necessitated an early morning "beat the heat" paddle on the Merrimack River from Southwell Park in North Chelmsford, MA.  Circled Wickasee Island by paddling up the canal on the island's east side...

...where a Tercentenary sign gives a nod to Wannalancet who, long ago, resided here...

My most interesting wildlife encounter of the week was on the Assabet just below the Route 2 bridge where this odd little critter was swimming across the river...

I believe it's a star-nosed mole.  Hard to get a photo due to its erratic swimming style.  Clearest one I got was from behind as its swam away...

Trash for the week:

Sunday on the Assabet River...

Tuesday on the Concord River...

Thursday on the Merrimack River...

The Merrimack paddle got off to a trashy start right from the git-go when this floating and snagged plastic bag of trash was encountered within sight of the boat launch...