For my last March paddle I got out on the Concord River this past Sunday under bright sunny skies. Despite the abundant sunshine the day struggled to warm as a brisk wind seemed intent on keeping things on the cool side. Paddled from the Calf Pasture in Concord, MA down to Mass Audubon's Brewster's Woods canoe and kayak landing...
The landing and its adjacent trails make a great spot for taking a break.
Along the way I passed this good-sized beaver lodge at the river's confluence with Mill Brook...
...and the Old North Bridge under a clear blue sky...
Upon April's arrival yesterday I headed out to the Nashua River launching from Oxbow N.W.R. in Harvard, MA. April Fools' Day provided some real warmth with temperatures nearing 70 degrees F....
Skies went back and forth between bright sun and dark clouds. The gun ranges on the river's west side were silent.
Sunday's trash from a 3.5 mile stretch of the Concord River was on the light side and included 12 "nip" bottles...
Wednesday's trash from a 2-mile stretch of the Nashua River overperformed with numerous plastic containers and "113 nip" bottles and 8 cigarette lighters...
My ugliest haul so far in 2026 and perhaps considered by many a "Fool's Errand". Of course it would be less so if the State of Massachusetts would expand our Bottle Bill to include non-carbonated containers (juice, water) and miniature alcohol containers (aka "nips") so as to give these containers a monetary value which can be redeemed. That ugly heap of plastic could be worth about $ 7.50 at our present 5-cents per container deposit or a whopping $ 15 at 10-cents per container. I believe giving these containers a monetary value would greatly increase the likelihood of someone picking them up. Without such a value they remain worthless trash and some folks seem resigned to watching them sail off into our oceans. Am I wrong? (as the Dude's friend Walter Sobchak might say).
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