Paddling Pequoig Waters

I first saw the sign (at left) alongside Route 2A in Athol several years ago and have been wanting to paddle this stretch of the Millers River ever since.  My previous visits started downriver in Orange and I never got far enough upriver...until this morning when I launched from Alan E. Rich Environmental Park in Athol...

 
As launch sites go this is one of the best I've seen...

The park includes a map/description of the Millers River Blue Trail, a log book, a boat ramp ideal for canoes and kayaks, and hiking trails through the historic Cass Meadow.

While my intentions were to paddle, in a relaxed fashion, to specific locales on the river, many other paddlers visit this section of the Millers River in springtime to participate in this annual event...

Their trip downriver is a quick and wild one as can be seen in any of several YouTube videos.

After launching I paddled a short distance upriver through some shallows to the confluence of the Millers and Tully Rivers...

The view (above) is looking up the Tully from the Millers.  Here I turned around and began heading down the Millers.

The Indian Meadow area mentioned in the opening picture was reached near and opposite the Athol Wastewater Treatment facility.   This exhibit of nature's handiwork was on display by the meadow...

Below the railroad bridge I passed Rowlandson Rock named for Mary Rowlandson who was taken captive by hostile Native American forces during the conflict known as King Philip's War (1675 to 1676).  Near this spot it is said that a group of 2,000 Native Americans (men, women, and children) and their captives crossed the river on hastily built rafts thereby eluding a pursuing colonial militia who were unable to make the crossing.

After a straight section, and passing under the Daniel Shays Highway, the river passes through a series of bends.  Rounding one of these bends a group of 3 river otters were encountered.  This guy seemed to be the boss...

 They were patrolling the river less than a half a mile above my turnaround point at Cook's Cove...

 ...where the waters leaving Lake Rohunta enter the Millers via Mill Brook.

My return trip upriver started with passing through the area where the otters had been seen...

It was one of the prettier spots I paddled through today.
 
While there wasn't much in the way of sunshine today, there was no wind at all and temperatures were comfortable.

The trash I'd been collecting enjoyed some beach time on a small islet below the railroad bridge...

There were 44 recyclable containers (22 redeemable) and 78 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish such as Styrofoam cups, bait tubs, plastic bags, mylar balloons and nip bottles.  YTD = 5250

A Too Inviting Nashua River?

Yesterday's sunny skies and fall foliage drew many folks, including Mrs. Trashpaddler and me, to the Nashua River.  Unfortunately for one automobile driver who was temporarily distracted (according to news reports), his car decided to take the plunge into the river and disappeared into 20' of water.  The accident happened on Pepperell's Canal Street just upriver from the Pepperell Dam.  The driver was able to escape through his driver's side window which, fortunately for him, was open.
The above photo was taken from the Nashua River Rail Trail on the opposite side of the river and shows crews preparing to retrieve the car from the river.
 
Meanwhile our bicycles stayed on terra firma...

Only 7 pieces of trash were encountered along the trail.   Five of them were empty plastic non-carbonated beverage containers which might someday have a redemption value if we update our Massachusetts Bottle Bill. 

No River for Deep Drafts

The day looked promising as I approached Egg Rock this morning.  I guess my mistake was putting on a pair of sunglasses.  That was it, the sun soon disappeared and didn't come back... not even for a curtain call. 
At Egg Rock the inscription was high and dry...

...showing that water levels in the SuAsCo basin are very low.

While passing through the Leaning Hemlocks I encountered this small turtle...

It's a type of turtle I don't recall having seen before.  So far, I haven't had any luck in determining what kind of turtle it might be.

With such shallow conditions, getting upriver of Spencer Brook and the old Reformatory RR bridge location required rock dodging and some occasional sand paddling.

It was upriver of that location that an old six-sided bottle and a large turtle carapace (of a plastic variety) were found.  Both can be seen on the right side of my trash haul...

There were 24 recyclable containers (10 redeemable) and 24 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish such as bait tubs, plastic bags, etc. 
Oddly, the old six-sided bottle was found floating (neck up)...

 

...no markings on it other than a small embossed 4 near the base.

 



Yesterday at the Lowell Road Boat Launch a couple of folks signed the citizen's initiative petition to update the Massachusetts bottle bill.  A quick terrestrial patrol produced 20 pieces of trash, some of which were displayed as samples of non-carbonated versus carbonated beverage containers...

 

 ...bringing my YTD total to 5128

 

 

On this past sunny and warm Friday Mrs. Trashpaddler and I pedaled the Norwottuck Trail...

 

 

...Belchertown to the Connecticut River and back.  The trail was found to be clean as a whistle and we were surprised to see that this order board signal at the Amherst depot still remains...





Low Down on the Sudbury

This morning I found blue skies and cool temperatures on the Sudbury River between Fairhaven Bay and Sherman's Bridge.  Weir Hill (photo at left) was in view for most of my journey.
After launching at the Lincoln Canoe Launch I headed upriver passing this beaver lodge entrance originally intended to be swam into...

This shows just how low water levels are.

Nearby a blue heron seemed to be meditating in the early morning light...

But for the low water levels, there wouldn't have been much trash.  However, recently exposed cans such as this one were found near bends in the river...

At Sherman's Bridge I discovered why not another soul was seen on the river today...

Both sides of the bridge were taped-off requiring trailered boats to be launched several miles upriver at Route 20.  I understand that this inconvenience is minor compared to what some are experiencing during our government's shut-down and as a rule I try to steer clear of politics on this blog.  However, just this once I would like to make the following observation:  The folks that opposed a particular law fought the good fight against it and ultimately lost.  During the course of the fight, and in the subsequent drama they've now created, I've noticed that these same people are absolutely unable to utter the word "affordable" (as in Affordable Care Act).  To me that speaks volumes about where they are coming from and where they want to go. 

On my return trip I overshot the Lincoln Canoe Launch to visit Brooke Island in Fairhaven Bay.  There, I and my newly acquired passengers stretched our legs on the beach...

There were 24 recyclable containers (12 redeemable) and 19 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish such as a radio and the top to someone's barbecue grill.  YTD = 5060

In addition to the heron, numerous kingfishers, painted turtles, a sandpiper, a hawk and an osprey were seen today.

Changeable Day on the Assabet

With the weather forecast calling for windy conditions to develop ahead of a cold front, I decided to get out on the water early this morning.  After launching from Russell's Bridge at the Maynard/Stow line I headed up a calm and foggy Assabet River (photo at left).  Near the south end of Crow Island I yielded to a procession of mute swans...

Beyond Sudbury Road the fog began to clear and revealed some recently added homemade buoys marking the submerged pilings of the old railroad trestle...

There's probably 8 to 12 of these submerged pilings each about 8 to 10" in diameter...a hazard for any boat, but especially so for power boats.

Wildlife was plentiful today as is often the case on cloudy days.  The skies near Crow Island were patrolled by an osprey and a red-tailed hawk.  Kingfishers, herons, mute swans, and wood ducks were also seen.  Above Sudbury Road was a northern harrier.

At Fort Meadow Brook I couldn't resist a trip through the box culvert and up the brook to the old Mass Central RR trestle.  Not much color to the foliage in that area.
On the trip back to Russell's Bridge the foliage looked a little better...

When I landed on a wooded shore to sort my haul I noticed some droppings that had me wondering...horse? moose? or perhaps deer?  pellets are about 1.5 inches in diameter...

My trash haul...

...consisted of 33 recyclable containers (10 redeemable) and 30 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish such as bait tubs, bobbers, plastic, Styrofoam, and pieces of vinyl.  YTD = 5017

The bluest skies of the trip were seen heading down the last stretch of river en route to Russell's Bridge...

 The temperature had risen about 20 degrees and the breeze was now building.

NHAMCP Trash Patrol Series Finale

Today the New Hampshire Appalachian Mountain Club Paddlers held their 6th in a series of trash patrols organized and led by NHAMCP member Denise Hurt.  The series started back in May with each having been scheduled for the first Saturday of the respective month.  Previous patrols were held on the Nashua, Contoocook, Merrimack (2) and Squannacook rivers.  This month's target was a 2-mile section of the Nashua River in Pepperell between conservation land near the Kemp horse track down to the dam at East Pepperell.
Pictured above ( l to r) are participants Ruth, Sue, Marion, Denise, Sheila, Ron, and Betsy.

Joining the group today was Founding Director Emeritus of the Nashua River Watershed Association and internationally recognized river advocate Marion Stoddart...

In addition to helping with today's trash patrol, Marion was also collecting signatures for the Massachusetts Updated Bottle Bill ballot initiative which, if passed by voters, will provide a redemption value for non-carbonated containers of water, sports drinks, iced-teas, etc.  Those of us who reside in Massachusetts were honored to add our signatures to the initiative.

Shortly after we launched the skies brightened and cleared allowing this display of fall foliage ...

A riverside bench displayed the handiwork of a tidy litterbug...

...all the correct steps were taken except the final and most important one-"hauling it out"!

After a leg stretch near the dam we re-launched and headed back to our starting point...

...witnessing and hearing this mute swan flyover along the way...

From the river and the adjacent shoreline we recovered 286 recyclable containers and 189 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish which included Styrofoam, plastic bags, bait tubs, a Bell helmet, 2 automobile tires, some water chestnut plants, and a temporarily disoriented crayfish who was returned to the river. 
Hats off to Denise and the New Hampshire Appalachian Mountain Club Paddlers for their success with this project.

Concord River Ironstone

I was able to get out on the Concord River this afternoon and enjoy some more of this great early fall weather.  After launching at the Bedford Boat Launch I headed upriver and soon came upon this great egret stretching its wings a bit...

Oddly enough, a little ways past the egret I came upon a white ironstone china pitcher...

 ...near an old can of TAB.  The pitcher has the royal coat of arms printed on the bottom...

According to the Internet, this "Ironstone China" was made in England during the late 1800s for sale in America. 
At any rate Mrs. Trashpaddler wasn't nearly as impressed as I, and the item was relegated to the back porch rather quickly.

With the river's low water level a good amount of bottles were found...

There were 29 recyclable containers (8 redeemable) and 20 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish including plastic bags, bait tubs, etc.  YTD = 4954