Sudbury & Concord Rivers - Sherman's Bridge to Old North Bridge

Today, I joined a group of intrepid paddlers from the Rhode Island Canoe and Kayak Association (RICKA) in paddling from Sherman's Bridge in Wayland down to the Old North Bridge in Concord.  Trip leader Erik and I had scouted and trash patrolled this section only 7 days ago.  Sadly, there was already a fresh crop of trash at each spot frequented by shore fishermen.  Heath's Bridge (Sudbury Rd.) was the worst offender.

The opening photo shows the RICKA group preparing to get under way following a lunch break at Fairhaven Bay's Brooke Island Bistro. 
Unfortunately, some heavy rain showers tried to put a damper on our trip downriver.  This pair of paddlers displayed a determined spirit as they paddled onward, into the mystic...

Also present on the river today, despite the rain, were numerous blue herons and tree swallows.

Ultimately, our 10 boat flotilla (4 canoes, 6 kayaks) reached the Old North Bridge and we enjoyed paddling beneath a replica of "the rude bridge that arched the flood".  Some photos of our flotilla at the bridge and enroute can be seen at Erik's Open Boat, Moving Water blog.

I paddled just a bit further downriver to accomplish one of my main goals for the day: recovering the can that Ava saw...

There is a little story behind this particular red Coke can.  Yesterday evening my family accompanied me to the 2011 Riverfest Awards Ceremony where I was one of 8 River Stewardship Award recipients.  This program is co-sponsored by the League of Women Voters and the Wild and Scenic River Stewardship Council and was held at the Buttrick Mansion which overlooks the Old North Bridge.  While there, my 6-year old granddaughter Ava (aka Hawkeye) espied an errant red Coke can floating at river's edge.  She made a point of showing me its exact location so I might recover it from the river.  Mission accomplished!

Today's soggy trash haul of 44 pieces posed hull-side at the takeout location...

It brokedown as follows: 17 recyclable containers (12 redeemable) and 27 pieces of miscellaneous trash such as styrofoam bait tubs, coffee cups, plastic bags, fishing net frame, and cardboard packaging.  My YTD total stands at 3155.  (Most of today's trash was recovered while enroute upriver to meet the RICKA folks at Sherman's Bridge.)
   

Assabet River - Egg Rock to Rt.2 and Return

Today, between thunderstorms, I trash patrolled the Assabet River from Egg Rock up to Route 2.  The large family of Canada geese pictured at left was encountered upstream of Spencer Brook.
At the start of my patrol, before leaving the area of the Calf Pasture, I noticed the trash barrel across from Egg Rock is full...

I'm not sure who maintains this barrel but hopefully it can be emptied before this weekend's RIVERFEST events.  Most of the trash in this area is left by shore fishermen.  Some of those fishing on the other side of the river resort to this technique to dispose of their trash...

There was ample wildlife active this mid-day on the river.  The most plentiful creatures were chipmunks.  They seemed to be behind every tree...

Perhaps today was their RIVERFEST.

In addition to Alvin and his associates there were Canada geese, blue herons, wood ducks, Muscovy ducks, mallards, cardinals and turtles.

One other boater encountered today was Jeff paddling his Czech-made Zastera...

After reaching Route 2, I turned around and began heading back to Lowell Rd.  On the trip downriver a new looking canoe cart was seen stashed behind a tree.  My hope is that the owner left it there on purpose, though I didn't see a canoe out on the water.

At Lowell Rd., my boat was emptied...

Today's total was 117 pieces of trash.  There were 34 recyclable containers (9 redeemable) and 83 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish such as styrofoam, nip bottles, spay cans, and many plastic bags.  Most of the bags had been submerged until just recently when dropping water levels left them hanging in the wind.

My YTD total stands at 3111.

Assabet River - Hudson Mill Pond to Berlin

On this idyllic morning in June, the upper Assabet River was calling me westward from my usual haunts.  Perhaps, in the back of my mind, I was thinking about possibly running into two women from Ohio, Christa and Nancy, who are paddling from Newburyport on the Merrimack River to Northborough on the Assabet.  I'm not sure whether or not their journey is finished or still in progress.  One thing I am sure of is that they had adequate water to make it at least as far as the Solomon Pond Mall. 
I launched my boat at the Mill Pond in downtown Hudson and headed upriver.  After passing under the first bridge (pedestrian), I encountered the splendid view at upper left.  A little ways before the same bridge, I encountered this family of Canada geese enjoying some time in the shade...

Amazing how fast the goslings grow!

The view upriver after passing under Chapin Rd. didn't disappoint...

Just before reaching a very noisy Route 495 there are the remains of some kind of dam-like structure.  A paddler heading upstream has 4 locations where passage is possible or may elect to portage.  I went to the farthest left opening and walked my boat through by pulling it behind me.  Soon the noise of the highway faded behind me and after passing under some power lines, I came upon some busy musquashes...

By this point the river is getting progressively shallower and narrower with a carpet of juniper like plants for a bottom.

Other wildlife seen today were red-winged blackbirds, eastern kingbirds, a belted kingfisher, a mother wood duck with ducklings, and painted turtles.

After passing over a stone fordway I reached the Bridge Rd. overpass in Berlin, where shallow water stopped my progress last October.  Today, however, I was able to paddle another mile to this blowdown near the Dingley Conservation area behind the Solomon Pond Mall...

I could see marks indicating someone had portaged around this blowdown recently.  Perhaps it was Christa and Nancy nearing the end of their journey?
For me it was my turnaround point and I began the easy trip back to Hudson going with the flow.
This stretch of the Assabet was beautiful and virtually trash free.  Nearly all of today's trash haul of 37 was found in the area of the mill pond/launch site.
Back at the takeout, the gang drank in a little sun before hopping in the trunk of my car...

The breakdown: 16 recyclable containers (8 redeemable) and 21 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish such as plastic bags, styrofoam cups, and two 5-gallon pails.  Nice to see somebody sealed their driveway but how could they let the empty pails end up in the river?
My YTD total stands at 2994.

A Little Trash Pedaling on the Nashua River Rail Trail

Mrs. Trashpaddler and I took advantage of this beautiful morning and pedaled our bicycles from Ayer to East Pepperell on the Nashua River Rail Trail (NRRT).  Along the 7.5 mile stretch we encountered the trash pictured at left. 
Because the NRRT is a corridor used by bicyclists, roller bladers, and pedestrians any trash found there was more than likely carried in by trail users and left behind.  Therefore, it makes a good example of present-day littering habits.  Looking at the breakdown of trash one might think that the trail is trying to tell us that a modification to our Massachusetts bottle bill is in order.  Of the 17 plastic or glass containers, only 4 had a redemption value.  Net value = 20 cents.  
Had this same trash been recovered in the state of Maine, it would have been worth 70 cents.
Would that modest value be enough to keep it from being tossed or provide enough incentive for someone to pick it up?  I think the answer might be yes to both.  At a minimum it allows for the possibility of redemption.  Make that redemption value a dime, as it should be, and I have no doubt most of this trash will disappear from our environment just as it did back in 1983 when the original bottle bill went into effect.
The groups that oppose modifying the bottle bill keep saying that community recycling programs are now adequate to render the bottle bill obsolete but they have no answer for how to deal with our "snack on the run" lifestyle.

In addition to expanding the scope of the bottle bill, how about Dunkin Donuts, Cumberland Farms, Seven-11 and other "On-the-Run" retailers offerering a redemption value on the containers that bear their company name?  Like those big slurpy cups that are frequently dropped to the ground when empty.

Two interesting finds today were on railing fence posts.  One was a plastic bag that had been hung on the fence post with trash inside.  Possibly, because the litterbug was concerned the bag might blow away, he (or she) had placed 2 large stones inside to weigh it down.  This same technique had been used with a large plastic slurpy cup several miles away.  So where does this type of person fall on the evolutionary ladder?  And which way are they going? Up or down?  For that matter, which way are all of us going here in Massachusetts?

Today's 22 pieces of trash brings my YTD total to 2957.  

Sudbury & Concord Rivers - Sherman's Bridge to Old North Bridge

This morning I joined forces with Erik of Open Boat, Moving Water blog to scout and trash patrol Musketaquid waters from Sherman's Bridge in Wayland down to Concord's Old North Bridge.
Erik and a group of fellow paddlers from neighboring Rhode Island plan to paddle this same stretch of river on an upcoming weekend.  They may find the river a lot busier than we did as their trip will likely coincide with Riverfest.

Erik and I paddled into a headwind for most of the trip downriver.  Upon entering Fairhaven Bay, we saw a woman in a kayak working to remove invasive plants from the shallow waters of the bay's west side.  The deck of her boat was covered with either water-chestnut or perhaps milfoil.

As we approached Clamshell Bank, we saw this young white-tailed deer bounding around as if in play...

Other wildlife seen today were blue herons, Canada geese with goslings, wood ducks, mallards, eastern kingbirds, red-winged blackbirds, tree swallows, a red-tailed hawk, and a cormorant.

Another boat seen making the trip up and downriver was the always interesting Tri-yak equipped with an outrigger and small motor.

Nearing Egg Rock and the confluence of the Assabet River a mysterious magnetic force resulted in the convergence of 4 bloggers...

Bloggers and their respective blogs from left to right are Erik (Open Boat, Moving Water), Sue (Water-lily), and Jackie (Saratoga Woods and Waterways).  Sue and Jackie are in Concord while visiting from upstate New York.  It was good to see the blogosphere come to life at such an appropriate spot.

Erik and I continued paddling down to a very busy Old North Bridge and checked out the visitor's center there.
Once back at Lowell Road, our jointly collected trash haul emerged for the count...

There were 31 pieces of trash that included 11 recyclable containers (6 redeemable) and 20 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish that included plastic bags, styrofoam cups, fishing line, bait tubs, and a power strip.  YTD total stands at 2935.

Concord River - Rt. 225 to Fox Island and Return

Most folks would agree that working the 'graveyard' shift doesn't have too many advantages.  However, this morning I was able to enjoy one of the few.  Precisely, not having to report to work till 10:30 pm and thus be able to enjoy being on the river this beautiful morning.  The view at left is looking down the Concord River from a point near the Two Brothers Rocks in Bedford.
I had launched at the Rt. 225 bridge in Bedford where there is this informative kiosk...

It's been a while since I last launched at this location, so I'm not sure how long the kiosk has been up. 

The trip downriver was very pleasant with a nice refreshing breeze out of the north.

Blue herons were numerous...

Approaching the Rt. 4 bridge, things got a little more civilized...

From this point to Fox Island, there are houses along both sides of the river and almost all of them have a boat, dock, and small beach.
Upon reaching the island, I orbited it and passed this rock on it's east side...

I suppose this rock would remember if this was, in fact, the island where the Thoreau brothers setup camp on the first night of their 1839 Concord and Merrimack journey.  If this really is the spot, it might be worthy of a commemorative plaque.

It was approaching the noon hour when I began heading back upriver to my takeout location.

Today's trash haul of 91 pieces posed for a photo during a leg-stretching break on the return trip...

 Most of this trash was recovered from 3 shore raids near the 2 bridges.  The breakdown: 39 recyclable containers (4 redeemable) and 52 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish such as styrofoam cups, plastic bags, many scratch tickets, some kind of iron box, and a fairly new boat fender.  My YTD total stands at 2904.

Assabet River - Powdermill to Damonmill and Return

This morning, while on the way to a boat launch in an adjacent town, I happened to be crossing over the Assabet River in the town where I live.  Suddenly, it occurred to me that springtime water levels won't be around much longer and that there might still be enough water to paddle the 1.3 miles of the Assabet from Acton down to Damondale. 
So,  I turned my car around and headed to the Acton Canoe Launch...

I've only paddled this stretch once before and on that occasion a considerable amount of lining was required due to the river's shallow and rocky nature.

Upon launching I decided to paddle  the short distance upstream to the Powdermill Dam.  This was easily done with one little piece of lining at a gravel bar and I soon found myself near the base of the dam...

During the spring 2010 floods the old concrete pillar in the center of the river was submerged.

Here I turned around and headed downriver, passing under Rt. 62 twice in less than half a mile.  On the right shore is the Valley Sports skating facility and on the left, after the shopping plaza is Assabet Sand and Gravel.  This water intake structure may be related to the sand/gravel operation...

It was after rounding this bend that the opening photo was taken.  From this point down to Damondale the river is scenic and tranquil with only a few shallow riffles.  There were many Canada geese along with mallards and a few wood ducks.  One musquash surfaced near my boat and a few good-sized carp were seen.

Soon enough, I reached the old Damonmill Dam which was breached many years ago...

This was my downriver terminus and I headed back to the put-in.

Just when I was thinking how unlikely it would be to see another boat, I encountered 2 fellows fly-fishing from an aluminum canoe.

Near the skating rink these yellow flag were in bloom...

 After passing under the Rt. 62 bridge, more fly-fishermen were encountered...

There has been a program to restore trout to this area of the river and the south bank is posted as a "Catch and Release" zone.

I did have to line my boat through this spot as it was just too shallow to paddle upstream. 

Around the next bend was the take-out and all passengers disembarked at trip's end...

Today's catch of 62 pieces included 22 recyclable containers (2 redeemable) and 40 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish such as plastic bags, styrofoam, a nip bottle, an absorbent boom, what looks to be part of a car fender, and a few bait tubs.  My YTD total stands at 2813.  Plastic bags were clearly the trash du jour!

After seeing this section of the Assabet and combining it with the section between Powdermill and Ben Smith Dam, I'm left to wonder if the word Assabet meant "rocky and shallow place" to the Native Americans.