Lower Squannacook River - 1-Mile Up & Back

With a trip to the north country fast approaching, today's ascent of the lower Squannacook River provided a nice 'wild river' preview.  It would have been very easy to believe I was in Maine or New Hampshire.
After launching into the Nashua River at Route 2A in Shirley, I paddled the short distance to its confluence with the Squannacook where I began my ascent.  Heading upriver required a substantial amount of ducking under/sliding over blowdowns and paddling over a beaver dam.  Tackling each obstruction slowly and deliberately provided simple satisfaction and helped to build this paddler's confidence in being able to find a way through (one way or the other).   
Other than an old rail line that occasionally ran close to the river, there were no signs of civilization.   This river also had the least trash of any river I've paddled around these parts.  This was amazing considering how many blowdowns and snags there were.
After paddling about a mile, I reached an area where a small pond existed...

It was mostly encircled by a ridge and had a spit and sandbar where the river entered from the northwest.  This would have been an idyllic setting for a Nipmuc encampment back when salmon made the trip upriver.  It is said that Squannacook means just that, "place for taking salmon".

Near the pond's inlet, a red-headed bird caught my eye.  I believe it is a male red-bellied woodpecker, the first one I've ever seen...

A large number of wood ducks were seen as well as several sandpipers, and a musquash.

The sandbar provided a nice spot to beach my boat and enjoy a very peaceful lunch...

Soon I was reversing my path and heading back downriver through the blowdowns.

This was the view as I neared the confluence with the Nashua...

The railroad bridge in the distance spans the Nashua River close to the confluence.  Curious as to whether trains are still using it, I landed near its base and climbed the embankment to find some very rusty rails...

The view is looking southeast towards Ayer.
On a nearby post hung the improvised trash receptacle of "Mr. Tidy Litterbug"...

This type of litterbug doesn't throw his trash on the ground but rather into a plastic bag he hangs on some object for convenience.  He just 'forgets' to bring it home with him.  Once open the bag reveals a plethora of refuse...

Did he eat all those bags of Smartfood popcorn or were they used for bait?

Back at Route 2A this photo shows the very small amount of trash found in the Squannacook...

A sparse 11 pieces of trash.

The terrestrial trash recovered from the rail bridge and the boat launch area are pictured here...

The combined total for the day was 55 pieces of trash which brokedown as follows: 23 recyclable containers (6 redeemable) and 32 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish such as plastic bags, styrofoam, nip bottles, etc.
My YTD total stands at 2619.

Concord River - Egg Rock to Buttricks Hill & Back

Late this afternoon, I trash patrolled the first 2 miles of the Concord River.  As I was preparing to launch my boat at Lowell Road, a fisherman was taking his boat out.  When asked how the fishing had been, he told me he'd been skunked today but wasn't complaining for he had taken a 32-pound carp out of the Merrimack River yesterday.

Once out on the river, there were many shades of green as the picture at left demonstrates.  The trash today was on the light side, for a change.

 Somewhere near Great Meadows Landing, I encountered the rapidly moving kayak of Lisa H.  She was getting in some training for this Saturday's Essex River Race.  By the time I thought to snap a photo of her, she was nearly out of sight...

Lisa's coming off her recent victory in the Run of the Charles.

After reaching Buttricks Hill, I turned around and headed back to Lowell Road.  My trash haul of 18 pieces posed hullside...

There were 11 recyclable containers (2 redeemable) and 7 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish such as styrofoam cups, a plastic bag, an empty spray paint can, and a 'duckie' race escapee.  My YTD total stands at 2564.

Assabet River - Egg Rock to Damondale & Return

Shortly after launching my boat at Lowell Road in Concord, this morning, I reached the point of decision pictured at left.  My boat is straddling the waters of 3 rivers: Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord.  I decided to take the river less traveled and began ascending the Assabet River enroute to Damondale.
Weather conditions were just about perfect for such a trip.
Wildlife seen were mallards, wood ducks, a hawk, a blue heron, many cardinals, turtles, and Canada geese that seemed to be hiding in the grass.
Just before reaching Pine Street, a foul odor was detected and I discovered the source to be this macabre looking carcass of a very young deer...

From this point on the river becomes a little more challenging due to blowdowns that block a good portion of the channel.  However, the area near Westvale was more open than when I last passed through.
The current became stronger and the water became shallower as I neared Damondale.  Just upstream of the Route 62 bridge, a small eddy allowed the opportunity to snap a photo of the Damon Mill...

This became my turnaround point and after doing so, I quickly snapped this photo looking downriver from under Route 62...

The mill's raceway can be seen entering the rive on the left.

Thanks to the aforementioned swift current and the southwest breeze, I was soon back at Egg Rock and allowing my haul of 116 pieces of trash to stretch their legs at the Calf Pasture...

It brokedown as follows: 40 recyclable containers (4 redeemable) and 76 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish that ran the gamut from a fire extinguisher to a Jolly Ball and the usual stuff in between; styrofoam, plastic bags, nip bottles, birthday balloons, and a milk crate.  My YTD total stands at 2546.

While my boat and I were landing at Lowell Road, a neighbor and his friend were launching a beautiful hand-built traditional rowing craft.  It was being launched into the Concord River for what may have been its maiden voyage.  I recall being told it was built from a Chesapeake Light Craft (CLC) kit, and while I'm not certain as to the model, it looked similar to CLC's Chester Yawl design.  The Concord River must have been pleased to host such a guest.

Boston's Mayor Menino Calls for Bottle Bill Update

Boston Mayor Tom Menino held a press conference today in which he called on Massachusetts legislators to eliminate the loophole that allows bottles containing non-carbonated beverages to go without redemption value.

To demonstrate this point, the photo at left shows two identical plastic bottles.  One contains a carbonated beverage and will be worth 5-cents when empty.  The other contains a non-carbonated beverage and will be worthless trash when empty.

Sudbury River - River Rd. to Heard Pond and Back

When I launched into the Sudbury River this morning at River Road in Wayland, the thought of paddling into Heard Pond wasn't on my itinerary.  However, as you can see by the photo at left, it became a pleasant reality.  The view is looking to the north from the pond's south end.  Gaining access to the pond is not always possible as water levels have to be on the high side.
On the way upriver I was treated to another unusual occurrence when an adult female wood duck emerged from this nesting box located just upriver from Greenways...

I saw her head and then whole body squeeze through the opening and she took flight.  In all the times I have paddled by these nesting boxes, I've never seen a wood duck enter or leave one. 

Reaching the area behind Wayland High School, I came upon quite a bit of trash that had floated in with clumps of matted grass.

The entrance to Heard Pond is located just beyond Indian Point pictured here...

I first paddled upriver to another entrance near the remains of an old wood structure but found that entrance  unpassable.  I then returned to Indian Point and found a very easy passage into the pond.  A mute swan and some Canada geese had it all to themselves.

The trip downriver was quick with a nice current and light tailwind.  This was the view looking downriver from under Pelham Island Bridge...

Back at River Road the day's catch of 114 posed in the sunshine....

This haul consisted of 54 recyclable containers (3 redeemable) and 60 pieces of miscellaneous rubbish such as plastic bags, styrofoam, spray cans, a syringe, nip bottles, and a small plastic pail.  Including the dozen from yesterday's trash pedal brings my YTD total to 2,430.
A cell phone was found at the River Rd. ramp at launching.  I placed it on a prominent rock in hopes the person might return for it while I was out on the water.  Upon my return the phone was gone and I assumed the owner had retrieved it.  However, when I reached my car, I found someone, thinking it was mine, had placed it on my windshield.  At that point I brought the phone to the Wayland Public Safety building and left it with dispatch.

May Day Reflections

While pedaling my bicycle along the Nashua River Rail Trail on this beautiful May Day, I couldn’t help but think of all the folks who spent part of this weekend picking up worthless plastic litter in their cities and towns. Of course, it’s trash that doesn’t have to be worthless. In my opinion, it is nothing short of absurd that in 2011 we allow it to remain that way. I believe the reason it remains that way is because the bottled water industry (and coincidentally enough our state legislature) like it that way. Their idea of sustainability is to remind the purchaser to recycle the empty container. This request creates the misconception that such recycling will reduce the need for using virgin plastic in the manufacturing of new bottled water containers. Will they tell us how much recycled plastic is actually used in making those new bottles?  I recently had my eyes opened to plastic recycling misconceptions after reading some of Harold Johnson's research into this matter.  You can check it out by visiting his blog, The Flotsam Diaries.  In the upper right, click on "Plastic Recycling: The Triangle is a Lie".


When I was considerably younger I occasionally worked as a helper to a welder extraordinaire named Al. He could arc-weld anything using general purpose 6011 welding rod, one piece of rod at a time. As he would get down to the bottom of the rod he would call to me with the following bit of verse (perhaps it was his poem in a pocket): “Would you be so kind and condescending, stoop so low and be so bending, as to provide me with a new piece of 6011?”

So to all the empty plastic water bottles that don’t make it into recycle bins, perhaps the only solution the bottled water manufacturers and our state legislature are comfy with is: “Would you be so kind and condescending, stoop so low and be so bending as to pick up those worthless plastic containers littering the paths, trails, streams, rivers, beaches, roadways, and public parks? Oh, and by the way, remember to recycle them.” That sounds like a sustainable solution, doesn’t it?  Much better than assigning them a modest monetary value.

It seems to fly with most folks here in Massachusetts. It sure didn’t fly in the state of Maine, our neighbor to the north, where folks can still tell what’s a crock and what isn’t!

Run of the Charles 2011 Dedham to Brighton

Today the Charles River was full of canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards participating in the 2011 Run of the Charles (ROTC) hosted by the Charles River Watershed Association.  All boats and boards were being paddled and sometimes portaged into a cool headwind.  The sun was pretty much a no-show.
Since there wasn't time for taking photos, I'm using a file photo from earlier this week.  Unlike the day I took the photo of Echo Bridge, today I would continue downriver and paddle beneath it.
As a trash patrol, today was a bust.  It's not that there wasn't trash.  There just wasn't time to stop and pick it up.  A token plastic waterbottle and beer can from Riverdale Park rode home in my car's trunk. 
Wildlife encounters consisted of a brief flying charge from a territorial Canada goose and seeing 2 trees hosting small groups of cormorants.  While paddling alongside Nonantum Road, a black-crowned night heron was seen watching the procession.
Hopefully, folks out doing their Saturday errands will forgive the traffic delays caused by portaging boats.  Having grown up in the city of Waltham, it still seems strange to me that all traffic on Moody Street would come to a stop, thus allowing this old coot to wheel his boat across the road, even if it is just one day a year.  Never could have envisioned that back when I was a fifteen year old Waltham kid!