North Nashua River

Nice long run on the North Nashua River on beautiful 75F sunny day.  Water levels medium and falling, 2.58 ft, 122 cfs on the Leominster gauge.  During the first half of trip there were 3-4 gravel bars to push through and many strainers to scoot around.  The second half of trip, below the Pellecchia canoe launch, was smooth sailing, just one river-wide trunk to glide over.  Such a beautiful, sandy river though notes of industrial past (many car tires, couple oil drums) and litter are present.  Made a brief side trip up the South Nashua River.  It's current was strong 3.25 ft, 289 cfs (and water warm 71F!) on the Clinton gauge.  Would like to explore further up this branch on a different day.   Note: the put-in at the end of Lancaster St is VERY STEEP, had to slide down the hill to the river, holding onto trees on the way down. The take-out is easy, though muddy, parking for 3-4 cars.     

Start: 1081 Lancaster St, Leominster, MA

End:  Canoe Launch/Rte 117,  7 Bridge Road,  Lancaster, MA

Trip Time:  3 hours 25 minutes

Trip Distance:  10 miles

The very steep launch at the end of Lancaster St in Leominster

Into the North Nashua!

First gravel bar to push through

1st of two old oil drums along the river

Solid drop right under the power lines, followed by 3 sets of easy rapids, a bit of rock scraping

A small rocky channel to the left of the old dam gets you by without portaging

Approaching the Pellecchia canoe launch under bridge

Stopped for lunch here.   Also good starting point for a shorter (5 mile) trip

2nd oil drum of the day

Beautiful sandy river bottom in Lancaster

Car tires prevalent here too:  

Ran into a family of wood ducks....

This guy did his best to keep up, flying/running along the water!

Leaning pine

Inspiration of the day

The entrance to the South Nashua, was able to push through the right side then up about 200 yards

Cows on the hill

I caught the attention of this one

Blue heron in flight.  Check out the spindly legs trailing

Muddy take-out

Take-out sign along Rt 117

Assabet River - Maynard to West Concord

Nice spring trip down the Assabet River through downtown Maynard rapids into West Concord. Water levels were good, 261 cfs, 2.8 ft on the Maynard gauge. Scraped bottom a few times through Maynard but there was enough flow to get through without major issue. The biggest drop was under the very first bridge (Great Road / Rt 62), followed by a lot of Class I and quickwater until the Waltham St bridge Class II finale. A guy walking his dog across that bridge stopped to see how I'd do, I made it through with just a few scrapes. One portage on this trip, left around the Powder Mill Dam which was flowing fast and furious. The rest of the trip was quickwater to the very muddy Pine Street takeout.  Saw two fly fishermen in Acton. Many turtles were out sunning today.  

Start: Ben Smith Dam, Maynard, MA

End: Pine St Bridge, West Concord, MA

Trip Time: 1 hour 45 minutes 

Trip Distance: 5 miles

Put-in below the Ben Smith Dam

Great Road (Rt 62) bridge, I went right this time

Newly rebuilt (2023) Florida Road bridge 

Heading into downtown Maynard under the Assabet River Rail Trail then Main St bridges

Some outflows here and there but the river smelled fine on this day

Turtle time!!

looked like an abandoned kayak and a clear glass time machine above it

Powder Mill Dam in Acton, from above..

.. and below

A video to capture the flow and sound: 

Getting back onto the river below Powder Mill, had to drag/ferry to the right side of that abutment

Damon Mill looking stately in the sun

The mill race below Damon Mill

The muddy takeout at Pine Street.  River was sparkling 

Piscataquog River, South Branch

First trip of 2024 and no swims!  This lively stretch on the South Branch Piscataquog River starts with a solid Class II drop just before the first (Central Sq) bridge in town, followed by another mile or so of continuous Class I rapids and riffles.  Medium-high water levels (4.95 ft and 468 cfs on the Goffstown gauge) provided the perfect amount of water to allow me to slide over and around the many boulders just under the surface - any higher and I would be pushing the limits of an open boat.  I did empty my kayak once at the bridge to the Hillsboro County Fair Grounds to re-gain some stability.  The rest of the trip was mix of easier riffles and couple more Class I rapids. No portages. Attempted a brief foray up the Middle Branch but the current was too strong at the confluence with the South Branch. An interesting egg was found on a mid-river boulder towards the end of the trip - early Easter?  A beautiful spring day -- 45F mostly sunny skies-- in southern New Hampshire.   

Start:  Whipple Free Library, 67 Mont Vernon Rd, New Boston, NH

End:  Howe Bridge, New Boston, NH

Trip Time:  1 hour 25 minutes  
Trip Distance:  5 miles

The put-in just beyond the Whipple Free Library

Put in the old mill race of a long gone dam

Trip starts with immediate riffles

Approaching center of New Boston, first big drop below that white house

View of first rapid from the Central Sq bridge

Here's a video of that same section:

A second rapid awaits beyond the bridge

Looking back upstream after that exciting start

This section is typical of this river, many boulders but also paths around and sometime over them

Paused here to empty water out of boat

NH Route 13 often ran close to the river but is not heavily travelled, did not detract from the trip

Very cool artwork on the bridge abutments near Lang Station

The Middle Branch joins from the left beyond this bridge

Spotted this egg on a rock towards the end of the trip... did the Easter Bunny come to NH early?

The takeout at Howe Bridge

Stopped for a post trip sandwich at the Dodge Country Store in New Boston