Nice late December up-and-back paddle on the Sudbury. 39F at noontime launch and no wind made for ideal conditions for this time of year. Water levels were also good, 227 cfs and 6.32 ft on Saxonville gauge. Started from Sherman Bridge Landing, went upriver to Rt 27 bridge, Old Sudbury Road. Saw a family of muted swans just prior to the bridge. They took flight as I approached and showed me why they are called “muted” with their muffled in-flight squawking. After eating my packed lunch at the River Road Launch, I went around the Oxbow near the Wayland Country Club. The cool ancient looking 3-arch Old Town Bridge was passable. Had to navigate around some thin sheets of ice on the other side to return to the main river. The rest was smooth paddling on open water.
Start/End: Sherman's Bridge, Wayland, MA
Turnaround: Rt 27 & River Road, Wayland, MA
Trip time: 2 hours, 20 min.
Trip distance: 5.5 miles.
Grey day on the Sudbury
Ice in the sloughs
Old Town Bridge
