Assabet River - Acton Canoe Launch to Lowell Road

Beautiful one-way trip down the lower Assabet on a gorgeous fall morning 60F partly sunny skies.  Water levels were great 2.91ft, 292 cfs on Maynard gauge.  Parked at end point and uber'ed back to launch. Walked about 50 yards up river, under the Rt 62 bridge, towards Powdermill dam to run the rapids underneath the bridge.  This stretch of river was amazing.  Followed a family of geese running the rapids near Damonmill.  Explored the mill race back up up and nearly under the old building before it got a little too dark, creepy.  Ran into one river-wide tree blowdown between Damonmill and Thoreau school.  Portaged right and lost both (!) my slip-on sneakers in the mud.  Below Pine Street, I took one more side trip up the Nashoba Brook to the outlet of Warner's Pond.  Even did a little "surfing" at the base of the small waterfall.  The rest of the trip was smooth and easy. Wildlife seen:  red-tailed hawk, red-headed woodpecker,  kingfisher (a first for me), turtles, and a deer.  Things got crowded the last 1/2 mile near the Concord river, 10-12 boaters were also out enjoying the rivers.   

 

Start: Acton Canoe Launch, Acton, MA

End: Lowell Road Boat Ramp, Concord, MA

Trip distance: 6.25 miles

Trip time:  2.5 hours.  

Acton Canoe Launch put in

Approaching Damonmill

 

Up the Damonmill race mill:

Blowdown near Thoreau School, portaged right and lost both slip-on's in the muck

 

Bruce Freeman rail trail bridge:

 

Commuter rail bridge

 

Side trip up Nashoba Brook:

 

Outlet of Warner's Pond:

Spot the deer

 

Nice fall colors

 

Egg Rock

Assabet River to Pine Street

Great up-and-back trip up the lower Assabet River.  Started from Lowell Road Boat Ramp and went upriver just beyond Pine St Bridge near the Thoreau School before returning back with a quick current.  Maynard gauge 2.9 ft, 289 ft3/sec.  Temps in low 40s with plenty of sun.  Winds were only a factor on a couple short stretches.  While i saw no other boaters, wild life was abundant.  White/black swan pair, turkey-looking ducks, woodpeckers, red wing black birds, and several deer across the river from MCI Concord.  An interesting swing and rope ladder combo hanging from the center of MBTA bridge into the river. Took a side trip up the Nashoba Brook to where it exits Warners Pond.  Current was extra strong in this narrow stretch, took full effort reach sight of the dam then drift back to the main river.  Round trip approximately 3 1/2 hours.

 

Wildlife

Sparkling Assabet at the Pine St launch

 Egg Rock inscription

 

Sudbury River to Fairhaven Bay

1st river trip.  Decided to do an up-and-back trip on the Sudbury. Started from Lowell Road Bridge in Concord, went upriver to Fairhaven Bay then returned back.  Temp around 40F but light wind.  Going upstream, the current was steady but manageable.  Saw a beaver at work near Route 2 bridge.  Wind picked up after Route 2 bridge.  Fairhaven Bay was about 50% ice.  Could see the stone boat house from afar.  Brooks Island was iced in.  Landed for a nice lunch at the base of a Wright Woods footpath, the return trip to Concord was a breeze, going with the current and wind at my back.  One hiccup, at the Nashawtuc Rd bridge in Concord there was a white-covered floating weed trap across the width of the river, a pedestrian on the bridge yelled down "Go under it", good advice but just make sure to go under the sides of the trap (nearest the shore), the center was choked with weeds.  Round trip time approximately 3 hours. 

 

Lowell Road Boat Ramp launch

 Weed trap across the river

Beaver at work

 Mansion on the hill

Ice shelf on Fairhaven Bay

 Elm Street bridge