Sudbury River - Sherman Bridge to Route 27

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

River Road just beyond Rt 27 bridge was my turnaround point and lunch break spot

 

Old Town Bridge

Sudbury River - Lincoln Canoe Landing to Cold Brook

Pretty up-and-back trip on the Sudbury on late fall morning.  Calm, sunny weather, 45-50F and high water (6.97 ft, 300 cfs on Saxonville gauge) made for a pleasant trip.  Lee's Bridge (Rt 117) is a beautiful stone arch.  Passed Nawshawtuc Country Club on the right.  Made it up to Pantry Brook, lifted over the small dam (1 ft high) to explore further upstream.  Passed 3 duck hunters in major camouflage.  Proceeded up Cold Brook about 200 yards before following the path through the brushy overgrowth made it more work than fun.  Returned to Pantry brook and ran the dam through a slot on the left just wide enough for a kayak.  Saw a couple blue heron and quiet beaver lodges. 

 

Start: Lincoln Canoe Landing (Rt 117), Lincoln, MA

End: Cold Brook, Sudbury, MA

Trip distance (approx):  3 miles.  

Trip time: 2 hours.

 

 

Morning sentinel

 

Entering Pantry Brook, portaged left through brush

 

Rt 117 in the distance

 

 

The sunny side of Lee's Bridge

 

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