Spy Pond

Nice short after-work paddle on a warm summer's evening.  Put-in at the paved boat ramp between the Elks Club and public playground.  Went counterclockwise around the pond, checking out houses and the small island in the center of the pond.  One power boat and a couple of SUPs also out on the water.  Found the fenced-in outlet that goes under Route 2 over to Little Pond (aka "Little Spy Pond") in Belmont.  The gauge near the outlet read a height of 32", low.  Interesting pond to check out but definitely more of an urban trip with the sound of Route 2 a constant. 

 

Start/End: 46 Pond Lane, Arlington, MA

Trip distance:  1.5 mile (est).  

Trip time: 45 minute 

 

Outlet to Little Spy Pond, under Route 2 above

 

Stately Kelwyn Manor

 

Heading back, Arlington Boys and Girls club is that blue building in the distance

Modern family...

Penobscot River, West Branch

Annual Arlington/Waltham group whitewater rafting trip.  River was high 3100 cfs and made the class IV and V rapids even more intense than the previous year's trip.  Beautiful weather, great time.

 

Start: McKay Station, Millinocket, ME

End: Nevers Corner Rd, Millinocket, ME

Trip distance: 16 miles

Trip time: 6-7 hours

North Nashua River

Beautiful one-way paddle down the North Nashua River in Lancaster, MA on a warm sunny June morning.  Due the loop nature of the river, the bike shuttle was only 2 miles.  Water levels were medium-low, 100 cfs and  2.24 ft on the Leominster gauge.  I would not attempt this at a lower level.  Scratched bottom several times in the first 1/2 mile through several riffles and maybe one Class 1 rapid, but did not have to get out here.  Around mile 1-2 there were two portages around downed trees:  the first was a drag around a very brushy downed tree, the second was a drag over a thick river-wide tree trunk.  The rest was very smooth paddling over sandy river bottom and high river banks.  Many car tires were visible through the clear water on the bottom of the river and some refuse (soccer ball and an old cassette tape) on the banks,  otherwise this stretch reminded me of the Saco in NH, minus the mountains.  Just before the Center Bridge Road, the South Nashua River enters from the right.  I made it up about 20 yards in before numerous blowdowns discouraged further exploration.  Several fish were seen as well as a great blue heron which always seemed to be 100 yards ahead of me on this trip.   

 

Start: Pellecchia Conservation Land & Canoe Launch, Lunenburg Rd (Rt 70), Lancaster, MA

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

Trip distance:  5 miles

Trip time:  1 hour 50 minutes.    

Easy parking at the put-in

Old phone near the old racemill from the old dam a fifty yards upriver

 

Some things are too darn hard to move... old oil drum?

First Rt 117 crossing

 

First portage was an easy drag around to the left

Second portage was a dismount, drag over, remount exercise:

Main St bridge followed by train bridge

 

Beautiful sandy river

Entrance to the South Nashua branch, made it beyond this blockage but not much further up

 

The takeout on river left, looking back upstream to Rt 117 bridge

West River - Radway Hill Bridge to Dummerston Covered Bridge

2nd river trip and 2nd swim of 2022!  West River, VT.  The river was fast, big, and pushy.  Townshend Lake gauge readings 7.14ft and 3290 cfs (!!).  Would not attempt again at this level without closed cockpit/spray skirt.  No cell phone reception so no ubers, I did the bike shuttle back to launch.  It was hilly but also a very pretty ride following Rt 30 to Brook Street and River Road back to Radway Hill Bridge.  Launched into the river beneath the bridge into fast quickwater.  Soon hit several wavy rapids, more like ocean boating.  About 1/2 mile above Rock River, I entered an extremely wavy rapid that swamped my kayak (needed that skirt!).  Once was swamped, I had very little control and balance and the next set of waves sent me in.  I initially held onto the kayak but with the weight of a swamped boat and the speed of the river and cold water temperature, decided to release it and swim for shore.  Luckily, Railroad Lane was right next to the river and I began the long walk (3 mile) back to my car.  About 1 mile above Dummerston, I spied my kayak about 400 ft down a very steep wooded bank, but not knowing how to get down or back up that hill, I continued back to my car.  When I got back to Dummerston Covered Bridge lot, a local Technical Rescue team was performing some river training exercises. I mentioned my plight and about losing the kayak upriver and they kindly offered to retrieve it.  An hour later, two inflatables with 6-8 people on each one came down the river with my kayak aboard.  I thanked them profusely!  

 

Start: Radway Hill Road Bridge, Newfane, VT

End: Dummerston Covered Bridge, Dummerston, VT

Trip length:  6 miles  

Trip duration:  2 hours (1 boating, 1 walking).

 

Beautiful valley in Newfane

 

Radway Hill Road Bridge

 

The put in below the bridge

 

Took a swim a few minutes passing under the power lines

 

Thank you volunteer river rescue team for retrieving my kayak!

 

The beautiful West Dummerston Covered Bridge

 

Isinglass River

First trip of 2022 and it was an exciting one!  Many miles of quickwater and class I-II rapids on this one-way trip (thanks uber), it is not a lazy float trip.  Water level was great 240 cfs, 5.78 ft and cold 34F (!) on the Rochester Neck Road gauge.  Air temps in low 40s, no wind.  Scouting the water flow coming through the sluiceway of the old dam above the Rt 202 bridge, it looked steady but not raging, so I put in about 0.25 mile above this point so I could run it.  There are three 1-ft drops (1st one soaked my seat 2 minutes into the trip) before you get to the calm pool above the sluiceway.  After taking a moment, I ran the top of sluiceway successfully.  But about 10 yards below in the narrow channel below, my boat starting pitching hard to the right. As I was about to go in, I bailed out.  1st swim of the year.  The water was only about thigh deep but very quick here, only got soaked to my waist, but i had to let got of the kayak and watch it float under the Rt 202 bridge.  A quick jog over the bridge and 50 yards downriver and I caught up to my capsized boat, drained it and caught my breath.  The river goes right into a couple rocky rapids, with 2 huge boulders in the center, for another 1/4 mile before calming down a bit.  In this section, 3 river-wide blowdowns required portage: the first on the left bank, the second a liftover, the third an easy landing to the right.  This is before the "grand finale": a class II+ ledge/drop, following by a long 1/2 mile continuous rapids to Berrys Hill Bridge.  This one I ran without swimming, it was very bouncy in spots but fun one.  The final 30 minutes were flatwater to the steep take out on the left bank. There were many cool ice ledges and formations along the river and a few hawks and ducks out, but my eyes were mostly directly on the river in front of me during this trip.   

 

Start: 254 Route 202, dirt pull-off across from Spring Drive (Pvt), Barrington, NH

End: Stillwater Circle, Rochester, NH

Trip Time: 2 hours 30 minutes;  

Trip distance:  6 miles.    

 

 

Put in is down the hill from 254 US-202

 

The view before dropping into the sluiceway (middle-right)

 

Caught up to my kayak here on the other side of the US-202 bridge

 

First portage left

 

Deer in the area

 

Nice ice

 

Old bridge abutments

 

Final portage right, looking back upstream

 

Steep takeout on the right