Assabet River - Acton Canoe Launch to Lowell Road

First trip of 2023!  With water levels way up due to recent rain storms, no ice on the main river and decent weather for January, 43F and sunny, decided to do a one-way trip from Acton Canoe Launch to Lowell Road in Concord. Uber'ed back to the start. The river was cooking, Maynard gauge (4.64 ft, 950 cfs).  At the start, it was too strong to paddle upriver to Powdermill dam, so I pointed downstream and went with the fast flow.  No river-wide obstructions anywhere, or if there were any they were fully submerged.  Damonmill looked a little choppy but was a smooth ride through.  Paddled up to the Haywards Pond outlet, usually not reachable at lower water levels.  The Pine Street bridge was low clearance but made it under the right side without having to do a full limbo.  Towards the end of the trip took a short trek up Spencer Brook to the road, usually too brushy to get that far.  The Egg Rock inscription was completely submerged!  A few birds spotted: red-tailed hawk, blue jay, plus the usual mallards and canadian geese. Too early for turtles.  

 

Start: Acton Canoe Launch, Acton, MA

End:  Lowell Road Boat Ramp, Concord, MA

Trip distance:  6.25 miles,

Trip time: 2 hours 

 

At the put-in

Footpath to Powdermill dam under Rt 62 bridge is underwater...

 

Approaching Damonmill

View scouting from Damonmill mill parking lot, the old dam remnant to the right

Looking towards Haywards Pond outlet

Ice and low bridge blocked access to Damonmill race mill

 

Very low clearance at Pine St Bridge

 

MBTA Commuter rail bridge

 

No waiting on that bench today

 

Egg Rock submerged

At the takeout

Ashuelot River - Surry Mountain Dam to Keene

Nice and easy one-way paddle from below the very impressive Surry Mountain Dam down to Keene on a warm (73F) and breezy late fall day. Bike shuttled back to start. Water levels were medium-low on the Below Surry Mtn Dam gauge 5.19 ft, 53.9 cfs.  The first part of the trip is quickwater through the Bretwood golf course.  It was nice being able to see hills and trees beyond the riverbanks but also not as natural as other parts of the river. Go under several faux covered bridges for golf carts. Scraped bottom several times, you have to watch the water depths carefully, this trip would be better at slightly higher levels 70+ cfs.  One ledge drop (1-foot) near the end of the golf course, followed by the only portage of the trip due to a river-wide tree blowdown.  The second half of the trip, the current slows a lot due to the dam in Keene.  Had to paddle hard into the headwind to finish the last mile or so.  Saw 1 fish (trout?); 1 cardinal, 1 blue heron, and several small blue birds with white stomachs, not blue jays more like sparrows. A beautiful day - the massive Surry Mountain Dam definitely the highlight.  

 

Start: 577 East Surry Road, Surry, NH

End:  Ashuelot River Park, Keene, NH

Trip distance:  6.75 miles

Trip Time:  2 hours 20 minutes. 

Before the paddle, took a walk up to the top of the enormous Surry Mountain Dam

Surry Mountain Lake, behind the dam

The put-in is about 1/4 mile below the dam

 

Several faux covered bridges cross the golf course

 

Small drop

 

Followed by the one portage of the trip

 

Route 9 (Franklin Pierce Highway) bridge followed by the Appel Way Trail bridge

 

Takeout left before this bridge, and dam below, onto the bike/footpath

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