Shawsheen River up to Bedford

Patriots Day paddle.  Very nice up-and-back trip on the Shawsheen River. Temps high 50s sunny.  Water level was somewhat high (4.15 ft; 148 cfs on the Wilmington Gauge) due to mid April snow and rain.  Toughest part of trip was two minutes into it, getting under the Route 3A bridge.  Looked tight but navigable but in the very middle of bridge was a beam 6 inches lower than the rest, had to slide far down in my kayak, grip the beam and pull myself under and through.  Took on a little water in that maneuver.  The segments to the Middlesex Turnpike bridge (went over the yellow weed catcher) and massive Route 3 bridges were very marshy, very windy (twisty), and scenic -- Shawsheeen definitely means Serpentine.  Many canadian geese, red-winged black birds, and turtles (small ones) everywhere.  The section above Route 3 in Bedford got very narrow and woody, saw two pair of deer in this section before a shore-to-shore log became my turnaround spot about halfway above Route 3 and before 62 in Bedford. Note: shooting at the gun range near Middlesex Turnpike bridge is a little disconcerting, made me paddle a little more quickly through that section!      Starting point: Akeson Playground (Route 3A), Billerica MA  Turnaround point: Sherwood Drive, Bedford MA Trip time: approx 3 hours (2 up, 1 back)

Low clearance on the Route 3A bridge

A fellow paddler

The goose squadron

Middlesex Turnpike bridge construction - and a stashed kayak

The river sign was a casualty of the bridge work

Massive Route 3 crossings

Getting brushy in Bedford

This guy was not used to visitors

Upper Mystic Lake and Aberjona River

Friday afternoon trip on the Upper Mystic Lake and up the Aberjona River to Winchester Center.  Upper Mystic was pretty, sailing team from Winchester High was out.  Lot of wildlife: turtles, a blue heron, swans, geese.  Aberjona was fun to explore, came face to face with a canadian goose protecting the family nest.  Went the long way around.  Faint smell of pollution and close traffic noise made the Aberjona somewhat unpleasant, but the middle stretch was pretty and it was cool to see the step-waterfall in Winchester Center from the water level.  Fun to explore but probably not returning soon.  Back on the Upper Mystic saw a blue heron take flight, several SUP were out too.   Trip time approx 1 hour 30 min.

 

 Bacon St bridge

Winchester Center

Back on the Upper Mystic

Tufts Sailing Pavilion and dam between Upper and Lower Mystic lakes

 

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

Warners Pond/Nashoba Brook

1st kayak trip!!  Had pond to myself except for a couple swans and one fisherman at the end. Temps high 40s. Light fog quickly burned off. Ran into some ice on northern pond, so headed south then west looking for Nashoba Brook entering the pond.  Eventually found it through the marshy west edge but ran into a low beaver dam.  Did not want to break my kayak on its maiden voyage, or dip my dry feet into the icy cold waters to get over the dam, so went southeast to check out the exit dam towards the Assabet.  Trip time approximately 1 hours 15 min.      MCI Concord nearby   Nashoba Brook beyond the beaver dam   Misty pond at the launch