Day after “Day after Turkey” Paddle – Tville – November 30, 2019

Moving in to surf at the Playhole

The “Day after Turkey” paddle is a bit of a tradition around here, and my original plan was the run the Lower Millers with John Kaz & Co. Unfortunately, I got half way there and realized that I forgotten my dry suit - bummer! Fortunately, the crew from CT was doing a trip at Tville on Saturday, so I had another option.  

Looking back I was surprised to see that it has been over a year since I paddled at Tville. I made one Thursday night paddle this year, but that was at Crystal. For this trip the level would be perfect for practicing in my new boat – 1.8 feet, 700 cfs. – class II, easy III.

The swim after

We put in at the park and headed downstream, checking out the play spots along the way. When we got to the main playhole I was going to pass, but when Jo-Ann offered to take some pictures I had to take her up on it. I bounced around on the billow for a while until I was able to nudge the bow down into the hole. From there the swim was quick – spun around and over I went. 

At least it is an easy swim, and the crew was great about recovering my boat. This was my forth swim of the year, and my first in the new boat. My first swim was at Great Swamp in my Yellowstone Solo, and my second and third swims were on Fife Brook in the Encore (that was a bad day). While I had practiced wet exits on flatwater in the Outrage, it’s nice to know I can do it in real conditions. 

Surfing at Cathy's Wave

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Tville Gage

Lower Millers - almost - November 29, 2019

I did something yesterday that I rarely do. I got halfway to the put-in to run the Lower Millers and I realized that I had forgotten my drysuit. I was wearing my fleece underliner and was careful to bring my gloves and helmet liner, but I forgot my drysuit - go figure.  

Anyway, here is a nice picture from the bottom of the Funnel.  I was thinking of going right, but you definitely need to head back to the middle after the last rock to avoid the big drop.

River Island Park Again - November 18, 2019

It was another busy weekend, so I took another trip down to River Island Park. It was 28° when I put the boat in the water at around 9:30, and 34° by the time I got back to the car at around 11:30. The river was 2', 500 cfs – low up at the dam, but OK at the usual surf spots.  


River Island Park from Erik Eckilson on Vimeo.

River Island Park - November 3, 2019

Bernon Street Bridge

It was another busy weekend - raked leaves, cleaned out the flower beds, put up the Christmas lights, went to church, cooked a big beef stew, and got my whitewater boat out for a short run at River Island Park. There are a couple of easy park-and-play waves in the first half-mile, and then I lug my boat up the flood control levee and cart it back to my car. I was pleasantly surprised to find that they have completed the section of the Blackstone River Bikeway along the Main Street Bypass – it was always a pain getting through there. I had two wheels on it – just not the type that they were thinking. River was 2.5', 650 cfs - a nice level.

Shuttle on the new bikpath along the Main Street By-pass

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