Magalloway River and Lake Umbagog - September 25-27, 2020

Heading out from Wilson's Mills

Work has been crazy – so busy that I didn’t even start to pack for this trip until 8:00 the night before. Fortunately my ”kit” as Jonathan calls it is pretty self-contained so I quickly got everything together – I hoped.

 

I missed my spring camping trip this year due to COVID-19, so I was bound and determined to do something in this fall. Conrad was interested as well, so along with Julie we decided to paddle the Magalloway River down to Lake Umbagog, a short section of the Rapid River, and then down the Androscoggin to Errol. The trip was dictated by the availability of campsites. The State of NH campsites were closed, but Conrad was able to book the Northern Waters sites.

 

Covered Bridge at Aziscoos Valley 

I left my house at 7:00 to get to the put in at Wilson’s Mill by noon. It was sunny and warm when I left my house, but the clouds rolled in as I passed through the Franconia Notch. The leaves also got more colorful as I headed north.  

I passed the Village of Stark on the Upper Ammonoosuc and the 13-Mile Woods on the Androscoggin. The last time I was here was 2009 with the RICKA crew, but I also did my first whitewater run with my father on the Androscoggin back in 1990. As I passed through Errol I checked out the Errol Rips before heading up Route 16 to the put in at Wilson’s Mills.  

 

Canoes at Diamond Peaks

Conrad and Julie arrived around 1:00, and we ran the shuttle down to the dam in Errol. On the way back we stopped at the Aziscoos Valley Camping Area to buy some firewood. It would be a pain lugging firewood around, but it would also be nice not to have to forage for wood each day.

We got on the water around 3:00 for the 6-mile trip down the Magalloway to the first campsite. The Magalloway River flows south out of Aziscohos Lake to the outlet of Umbagog Lake where it forms the Androscoggin River. The upper section is a well-known whitewater run, but the lower section from Wilson’s Mills down is flatwater. It was cloudy as we headed downstream, but the foliage was still beautiful.

Beautiful foliage

We paddled under a pretty covered bridge at Aziscoos Valley Camping Area, and before we knew it we were at our first campsite - Diamond Peaks. It was a grassy and well-maintained site that gave us plenty of room to spread out. (Unfortunately, it is no longer a campsite available from Northern Waters.) We set up camp and got the fire going. It was nice not to have to go foraging for wood, because there didn’t seem to be a lot around. We cooked a late dinner and sat around the fire until 10:00 when we all turned in.

I woke up around 6:30 and got up to start the coffee. Conrad was up right behind me and got the fire going. Breakfast was the usual omelets with home fries.  We broke camp and were on the water by 10:00 for the 14-mile trip down to Cedar Stump on the Rapid River.

 

Sneak route to Lake Umbagog

It was a fast trip for the first 6-miles.  We took a break near Route 16 before paddling the last 2-miles down to Lake Umbagog. Big lakes tend to reveal themselves in the distance with a narrow foreground, a big void in the middle and a far-off background. That perspective then disappears, as you get closer. That’s the way it happened here.

After a mile or two of paddling the background disappeared but I came to a small channel with a view out to the lake – it looked promising, so that was the way I went. The lake opened up with beautiful views of the Presidential range to the east.

 

Mountain view from Lake Umbagog

Lake Umbagog is a pristine lake that forms the border between NH and ME. The lake is 11-miles long north to south, and about a mile wide east to west.  The lake is part of the Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge and Umbagog Lake State Park. There are 33 wilderness campsites on the lake operated by the State of NH, but unfortunately due to COVID-19 those sites were already closed for the season

We took a break at site 29, and planned out our route for the crossing. There were a pair of eagles sitting in a tree at a nearby island, but they were just out of camera range. We set out across the lake toward Pine Tree Point with a slight wind from the east and small wind blown waves. The views got better the further we got across the lake.

 

Breakfast fire at Cedar Stump

From Pine Tree Point it is about a 4-mile paddle across the top of Lake Umbagog and up a short section of the Rapid River. The Rapid River arises at Lower Richardson Lake and flows about 6-miles down to Lake Umbagog. Water from Rangeley Lake, Mooselookmeguntic Lake, and Upper and Lower Richardson Lakes all flows down the Rapid River into Lake Umbagog. The upper section of the Rapid River is another well-known whitewater run.  

We arrived at our Cedar Stump campsite to find a group of local fishermen using the group site for lunch. No problem – there were plenty of other sites across the river. Like Diamond Peaks, Cedar Stump has numerous sites so we were able to spread out. Once again we set up camp, got the fire going and settled in for a nice evening around the fire. Dinner was salmon and grilled vegetables cooked on the fire. After the 14-mile day we didn’t even last until 10:00.  

 

S-Turn rapid on the Rapid River

I woke up the next morning at around 7:00 and got up to start the coffee. Once again, Conrad was right behind me to start the fire. Breakfast was bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches with extra bacon. We decided to pack up early and then take a hike up the Rapid River to see the rapids.

According to Conrad the river was around 500 cfs compared to 1,800 cfs on a normal release day. Even at this low level the rapids seemed to be flowing at what we decided would be a technical class III.  We made it up as far as S-Turn Rapid before we had to turn around. On returning to camp, we packed up our remaining gear and got on the water around noon. 

 

The crew at the take out

The wind was blowing from the south as we headed out so we knew it would be an interesting crossing of the lake. As we came around Pine Tree Point we could see whitecaps and 1-foot rollers out on the lake. We headed out into the waves and made it across without too much difficulty. Once again, we stopped at site 29 for a break, and once again there was an eagle in the tree at the nearby island. This time I decided to head over to get some pictures, and the eagle cooperated. 

We cut through a channel into the Magalloway River and down a short distance to the headwaters of the Androscoggin. The Androscogin River flows 178-miles south and east to join the Kennebec River at Merrymeeting Bay where its waters empty the Gulf of Maine on the Atlantic Ocean. From here, it was a short paddle down to the dam in Errol and the end of our trip.  

 

Fall Camping in NH and ME from Erik Eckilson on Vimeo. 

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Wickford Harbor and Backwaters - September 12, 2020

Smith's Castle

I knew I wanted to run a RICKA Flatwater trip in September, but I couldn’t decide where. This trip was originally planned for the Concord River and then moved to the Sudbury River. As the trip approached and travel restrictions for RI residents going into MA continued, I decided to move it one more time to Wickford. We would be paddling in the protected waters around Wickford Harbor and its three small coves - Mill Cove, Fishing Cove and Wickford Cove.  

Wickford is located on the West Passage of Narragansett Bay and was established in the early 17th century when Roger William purchased land from the Narragansett Indians and established a trading post. In 1637, Williams sold the land to Richard Smith who constructed a large fortified house on the site, giving the house its nickname the “Castle”. That house was burned during King Philip's War, and the structure on the site today was built in 1678.

Paul at the mouth of Mill Creek

We put-in at low tide at Wilson Park and paddled out into Mill Cove near Rabbit Island. After passing Smith’s Castle we headed up the long narrow channel that leads to Mill Creek. There were egrets in the trees and sea gulls and cormorants diving into the water. We even saw an osprey fly overhead carrying a fish. At the mouth of Mill Creek a cormorant dove into the water and then came up in full flight right in the middle of our group – pretty cool.

I did some research and learned that Mill Cove is one of several tidal estuaries in Narragansett Bay that are home pogies or menhadens.These fish spend their juvenile years in the less saline waters where freshwater rivers and streams like Mill Creek enter the bay. The birds where probably taking advantage of low tide for a mid-morning brunch.

Taking a break at Sauga Point

We paddled back down the channel into Mill Cove toward Cornelius Island and into Fishing Cove. We took a break at Sauga Point at the northern end of the Wickford Harbor Breakwater.  

There are two stone breakwaters that form the entrance to Wickford Harbor from Narragansett Bay – the north breakwater from Sauga Point is about 1,130 feet, and the south breakwater from Poplar Point is about 825 feet. A mile long channel through the Outer Harbor and into Mill Cove and Wickford Cove allows recreational and small commercial boats to access Wickford's marinas and boatyards.

Boston Post Road Bridge

We headed out from Sauga Point and waited for the boats to pass before crossing the boating channel at the opening in the breakwater. From there, we paddled down the Outer Harbor and into Wickford Cove at the Wickford Shipyard.    

In the late 17th and early 18th centuries, Wickford grew to become a major port and shipbuilding center. Today, much of that historic village can be seen as you paddle into Wickford Cove along Washington Street. We continued down the cove toward the Boston Neck Road (Route 1A) Bridge and past the Kayak Centre boat ramp before heading back to Wilson Park. Another great day, but aren’t they all!  

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Lincoln Woods - September 7, 2020

Third day of paddling in a row - a pleasant trip around Olney Pond at Lincoln Woods.

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Providence River – September 6, 2020

I got a text from Paul that he and Fran would be doing the Providence River trip, so I decided to join in. We put in at Bold Point in East Providence at around 11:00 and headed out across the harbor. After rounding Fox Point we paddled through the Fox Point Hurricane Barrier, under the I-way Bridge, and into downtown Providence. At the the confluence of the Woonasqatucket and Moshassuck Rivers we took a left and paddled up the Woonasqatucket River into the Basin at Waterplace Park. The tide was up, so we paddled under the Providence Place Mall and upstream as far as Olneyville. Fun trip, as always!

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Flatwater Quaboag – September 5, 2020

Early morning mist on the water

I wanted to do something different that didn’t involve an up-and-back, so I decided to paddle the flatwater section of the Quaboag from West Brookfield to Warren – a 9-mile paddle, and a 7-mile bike shuttle.

I was up before the sun to load my boat and get on my way. I dropped off my boat at the Fishdale Road Boat Ramp in Brookfield at around 7:30 and was at the take-out at Lucy Stone Park in Warren before 8:00. There was a trashcan that was the perfect height for a selfie, so I snapped a picture before I left.  

View from the Fishdale Road Bridge

I took the slightly longer but flatter bike route up Route 67 to West Brookfield and then down Route 9 to Brookfield. This also takes you past the two pretty town commons. I clocked 11-milles per hour on the radar as I passed through West Brookfield.  

At about 4-miles I stopped to take a picture at the West Brookfield Town Common, and realized that I had forgotten my camera back at the take-out. I turned around to go back for it, but figured it was unlikely that it would still be there. Fortunately for me it was.

Quaboag Pond

It was now close to 9:00, so it was too late for me to do the bike shuttle again and still get home at a reasonable hour. I loaded my bike and drove back to the put-in in Brookfield. I decided to paddle up into Quaboag Pond and back.

The Quaboag River arises fully formed from its headwaters at the southern end of Quaboag Pond. The river is big and wide as it flows west and meanders through a large flood plain down to West Brookfield. In West Brookfield the river turns south and flows through the woods down to Lucy Stone Park - the put-in for the whitewater run down to Palmer. Eventually, the Quaboag joins the Ware River in Three Rivers to form the Chicopee River. 

Quaboag River

I paddled upstream and into Quaboag Pond. The pond is known for motorboat activity, but this morning there were just a couple of fishermen.  I paddled about half way up the pond before turning back around.

The river is a little too wide and a little too flat for my liking, but it would be nice for a fall foliage trip.

Boat ramp at the Fishdale Road Bridge

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