2020 Year End Review

New Years on the West River

Well, this was a year like no other. My paddling year started on New Year's Day with a flatwater trip on the West River, and ended the Sunday after Christmas with a whitewater trip on the Branch River. In between it was a year of challenges and loss, but we kept moving forward in spite of COVD-19.  

My paddling and hiking was unaffected by COVID in January and February, but then it hit. The first COVID-19 cases in MA were reported in February when a Biogen Leadership Conference became a super spreader event. I was at the gym in early March when I heard about the first COVID-19 cases in RI from a Saint Raphael Academy trip to Italy. Shortly after that a stay-at-home order was issued, I was working from home, and things would never be the same.  

 

With Paul on the Branch

For the rest of March and April I followed the stay-at-home order and paddled alone and close to home – River Island Park, Manville and Lonsdale. I did do a Branch River trip with Paul in April with Michelle providing the shuttle. Once the stay-at-home order was lifted in May, I kept my circle small and paddled mostly no-shuttle, flatwater trips with Bill, Conrad, Al and Jonathan - Nashua, Charles, and Concord.

It wasn’t until July that I started paddling group trips again, but I was still careful about car shuttles. I only did one car shuttle all year – the Magalloway, and only after both Conrad and I were tested.  On the positive side, I did do a few bike shuttles (Blackstone - Lonsdale to Manville, Lower Deerfield, Charles – Medfield to Dover, Tville, Narrow River, Pawcatuck - Burlingame to Potter Hill, Quabaug, Assabet – Acton to Concord, Nashua – Ayer to Groton), and that works great. 

 

Lifetime Membership Award

I led my first RICKA trip on Point Judith/Potter Pond in July. After that I led Bradford to Potter Hill in August, Wickford in September and Tully Lake in October. I was honored with RICKA’s Lifetime Membership Award, which was hand delivered by Bill at the bike path at Rivers Edge Park.

The year ended with my father’s passing after a long illness. I did my first canoe trip with my father in 1989 on the Albion to Manville section of Blackstone, and my first whitewater trip with him in 1990 on the Androscoggin River. I went back to paddle the Blackstone on the day of his passing as a tribute to him. It was cold and gray, and somehow it didn’t fill the hole in my heart the way that I expected. I’m sure in the days and years ahead I will miss him in many ways that I never expected.  

1990 on the Androscoggin River

I did 56 trips, which is slightly less than my 11-year average of 58 trips.  Without being able to shuttle, I did a lot less whitewater and had only one swim - the Lower Deerfield. Here are some of my more significant trips:

• January - West, Hunt, Pawcatuck – Shannock to Richmond
• February - Providence, Quinebaug – Fabian to West Thompson
• March - River Island Park, Blackstone – Lonsdale Canal/River Loop
• April - Manville Dam, Branch
• May - Big River, Nashua – Oxbow Wildlife Refuge, Nashua - Lancaster
• June - Concord, Charles – Bays Region, Lower Deerfield
• July - Charles – Medfield to Dover, Bowdish, Tville, Narrow River, Potter Pond
• August - Ninigret, Pawcatuck - Bradford to Potter Hill
• September - Providence, Wickford
• October - Blackstone Gorge, Tully Lake
• November - Turkey-less Turkey Paddle at Hopeville Pond, Assabet – Acton to Concord, Nashua - Ayer to Groton
• December - Blackstone River – Albion to Manville, Branch River

Here are some of my favorite trips for the year.

Float Down the River with Me from Erik Eckilson on Vimeo.

I paddled almost every day of my summer vacation in South County, including the trip on the Narrow River and the RICKA trip on Point Judith and Potter Pond.

Two Weeks on Salt Water from Erik Eckilson on Vimeo.

Our spring camping trip to the Allagash got cancelled, but I did get out for a fall camping trip with Conrad and Julie. We paddled the Magalloway River down to Lake Umbagog, across Lake Umbagog to the Rapid River, and then back across Lake Umbagog and down the Androscoggin to Errol. The weather was perfect and the foliage was peak.

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

The crew at Noon Hill

I got out for a few hikes with the Papa Joe hiking group before the hikes got cancelled in March, and again when they started up again in the fall.

• Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary
• Wachusett Meadow Wildlife Sanctuary
• Quinaboxet
• Borderland State Park
• Groton Town Forest
• Noon Hill/Shattuck Reservations

In terms of my resolutions from last year, I didn’t do so well. I didn’t take a paddling class and I didn’t get back to the Dead. At least I got in one camping trip. In terms of resolutions for next year, they are a lot like last year with one BIG difference.

• Get the vaccine as soon as it is available
• Take a class III paddling class – especially with my new boat
• Get back to the Dead – always a great trip
• Keep camping – I’d really like to do the St. Croix
• Practice rolling – I’ll keep including it until I do it

Fortunately, there are still plenty of rivers to paddle, plenty of trails to hike, and plenty of places to go camping. Happy New Year everyone.

Branch River - December 27, 2020

Harrisville Dam

With the 2"-3" of rain that we received on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day all the rivers were running this weekend. With family obligations and my self-imposed limitation on car-shuttles, though, my options were limited. The Branch was up, it's close to home, Paul was available, and Michelle was willing to run the shuttle for me, so the Branch it was.

The Branch River technically arises in Oakland at the confluence of the Clear and Chepachet Rivers. From there it flows east for approximately 10-miles through Slatersville and Foresdale to its convergence with the Blackstone River in North Smithfield. 

 

Whipple Drop

The first half of this trip is actually on the Clear River. The Clear River arises in the swamps southeast of Wallum Lake in Burrillville and flows generally east for approximately 10-miles through Pascoag and Harrisville before converging with the Chepachet River in Oakland to form the Branch. The Nipmuc is a major tributary of the Clear River, converging with the Clear in Harrisville above the dam.  

We met at the put-in below the Stillwater Mill at 12:30 and were on the river around 1:00. The river rose to 7.5', 2,000 cfs on Saturday, but was down to a more reasonable level of 4.75', 650 cfs on Sunday – still the highest level that I have paddled it. The day was sunny and warm, at least in the early afternoon when the sun was high.

 

Oakland Dam

We paddled the short distance up to the Harrisville Dam before heading downstream. We hit a couple of river-wide blow-downs above Whipple Drop that we had to portage. I ran the Whipple drop to the right avoiding the rocks and big hole in the center. I did a little surfing below Whipple Drop, once again avoiding the biggest wave in the middle, before heading downstream.

There was one blow-down between Whipple Drop and Oakland that I decided to portage. Paul was able to work his way through on the left. When we arrived, I was glad to see water flowing over the Oakland Dam. Last time we were here the dam was high and dry with all the water flowing through the old Oakland Mill and down the raceway. A big log now blocks water from flowing though the gate into the mill, but it was unclear whether this was random piece of debris or was placed there intentionally.  

 

Atlas Pallet

After portaging the Oakland Dam we did a little surfing below the dam before heading down to Glendale. The Glendale Rapid was big and fluffy, and I ran it to the left, once again avoiding the big rocks in the middle. From there it is a nice quickwater run down to Atlas Pallet. I ran Atlas Pallet to the left and made it through fine. Paul went a little more to the right, and hit some rocks on the way down. After a little surfing below the rapid we headed downstream.

From there, it is quickwater with one portage at the Nasonville Dam. As the sun was setting the temperature dropped and my feet were starting to get cold. I was glad to see my car sitting at the take out.

Oakland Dam Portage

Links:

My Pictures

Branch River Gage

River description from American Whitewater

I lost my bow paddler today - December 20, 2020

I lost my bow paddler today, or maybe I should say my stern paddler because he was always in the background ready to execute the perfect correction stroke to keep me on track. My father – Gustav W. Eckilson (Ecky to his friends and Welton to his family) passed away on December 20, 2020 after a long illness. He is absolutely responsible for my addiction to paddling, and it is one of the many, many things that I thank him for every day.

 

As a young man my father was an active outdoorsman and mountain climber. In 1962 he reached the peak of Mount Rainier – one of the most challenging mountain summits in North America, and a frequent training ground for Everest climbers. Arthritis and a young family ended his outdoor activities for a while, but they resumed in retirement when he enjoyed hiking, camping and canoeing, mostly with the Narragansett Chapter of the AMC.

 

I did my first canoe trip with my father in 1989 on the Albion to Manville section of Blackstone in the Spirit II, and my first whitewater trip in 1990 below the Pontook Dam on the Androscoggin River in the Mohawk. I still paddle both of those boats regularly today. Unfortunately, my young family limited my ability to paddle with him when he was most active. By the time I caught the paddling bug around 2006, his arthritis had returned and he was out of the boat and off the trail. He would ask about my adventures, but we were never able to go on a trip together.  

 

I went out today to paddle on the Blackstone as a tribute to him. It was cold and gray, and somehow it didn’t fill the hole in my heart in the way that I expected. I’m sure in the days and years ahead I will miss him in many ways that I never expected.  

 

Rest in peace Dad – no one deserves in more than you.

Paddling the Errol Rips on the Agroscocggin River in 1990

Noon Hill and Shattuck Reservations – December 6, 2020

View from Noon Hill

I was thinking of doing a Crystal run, but the long drive and the late start meant that it would be an all-day event. The Papa Joe hike was close to home at the Noon Hill and Shattuck Reservations, so I decided to go there instead. 

 

Noon Hill is a 204-acre Trustee’s property located in Medfield and centered on 370-foot Noon Hill, a prominent summit and scenic vista. Noon Hill is part of a larger area of protected open space including land owned by the town of Medfield and the Shattuck Reservation located to the northwest of Noon Hill along the Charles River.

Along the Charles River

We met at the trailhead is near Holt Pond, which was created around 1764 when Sawmill Brook was dammed to create a millpond. In the 19th century, after farmers cleared the forest, the land surrounding the pond became stonewall-enclosed pasture. Woods have since reclaimed these fields.

We had crunchy snow underfoot as we headed west out of the parking lot toward Noon Hill. From there we headed north and then west across Causeway Street to the Shuttuck Reservation and a trail along the Charles River. 

Links

My Pictures

Noon Hill Reservation

Shattuck Reservation