Quinebaug – Danielson to Canterbury - August 28, 2021 - Low Water Run - August 28, 2021

Paul L.

With my son coming down from ME on Saturday and my mother’s birthday on Sunday I was planning to stay close to home this weekend, but when Paul L. suggested an early morning run on the Quinebaug, I couldn’t resist. Paul D. and Bill joined in as well.

The Quinebaug River arises above East Brimfield Lake in Sturbridge and flows generally southeast for 60 miles through MA and CT to Norwich where it joins the Willimantic to form the Shetucket. I have done several sections of the Quinebaug including Holland Pond to East Brimfield, Sturbridge to Southbridge, Fabyan to West Thompson and Putnam to Dayville/Brooklyn.

Paul D.

Today we would be running the section from Danielson to Canterbury – about 10-miles. (You can also shorten this trip to 5.3 miles by taking out at the CT DEEP Fish Hatchery.) We met at 8:00 a.m. at the put in at 39 Wauregan Road in Danielson, and ran the shuttle down to the take –out at the Robert Manship Park at 50 Lovell Lane in Canterbury.

We got on the water at around 9:00 a.m. and headed downstream. The level was 3.6 feet, 600 cfs on the Putnam gage - OK, but 1,000 cfs would be better. This is one of the longer and more challenging sections of the Quinebaug with lots of quickwater, a couple of broken dams and a couple of easy rapids. The run took us about 3-hours - can't believe I hadn't paddled this before.

A typical section of the Quinebaug

Links:

My Pictures

Quinebaug River Paddle Guide

Sudbury and Concord - Lincoln to Bedford - August 21, 2021

Heading out from the Lincoln Canoe Launch

Bill and I (mostly Bill) were planning a trip on the Sudbury River for RICKA. We usually run the section from Sherman’s Bridge Road in Wayland to Lowell Road in Concord with a break for lunch at Fairhaven Bay. Bill wanted to do something different, and decided to start a little further downstream at Lincoln Canoe Launch (Route 117) in Lincoln and take out at the Bedford Boat Launch (Route 225) in Bedford with a break for lunch at the Minuteman National Historical Park – about 9.5 miles. It worked out great.

The Sudbury is a National Wild and Scenic River that arises in Westborough and flows generally northeast for 41-miles to its convergence with the Assabet at Egg Rock in Concord. From there the river continues as the Concord, which flows generally north for about 16-miles until its convergence with the Merrimack River in Lowell.

The crew at the Old North Bridge

We arrived at 9:30 to run the shuttle down to Bedford. It was 10:30 before we finally got on the river. We had 8 boats (3 canoes and 5 kayaks) as we headed downstream into Fairhaven Bay. Above Fairhaven Bay are the huge wetlands in Sudbury and Wayland that are part of the Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. Below Fairhaven Bay the river is lined with trees and houses as it runs through Concord down to Egg Rock.

From there, it is a short paddle up to the Old North Bridge and the Minute Man National Historic Park. We posed for a picture below the bridge before heading ashore for lunch. We checked out the historic sites including the Minute Man Statue, the 1832 Monument to British Solders and the Old Manse. Below the Old North Bridge the Concord River flows through the Concord Impounds of the Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. After that, the river opens up for the long straight stretch between Bedford and Carlisle up the Bedford Boat Launch at Route 225.

Two kayaks and one canoe on Paul's car - one trip back t the put-in

Links:

My Pictures

Sudbury River Boaters Trail

Wood/Pawcatuck - Alton to Bradford - August 15, 2021

Running the broken dam at Burdickville

No trips on the calendar this weekend, so I posted a trip on the RICKA flatwater message board for the Wood/Pawcatuck from Alton to Bradford. Three canoes, two kayaks, and beautiful morning to be out on the water. The river was at 2.2 feet, 75 cfs on the Wood River Junction gauge, which made for a nice run through the broken dam at Burdickville. Also had fun swinging on the rope swing at the Burlingame campsites.

Below the broken dam at Brudickville

Links:
My Pictures

Charles - Medfield to Natick - August 7, 2021

Heading out

With a good part of the club heading off to the Adirondacks the first week in August it can be a tricky time to run a RICKA trip. Still, there are usually enough people around who want to paddle, so I put a trip on the calendar for the Charles River.

The Charles River arises at Echo Lake in Hopkinton, and flows generally east for 85-miles, zig-zagging through 22 cities and towns in eastern MA before emptying into Boston Harbor. There are a number of great flatwater trips on the Charles including the Bays Region from Natick to Wellesley, the Elm Bank Reservation from Wellesley to Needham, the Lakes District from Weston to Waltham and the Dedham Loop.

Passing the Praying Girl

On this trip, we would be running the section from Medfield (101 West St, Medfield, MA 02052) down to the Natick Dam (South Natick Dam Park, 9 Pleasant St S, South Natick, MA 01760) - about 9-miles. We met at 10:00 and ran the shuttle down to the dam. Fortunately, we were able to grab four parking spots on the street at the take-out. The alternative would have been to park at the Hunnewell Baseball Fields up the street (22 Pleasant St S, South Natick, MA 01760).

This section starts off in marshland before entering into woodlands at the Rocky Narrows Reservation and the Mass Audubon Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary. We stopped for lunch at the picnic site at Rocky Narrows. The trip ends at the So. Natick Dam after passing by the Praying Girl statue and under Sergeant’s Bridge.

The crew at the Rocky Narrows Picnic Site

Links:

My Pictures

Skye’s Pictures

Camping at Rocky Narrows on the Charles River

Call for reservations

I ran a RICKA trip on the Charles and we stopped for lunch at the Rocky Narrows Picnic Site. I noticed from the sign that you can camp there. It would make a nice paddle-in site for an overnight trip - put in at Dover Road and take out at Bridge Street. You could hike over to the King Phillip Overlook. No porta-potty, but there is a lot of space, and a fire ring. It would probably accommodate 8 to 10 people. Need to contact the Trustees at 508-785-0339 or charlesrivervalley@thetrustees.org.

Group campsite at Rocky Narrows

Links

Rocky Narrows – Trustees of Reservations

Blackstone Valley Paddle Club – 20th Anniversary – July 31, 2021

Ranger Dan with Suzanne and Lisa

We had a fun night at Sycamore Landing (home of the Blackstone River Watershed Council/Friends of the Blackstone) to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Blackstone Valley Paddle Club. It was nice to finally meet Ranger Dan who founded the club as a ranger at the Blackstone River National Heritage Corridor – I had heard a lot about him.

The Blackstone Valley Paddle Club was established in the spring of 2000 as a way to get folks out on the waterways of the Blackstone River Valley. The first trip was May 16, 2000 at River Bend Farm. Over the years, the club has continued weekday evening trips (usually Tuesday) throughout the summer getting thousands of folks out on the water. It is amazing how many of the original leaders are still involved today.

The crew

We met at Sycamore Landing and lugged our boats down to the put-in for the paddle down to Albion. I was paddling tandem with Bill. The river was at a nice level with plenty of water flowing over the scratchy sections.

After the paddle we enjoyed a picnic dinner with pie and ice cream provided by the Blackstone River National Heritage Corridor. Julie presented past and current leaders with the 20th anniversary history book.

20th Anniversary Book by Julie and Steve

Links:
My Pictures