Pemi - Bristol - August 27, 2023

Below the Ayers Island Dam

It has been a while since I had my whitewater boat out, and the sea kayak trip that I was planning to do yesterday got cancelled due to potential thunderstorms, so I decided to head up to NH to run the Pemi in Bristol with the NHAMC.

The Pemigewasset River, also known as the “Pemi”, arises at Profile Lake at the base of Cannon Mountain in the Franconia Notch. It flows south for 65-miles to Franklin where it joins the Winnipesaukee River to form the Merrimack River. There are a couple of other sections of the Pemi that I like to paddle including the quickwater section from Woodstock/Thornton to Campton and the whitewater section in Woodstock.

Scouting Wourthens

We met at 10:00 at the put-in at the Pemi-Bristol Boat Launch below the Ayers Island Dam. As you turn onto Ayers Island Road from Route 104, you will see a ball field on your right - follow the road around the ball field and take a left. Just before the gate to the DPW garage, turn left down a hill past the Bristol Transfer Station. Keep going down the hill until you see a large array of solar panels. Turn left just before the solar panels, then turn left again before the gate to the metal dump and go down the steep hill on the small dirt road.

The river was at a nice level – 2 feet, 1,500 cfs. We had 8 boats – 7 kayaks and one canoe (guess who). This is a short section of river - about 1.5-miles with a couple of nice play spots. The biggest rapid is called Wourthens and is located about 1/4 mile down from the put in. A ledge protrudes from the left bank (Wourthen's Rock) forcing the river to the right. The usual line is to the right, but we had people run the drops in the middle, and even the slot on the left.

Running the slot

The rapids continue with another ledge and surf spot downstream, and a couple of class II rock gardens. The last rapid sweeps gradually to the right as it passes through two ledges on Coolidge Woods Road, including the playhole that was washed out.

It rained a little as were paddling, but it really came down as I was driving home. Still worth the trip.

Taking in the rapids

Links:
My Pictures

Video from Pink Packraft
Plymouth Gage
River Description from American Whitewater

River Island Park - August 26, 2023

RICKA's joint Flatwater/Sea Kayak trip that was scheduled for today got cancelled due to potential thunderstorms, so I decided to do an early morning run in my whitewater boat down at River Island Park. The river was at a nice level - 3', 1,000 cfs. No pictures, except this on the way back.

On the walk back to River Island Park

Another Allagash Adventure

Last year’s trip was so good, that we are going back to do it again. This will be the 30th run for Jonathan. I’ll never hit that total. Key points for this trip are:

• Five nights on the river with one spare/layover day to explore the lakes.
• Dinner on Friday 22nd when everybody gets to Wiscasset.
• Minimum amount of dirt road driving in our own vehicles - use Norm and his van to shuttle us from Michaud Farm to Churchill Dam.
• Dinner on Friday the 29th in Fort Kent.
• Drive back Saturday 30th - 8-hours from Fort Kent, ME to Woonsocket, RI. 

Here is the schedule

• Friday, Sept. 22nd – assemble in Wiscasset for dinner.
• Saturday, Sept 23rd - up early, drive to Fort Kent, stay at Northern Door, dinner at Swamp Buck.
• Sunday, Sept. 24th - cars to Michaud Farm, shuttled in by Norm to Churchill, camp at The Jaws.
• Monday, Sept. 25th - spare/layover day to explore the lakes (could be another day depending on weather).
• Tuesday, Sept. 26th - camp at Jalberts on Long Lake.
• Wednesday, Sept. 27th - camp at Inlet or Outlet on Round Pond.
• Thursday, Sept. 28th - camp at Five Finger Brook or Cunliffe Depot.
• Friday, Sept. 29th - paddle to cars at Michaud Farm, stay at Northern Door.
• Saturday, Sept. 30th - drive home after breakfast.

I am paddling tandem with Jonathan in his MRE. Group meals for breakfast and dinner. On our own for lunch. Jonathan is bringing the G&T's for cocktail hour.  

The Allagash is cranking along at ~ 8,000 cfs. Apparently at at anything above 5,000 cfs the the rangers encourage everyone to take out at Michaud Farm above Allagash Falls, which we are doing anyway. They release around 500 cfs at the Chase Rapids during the day even if they let it rip at higher levels at night.  

Day time temps in the 60's and 70's. Night time temps in the 40's. Lots of clouds and maybe a couple days of rain early in the week.  

Seekonk River - August 19, 2023

Our leader Danny

I had some errands to run in Rehoboth, so when I saw that RICKA was running a Flatwater trip on the Seekonk River, I decided to join. 

The Seekonk River is the tidal extension of the Blackstone River that begins just below the Pawtucket Falls. The two rivers could not be more different. The Blackstone is freshwater with lots of twists and turns, while the Seekonk is a tidal estuary that forms the border between Providence and East Providence.

Up the river

We put in at 10:00 at Blackstone Park in Providence (100 Gulf Avenue, Providence) just upstream of the Narragansett Boat Club. The tide was high at noon, so we hit it just about right. We paddled upstream on the Providence side past Swan Point and the Swan Point Cemetery.

The river narrowed as we entered Pawtucket and paddled past Festival Pier (School Street) and the Taft Street boat ramps. The current picked up as we paddled under the Division Street Bridge and the Route 95 Bridge and approached the Pawtucket Falls under the Main Street Bridge.

That's me below the Pawtucket Falls

The Pawtucket Falls is the largest waterfall on the Blackstone River. As we looked upstream over the falls we could see the old Slater Mill. Built in 1793 by Samuel Slater, the Slater Mill was the first successful water powered textile mill in the United States. It began the American Industrial Revolution, and established Pawtucket as a major manufacturing center.

With nowhere left to go, we turned around and headed back downstream. We took a break for lunch at Festival Pier, and then headed down the East Providence side of the river to the Omega Dam on the Ten Mile River.

Omega Dam on the Ten Mile River

In 1636, after escaping religious persecution in Boston, Roger Williams rowed down the Ten Mille River and across the Seekonk River to what is now Blackstone Park. He continued around India Point and up the Providence and Moshassuck Rivers to establish the Providence colony in what is now downtown Providence.

From there, it was a quick trip across the Seekonk River and back to Blackstone Park. Nice trip - glad a brought the Capella.

Gary below the Pawtucket Falls with Slater Mill in the background

This picture inspired a nice poem from Tom - this time Facebook:

Milling about,

don't go out on a limb,

that points to the turmoil,

that's roiling within,

causing one there to yak,

"Dam! Impressive tsunami!"

and approach their Eskimo role,

gulp/gasping, "I want my mommie!"

Links:

My Pictures
Roger Williams Trail from RI Blueways

River Island Park - August 13, 2023

The sea kayak trip that I was going to do yesterday got cancelled due to potential wind and thunderstorms. Probably just as well - I was pretty tired anyway. Later in the afternoon, I decided to go down to River Island Park to practice back ferries and back sets in my Yellowstone Solo. Of course just as I put in, the skies opened up and we had about 10-minutes of torrential rail. As I pulled over to take shelter under a tree, I saw this poem painted on a rock.

Sitting on the river banks
To still my heart at ease
And rest with God in thanks
With every passing breeze.

So many thoughts in time
So many questions there
A moments peace of mind
To know that love is there.

A little ways downstream I saw another one in an isolated spot up off the river.

Precious be the heart
You are not alone
With all the love you’ve got
Let your light be shown.

For love is pure as fire
And the flame of love is free
A love so to desire
For all eternity.

The poems are nice with their references to peace and love. The reason they are there is less nice. With access to services nearby, this section of the river has become a magnet for homeless camps. Back in January, the city removed a bunch of camps just downstream from here. I didn’t go down that far, but if I had to guess, I’d bet that they are back. I’ll have to check out the lower section sometime. Probably some nice poems down there as well.

I did some back ferries using a back sweep and cross back stroke. Once you get the angle set is not too hard. I forgot about the reverse J-stroke so  didn't try it. Then I tried some back sets into an eddy. I was able to do it, but I still think that an eddy turn is easier and more reliable.

Eddy Turn and Back Ferry from Erik Eckilson on Vimeo.

Lower Deerfield - August 5, 2023

That's me

Over the years, I’ve done a lot of trips on the Lower Deerfield. I can remember my first RICKA trip here with Jim Cole, Alan August and Henry Dziadosz back in 2006. I started leading RICKA trips here around 2010, and have done 10 “easy whitewater trips for flatwater paddlers” in the last 13-years.

The release from the Fife Brook Dam controls the water in this section of the river, and timing is everything with this trip. Launch too early and you will out run the water. Launch too late and the water will out run you. Either way, you will end up high and dry. Launching 3-hours after the scheduled release is about right. For this trip we had an early release due to Deerfieldfest, so timing wasn’t an issue.

Ozzie in Blam Dance

We would be running the section from the Zoar Picnic Area to Charlemont Academy – about 7 miles. The group was small since the trip coincided with RICKA's annual ADK trip. We had 5 boats and 6 paddlers (1 kayak, 1 poler, 2 solo canoes and 1 tandem canoe) - a nice size group for this run. Jonathan and I paddled tandem in my Mohawk Whitewater 16. Bob poled pretty much the entire run. The release was scheduled at 800 cfs, and the Charlemont gage was around 1,000 cfs.

We met at 11:00 at the take out near Chalemont Achademy and ran the shuttle up to the Zoar Picnic Area. As we prepared to launch, I was a little worried that that the bubble hadn’t made it down yet, but I felt better when a group of tubers from Great Outdoors showed up. We had plenty of water and would be dodging tubers for most of the run.

Bob poling Spin Out

This section of the Deerfield pretty much has it all. There is a little flatwater so you can take in the scenery, a lot of quickwater to keep you moving, and a couple of easy class I/II rapids to make it interesting. Most of the rapids come early in the trip with three easy rapids just downstream from the put-in.

Directly below the Zoar Picnic Area is the Blam Dance Rapid – we had one swim here when Jonathan and I were ferrying over and cut off Ed who was trying to peal out - whoops.

Dan at the top of Conjunction Junction

Below that at a the sharp curve to the left is the Spin Out Rapid. We rescued a tuber who was stuck in the recirculating eddy here, and had one swim when Ozzie was trying to surf the fast moving current.

To the left of the island with the squirt line at the bottom is Conjunction Junction. We took a break for lunch here. I took a swim, but it was intentional. Bob and Dan did a lot of surfing.

Bob poling at Conjunction Junction

After that, it is mostly quickwater with an occasional short rapid. I did my best not to dump Jonathan, but I did get him wet in the short wavetrain across from the campground near Shunpike. We had one more swim going into the eddy on the right in the fast moving shoot above Zoar Outdoors.

After the run, we decided to check out Deerfieldfest at Berkshire East. We were a little early, and there were more bikers than paddlers, but I did my part and bought and American Whitewater tee shirt. After a bite to eat we were on our way. Another great day on the water with a great group of paddlers.

Taking a break at Shunpike

Links:
My Pictures
Fife Brook Release Schedule
Charlemont Gage
River Description form American Whitewater