Nashau River - Leominster to Lancaster - December 20, 2024

Put-in at the Veterans Park

Ozzy was looking to do a Winter Solstice paddle on the Nashua River from Leominster to Lancaster. After a busy month with family issues, I decided to join in. We had four boats, all polers – me, Bob, Dan and Ozzy.

The Nashua River has two main stems. We would be paddling on the North Branch, which arises west of Fitchburg and flows generally south for 30 miles until it joins the South Branch in Lancaster.  The South Branch arises at the Wachusett Reservoir in Clinton and flows generally north for 56 miles through north-central MA and southern NH before emptying into the Merrimack River in Nashua. 

Below the first broken dam

I have done most of the Nashua River over the years including the Leominster to Lancaster section of the of the North Branch back in November 2011. I have also done the confluence of the North Branch and South Branch in Lancaster, and the Oxbow Wildlife Refuge in Harvard and the Ayers to Groton, Groton to Pepperell, and Peperrell to Nashua sections on the South Branch.

We met at the take-out at Johnny Ro Veteran's Memorial Park (720 Mechanic St, Leominster, MA 014530) to drop our boats and run the shuttle down to the take-out at the Ponakin Bridge at the Pellecchia Conservation Land & Canoe Launch (MA-70, Lancaster, MA 01523). The river was low – 2.5 feet, 115 cfs on the Leominster gage, but a nice level for poling.

Lunch at Cook' Conservation Area

We started off by poling upstream past Route 2 before turning around and heading down stream. The river twists and turns as it runs through the Johnny Apple Seed State Park and the Lancaster State Forest. We portaged the first broken dam that we ran back in 2011 since it was low and it looked like there might be wood in it.

We took a break for lunch at the picnic area at the Cook Conservation Area. Snow as falling as Ozzy cooked up a nice spread of pierogis and kielbasa with onions and peppers. We had brownies, chocolate chip cookies and donuts for desert. With the furnace fueled, we poled the last section in the snow, including the second broken dam that we ran to the left. The drive home in the snow was brutal, but it was a great way to start off the winter.

Links:

My Pictures

Bob's Video

Leominster gage

Ware River Poling Cruise - November 18, 2023

A nice collection of poling boats

I don’t do a lot of poling, but I do try to get out a couple of time a year – usually the Branch in the spring and something else in the fall. Last fall we had a nice group on the Souhegan. This year we were back on the Ware River.

The Ware River flows 35-miles through central MA before joining the Quaboag River to form the Chicopee River. There is a class II section in Gilbertville from Hardwick Furnace Launch to the Ware-Hardwick Covered Bridge that we poled on a snowy day back in 2009. I’d like to do that section in my whitewater boat sometime. Today we would be poling the 6-mile section from the South Barre Dam (42.3864 -72.097) to Hardwick Furnace (42.343812,-72.157774) that we last poled back in 2013.

Below the Wheelwright Dam

I arrived at the put-in at around 10:00 to find Matt, Oz and Bob waiting for us on the river. They had put-in early and poled up from the put-in. The rest of us – me, Chuck, Dan, Chris and Jonathan - still had to run the shuttle. The river was at a nice poling level – 3-feet, 45 cfs on the Barre gage. 

This section of the Ware is pretty with lots of twists and turns down to the backwater from the Wheelwright Dam where we stopped for lunch. As we played in the quickwater below the dam, Kaz, Rick and Dave paddled upstream - they used the put-in at the Wheelwright Road Bridge (42.38012870629823, -72.11359100862931). For us, it was a short trip down to the Hardwick Furnace take-out. 

The crew at Wheelwright Dam

Links:

My Pictures

Barre Gage

Souhegan Poling Cruise - October 29, 2022

Stand tall and carry a big stick

Its been a while since I've had my poling boat out, and my recent trip up to Maine got me thinking that it was time for a poling cruise. We got the crew together, and decided on an up-and-back trip on the Souhegan.

The Souhegan River arises in New Ipswich at the junction of the river's south and west branches, and flows generally northeast for 34-miles to its convergence with the Merrimack River in Merrimack. The name Souhegan comes from the Algonquin and means "waiting and watching place". Tribal fishermen set weirs across the rapids, and then waited and watched for fish, including salmon, alewives, sturgeon, and eels. There are popular whitewater runs from Greenville to Route 101 and Route 101 to Wilton (Trash Dump). I've done the Greenville section, but not the Trash Dump section.

Pushing up the drop at the 101 Bridge

We would be poling a section further downstream in Amherst from Post Road to Route 101 – an up-and-back trip of about 6-miles. The river was at a nice level – 4-feet, 120 cfs. on the New Milford gage. We had 11 paddlers/polers – 8 poling, 2 tandem poling, and one paddling.

We met at 10:00 at the at the Souhegan River Boat Ramp (Amherst) on Boston Post Road in Amherst (42°49'38.2"N 71°35'04.6"W). The river twists and turns through woodlands before eventually flowing through the Amherst Country Club. There is a small drop at the Route 101 Bridge. Most went up the shallow drop on river left. I tried the deeper drop on river right and made it to the top before taking a swim – oh well. The trip back down was uneventful.

The crew takes a break for lunch

Links;

My Pictures
New Milford Gage
Souhegan River Paddling Guide

Branch River Icebreaker - March 21, 2021

Up the Glendale Rapid

It has been seven-years since my last poling trip. From what I can tell, it was December 2014 with Matt McCay at Satan’s Kingdom. Not sure why I haven’t been poling since, but today I was out with Chuck, Mike and Matt H. for the annual Branch River Icebreaker, and it was a blast.

We were out on the Branch for the traditional third weekend in March, race weekend paddle. The weather was great – high 50’s and sunny. No ice to break on this trip. The level was low, but we have done lower. With a little rain on Friday it popped up to 2.5 feet, 150 cfs. It was a great level for poling, and the three drops (Whipple, Glendale and Atlas Pallet) were boney but runnable.

Running Glendale

Michelle dropped me off that the put-in around 10:00. Chuck and Matt were waiting, and Mike had already headed downstream. Matt and I poled up to the dam while we waited for Chuck to run the shuttle.

I was expecting to find a bunch of blow-downs above Whipple Drop, but those were gone. They were replaced by a bunch of blowdowns below Whipple drop. We made it through fine. We ran Whipple Drop with no problem, and took a short break at the Oakland Dam before heading down to Glendale and Atlas Pallet. It was a fun run.

Below the Nasonville Dam

Links:

My Pictures

Branch River Gage

River description from American Whitewater

Satan's Kingdom - November 30, 2014

Poling up Rooster Tail

There wasn’t much running around here, and we hadn’t done our annual Farmington River poling trip, so I got out with Matt yesterday to do some poling on the “Tuber’s Run" through Satan’s Kingdom. 

I hadn’t been on this section of the Farmington River in years.  We use to do a couple of trips a year here to play below the Gorge and at Rooster Tail.  This time, we would be poling up from the “Tubers Take-out” on Route 44 just above the intersection with Routes 179 and 202. The river was a nice level for poling (300 cfs. on the Riverton gage with another 100 cfs.from the Still). 

Scott running the Gorge

There are a couple of easy drops to push up before you get to Rooster Tail.  Matt was able to move up Rooster Tail easily.  I got stuck at the last drop, and finally gave up and dragged my boat up the last few feet.  It’s an easy push the rest of the way up to the Gorge. 

While Mat and I were pushing up, Tim and Scott did a first run in their kayaks.  We met up with them at Rooster Tail on their first run, and at the Gorge on their second run.  It was nice to be able to do the downstream run with them.

Matt does some surfing

Links:

My Pictures

Tim's Pictures on Facebook

River Description on American Whitewater

Riverton gage

Still River gage

Riverton Poling - August 3, 2014

After two weeks of paddling on saltwater, it was nice to get out on a freshwater river.  On the last day of my vacation, I met up with Matt to go poling on the Riverton Section of the Farmington. 

The first time I did this trip with Matt was back in 2006. It’s a bit of a drive for me, but it is always worth it.  The river was running at about 500 CFS (400 cfs from Goodwin Dam and 100 cfs from the Still River).  It's a great level for poling, but a little too low for paddling.  Flatwater sections are interspersed with quickwater and easy rapids.

We put-in below the Goodwin Dam off Hogback Road.  The initial section was shallow and rocky, but has some great spots to practice attaining.  After passing the old Hitchcock Chair Factory the Still River joins on the left adding to the flow. The river then enters the American Legion/Peoples State Forests. 

Further downstream, fishermen lined the banks for most of the trip.  We got a few scowls as we passed, but most of them were  OK.  We took out at the parking lot at the Satan’s Kingdom State Recreation Area – about 10 miles. 

Links:
My Pictures

Upper Ware River - December 1, 2013

Matt and Santa Mike

I got up early to go to the gym, and saw Santa Claus walking down Diamond Hill Road.  He didn’t have a big bag of toys, but he was carrying a Price Right bag full of groceries (only in Woonsocket).  When the day starts like that, you know it has to be good – and it was.

After much back and forth by email, I got together with Santa Mike, Chuck, Marshall, Doug and Matt for a poling run on the upper Ware River from So. Barre (42.3864 -72.097) to Hardwick Furnace (42.343812,-72.157774) – about 6 miles.  We had run the lower section from Hardwick Furnace to Church Street a couple of years ago.

Marshall takes a break

I met Mike and Chuck at McD’s  in Uxbridge for the ride out to the river.  I saw two accidents on the way to McD’s due to black ice, but the sanding trucks were out on the highways by the time we hit the road.  Its a good thing we got a little later start.

We arrived at the river at around 10:30 and ran the shuttle. With last week’s rain, the river had come up to a decent poling level – 3 feet, 50 CFS on the Barre gage. This section of the Ware is pretty with lots of twists and turns.  We stopped at Wheelwright Dam for lunch, and played for a little while in the quickwater below the dam. We arrived at the take out at Hardwick Furnace at around 4:00. 

 

Santa Mike

Links:
My Pictures

Barre gage

Farmington Poling – November 17, 2012

With Chuck below the Goodwin Dam

We had a nice group yesterday on the Riverton Section of the Farmington.  Chuck and I joined Tommy, Matt, Scott, Fred and Sharon on 10-mile poling/paddling trip.

This was the first trip I did with Matt and Scott back in 2006, and I had forgotten how much I like this section of the river.  It was running at about 500 cfs (400 cfs from Goodwin Dam and 100 cfs from the Still River) which is great for poling, and not bad for paddling.  Flatwater sections are interspersed with quickwater.  At higher water levels some class I/II rapids develop.  The river runs through the American Legion/Peoples State Forests.

Chuck in the High Bank Rapid

We put-in below the Goodwin Dam off Hogback Road.  The initial section was shallow and rocky, but would be a fun class I/II at higher water levels.  Matt and I poled up to the Goodwin Dam before joining the group to head downstream.  After passing the old Hitchcock Chair Factory the Still River joins on the left adding to the flow.  The river then enters the American Legion/Peoples State Forests.  We stopped for lunch at the picnic area in the Peoples State Forest before continuing downstream. 

Fishermen lined the banks as we entered the Farmington River Trout Management Area.  We got a few scowls as we passed, but most of the fishermen were OK.  The flatwater/quickwater continued down to the Route 44 bridge.  We took out at the parking lot at the Satan’s Kingdom State Recreation Area (GPS 41.8567, -72.9583).  After a beer and burger at the Crown and Hammer Pub in Collinsville we headed home.  Another great day, but aren’t they all!

Lots of different canoes!

Links:

Farmington Gage – Goodwin Dam
Still River Gage

Branch River Icebreaker – March 17, 2012

Water levels are still low, so I was back poling on the Branch River yesterday with the RICKA crew at the annual “icebreaker” paddle.


Heading downstream

There was definitely no ice to break this year, and not much water either. We ran the section from Harrisville to Nasonville - about seven miles. It’s mostly flatwater with some quickwater and three short class II drops. For many years, this was the site of the RI Whitewater Championships. The race is now gone, but we still try to get a group together to run the Branch on the traditional third weekend in March.

We had a mixed group – 4 polers (Mike, Tommy, Jeff, and me), 1 solo canoe (Jim), 1 tandem canoe (Kevin and his son Nate), 1 kayak (Patrick) and 1 tandem kayak paddled solo (Rich). Temperatures were in the 60’s, and the water level was low - 95 cfs. on the Forestdale gage. We ran the shuttle and were on the river by 11:00.

Kevin and Nate below Glendale

The small rapid at the put-in was unrunnable due to the low water, so we all put in a little further downstream. That pretty much set the tone for the day. The flatwater sections were shallow. The quickwater sections were bony. The drops were unrunnable – except for Patrick who did mange to bounce his way down all three in his short kayak.

In spite of the low water, we all had a good time. We took a nice break for lunch at the Oakland Dam. Rich spent some time poling his tandem kayak – a new convert. We pulled into the take-out around 3:30 after another great day.

Links:
My Pictures
Forestdale Gage
River description from American Whitewater

Poling up the Branch River - February 18, 2012

Water levels were low, and I didn’t have a lot of time, so I decided to do some poling on the Blackstone and Branch Rivers. I put-in from the conservation land behind the High Rock Condominiums and poled upstream into the Branch River and the Blackstone Gorge.

Below the Gorge the Blackstone River was at a prefect level for poling – 8 to 10 inches of water with a nice rocky base. I poled up to the confluence with the Branch River, and then poled up the Branch as far as Great Road. Conditions on the Branch were great as well - 3', 125 cfs on the Forestdale gage.

I decided to head a little futher upstream to check out the Blackstone Gorge.  Surprisingly, it was high and dry. The level at the gage at the Route 122 Bridge in Uxbridge was 7’, 375 cfs, so I expected to see some water. I did this section a couple of years ago at 7’, 135 cfs, and the water was running pretty well. Yesterday – nothing. They must have been drawing a lot of water through the power plant downstream. You never know.

Links:
Blackstone and Branch Rivers – July 24, 2010
Route 122 Bridge Gage in Uxbridge
Branch River – Forestdale

Canoe Poling - the other side of canoeing

Stand tall and carry a canoepole

There is an old saying that you should never stand in a canoe. The people who say that have obviously never heard of canoe poling. Instead of sitting with a paddle, you stand and use a long pole to move the canoe. Poling makes it easy to push upstream, move slowly through difficult rapids, or slip across shallow water.

Poling started with the wilderness trippers of northern Maine, but it definitely has a following around here. I am fortunate to have a group of friends that likes canoe poling. The best boat for poling is a tandem tripping canoe - 16 to 18 feet long, with a 32 to 36 inch beam. Canoepoles are usually about 12-feet long. They are traditionally made of wood, but can also be aluminum. 

Floating down calm water

To get started, find some shallow water where you can get the feel of standing in your canoe. Stand just aft of center. Keep your head over the center of the canoe, and feet shoulder width apart. Use your legs as shock absorbers, bending at the knees and hips as you rock your canoe back and forth.

Once you feel comfortable standing in the canoe, it is time to start on forward movement. The easiest skill to learn is the windmill stroke. Grip the pole in the center with both hands and alternate paddling from side to side like a kayak stroke. You can also practice turning the canoe with forward and reverse sweeps on both sides of the canoe.

Pushing upstream

Once you feel comfortable with that, you ready to push. Stand just aft of center with your feet shoulder width apart. Drop the pole so it is firmly planted on the bottom, a few feet behind where you are standing. This will put the pole between a 30 to 45 degree angle from vertical. With your offside hand on top, slide your hands up as high as you can on the pole. Then begin to lower your body weigh as if you were going to sit in a chair, at the same time start pushing your pole straight back. You will feel the canoe move forward. To recover the pole for another push, move the pole up with your top hand as it slides through your bottom hand.

Now it is time to apply your new skills to moving water. The trim of your canoe is very important when traveling upstream. Stand slightly aft of center to lighten the bow and weight the stern. The canoe will act like a weather vane helping to maintain a straight course.

Snubbing downstream

Going downstream you remain in control by using a technique called snubbing. Instead of using the pole to move the boat forward, you use it as a brake to slow or even stop your descent. Again, trim is important and you will want to move forward to lighten the stern and weight the bow when snubbing. With the pole out in front, use the pole to slow your decent, using your arm as shock absorbers. As the current rushes pasts, you will be moving downstream slowly and with precise control.

Poling can be hard work and a little frustrating at first, but before you know it, poling will become second nature. So get out there, grab a pole, and discover the other side of canoeing.

A poling cruise in the Farmington River

Links:

Canoepole from a 12-foot closet rod. 

Aluminum canoepoles from Hayden Canoepole Company.

It must be summer because I went poling – July 31, 2011

The Blackstone has reached its summer level (1 foot, 150 cfs) so I decided to go down to Rivers Edge Park and pole up to River Island Park. There are five drops along the way – the power lines, the railroad bridge, the Court Street Bridge, the Bernon Bridge and River Island Park - but they don't look like much at this level. I made it up to the Woonsocket Falls without too much difficulty.  Back to work tomorrow.

Woonsocket Falls through the South Main Street Bridge

Links:
August 21, 2010 Poling Trip on the same section
May 30, 2010 Poling Trip on the same section

Contoocook - Peterborough to Bennington - November 13th

Its interesting to watch a trip come together. It usually starts off as chatter on the web and by email. Eventually a consensus starts to form, a location is picked, and people sign on. Before you know it, you’re out on the river for a great day of paddling. That’s how it worked with yesterday’s trip to the Contoocook River.

The Contoocook, a tributary of the Merrimack River, is located in south/central NH and has some nice flatwater and whitewater paddling. The most popular whitewater section runs from Hillsboro to Henniker - I’d like to try it sometime. There’s also a nice flatwater section from Covered Bridge in Contoocook down to Broad Cove, and another 6-7 mile poling section between Jaffrey and Peterborough.

On this trip, we decided to pole the section from Peterborough to Bennington. Our original plan was to put in at the library in Peterborough center, and paddle down to the covered bridge over the Powder Mill Pond. After looking at the original put in site in Peterborough, we decided to move the put in a couple of miles downstream to the North Village Dam. The run would still be about 7 miles.

Our trip up was slightly delayed because of car troubles, but we still met Tommy and Jim at the put in around 9:30. We ran the shuttle, and were on the river by 10:00. We had 6 boats (Mike, Chuck, Tommy, Jeff, Jim and me). Level was perfect – 2 ft, 100 cfs on the Peterborough gage. After playing around at the dam, we headed downstream. Not a lot of features on this section of the river, but that was OK. We knew we would be taking it easy.

For the first half of the trip, the river twisted and turned through woods and fields. A nice current and gravel bottom made it easy to pole. For the second half of the trip, the river opened up.  The current slowed and the water deepened as we approached the Powder Mill Pond.

We got off the river about 4:00, got everyone back to their cars, and found our way to Harlow’s Pub in Peterborough Center for a couple of beers and something too eat. Another great day on the river.

Links:
My Pictures
Peterborough Gage

The run that could have been…poling Upper New Boston - September 18th

In spite of a busy weekend, I was going to try to get out and do some paddling yesterday - it didn’t work out that way.

I had scheduled a RICKA class II trip for the upper and lower sections of the Farmington in New Boston. Unfortunately, the release got cancelled due to construction. Well, it didn’t actually get cancelled, but it did get significantly reduced – 100 cfs, 3 ft on the New Boston gauge. It was definitely not enough to paddle, but would have been a good level for some poling. Matt was looking for some poling buddies, but with Justin home for his birthday, I decided to take a pass on the 4-hour drive so we could do his party in the early afternoon.

We usually pole the section below Bear’s Den, but it can be boney in low water. The scenery isn’t the best either. Instead, Matt decided to pole the upper section from the slalom course up to Fall Creek. He said it was a nice run at 3’, but got technical through the rapids. 

I’m glad I stayed home for Justin’s party, but I sure would have liked to going poling with Matt. Just goes to show you, rivers can be good at any level.

Rivers Edge to Bernon – August 21st

I was back at Rivers Edge Park yesterday to do some poling on the Blackstone. I was there last Tuesday with the Blackstone Valley Paddle Club paddling downstream to the Manville Dam. Yesterday, I brought my poling boat and poled up to the Bernon Bridge. The water was as low as I have ever seen it - 1/2 ft, 78 cfs - almost too low for pushing up the drops, but nice on the flats. I played tag with a Cormorant most of the way back downstream. He would dive under as I approached, and reappear 30-40 feet downstream. This went on for at least a half mile before he finally flew away – its amazing how those birds can swim. Opening clip is a little blurry, but here is the video.


Rivers Edge Park to Bernon - Aug. 21st from Erik Eckilson on Vimeo.

Links:
May 30, 2010 Poling Trip on the same Section
Detailed Description of this Run at Spring Levels

Too low even for poling – August 7th

After a hot and humid couple of weeks, wasn't yesterday a great day – it actually felt like Fall. I had some errands to do in the morning, but spent a couple hours in the afternoon poling on the Blackstone River around River Island Park in Woonsocket.

When I got down to the river, I found that it was pretty low, even for poling (.64 feet, 75 cfs). The boat would hit rocks and get hung up in drops - I walked as much as I poled. I checked out the remnants of the old Globe Mill, poled underneath the Globe Bridge up to the Woonsocket Falls, and then I called it a day. 


River Island Park - the old Bernon Pond and the Woonsocket Falls from Erik Eckilson on Vimeo.

We had better get some rain soon, or I am going to have to take up sea kayaking.

St. Paul Street to the Dam at Canal Street - June 19th

I’ve been doing a lot of local paddling lately – working my way through different sections of the Blackstone River. Since I never put my tandem boat away after last Tuesday’s Paddle Club trip, I decided to do some poling yesterday. The river was low - 200 cfs, 7 ft. on the Rt. 122 gage – a perfect level for poling.

I decided to try a section in Blackstone, MA from St. Paul Street up to the dam at Canal Street. Its short – less than a mile – but there are lots of rocks and a few small drops to make it interesting. I parked at the baseball field behind the Blackstone Municipal Center, and carried my boat over the flood control levy to put in just below the St. Paul Street Bridge.

Starting at the St. Paul Street Bridge and continuing up to the dam, there are a series of 5 or 6 small drops – some easy, some a little more challenging. I worked my way through the drops up to the dam, and then enjoyed the ride back down.


Poling - St. Paul Street to the Dam at Bridge Street from Erik Eckilson on Vimeo.

Its too bad that there isn’t better access to this section - in higher water there would be a couple of fun play spots.

Poling up to the Woonsocket Falls - May 30th

With the water levels low just about everywhere, I decided to do some poling today.  I put in at the Rivers Edge Recreational Complex and poled up to the Woonsocket Falls - about a mile.  The river was at a perfect level - 2 ft., 400 cfs.  - and I was able to push all the way up to the dam.  The only difficult spot was the shallow water just below the dam.


Poling on the Blackstone from Erik Eckilson on Vimeo.

Going to meet Bob today for an early morning run - I'm thinking Route 122 to the Blackstone Gorge.

Links:
River Guide from the Blackstone River National Heritage Corridor

What a beautiful day – February 20th

After forgetting my PFD last weekend, I went back to River Island Park today to do some poling. Level was perfect (600 cfs, 2.5 ft), and the temperatures were in the high 40’s. I did a couple of laps around the island, and then pushed up through the bridge and right up to the dam.  Worked up quite a sweat, but it felt good.

Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Clause - December 6th

I saw him yesterday poling a Mad River Explorer on the Ware River.  He sometimes goes by the name Mike, and he was accompanied by seven elves – Chuck, Tommy, Marshall, Matt, Sean, Mena and me.

We had a fun day on the Ware River in Gilbertville, MA. Eight boats (six Explorers - Mike, Chuck, Tommy, Marshall, Matt and Sean, one Dagger Reflection - Mena, and one Mohawk Whitewater 16 - me) put-in at Hardwick Road and poled down to Upper Church Street – about eight miles.

When we arrived at the put-in at around 10:00, the area was covered with a thin blanket of snow - not as much as we had received in RI, but still pretty. The river starts off as flatwater with an occasional riffle.

About a mile above Gilbertville the rapids begin. The AMC guide and American Whitewater rate them as class II/III, but that is dramatically overstated - at least at yesterday's water level (Ware River near Barre, MA - 3.5 ft., 110 cfs). At the bottom of the first set of rapids there is nice ledge to practice attainments. Sean pushed up with no problem, as did Mike, Tommy and Matt. I made it half way up, only to get spun sideways and pushed back downstream.

Below the Route 32 Bridge the river is shallower and picks up speed – avoiding rocks becomes a major challenge as Tommy found out the hard way. Not wanting to ruin my perfect record, I also took a swim a little further downstream.

After loading the boats, we reconvened for pizza and beer at Hardwick House of Pizza - another great day.

Links:
My Pictures
River Description from American Whitewater
Directions to put-in from Google Maps