Rivers Day at Central Falls Landing - June 15, 2024

I spent Saturday at the RICKA booth at the Rivers Day Celebration at Central Falls Landing. Nice day, but not a lot of people at the event. Peter and I did take our boats out for a paddle up the Blackstone to the Pratt Dam, and it was nice that Paul and Fran stopped in for a visit.

Gary, Ron, Peter and Erik at the RICKA Booth at Rivers Day

Chocolateville to Valley Falls - July 3, 2018

Every time I look at the RICKA website it seems that I am leading another trip. Last night it was the Blackstone Valley Paddle Club trip from Chocolateville to Valley Falls.  

We put in at the Chocolateville Landing just upstream of the Roosevelt Avenue Bridge and the Elizabeth Webbing Mills Dam. Parking is a pain, and the put-in is down a steep, poison ivy covered hill, but other than that it is great. The river was low, but fluid - 1.5 feet, 200 cfs on the Woonsocket gage. It’s only about a mile up to Valley Falls where we explored the remnants of the old Valley Falls mill complex. Fun night.  

The crew in the mill race between the Valley Falls Mills

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My Pictures

Valley Falls - July 7, 2015

Rain threatened, but never fell, so we had a nice Blackstone Valley Paddle Club trip at Valley Falls. We put in at the Valley Falls Landing and paddled up through the Lonsdale Marsh to the Pratt Dam. The water level was good for this time of year, so several boats made it all the way up to the tubes - another nice night.

Earl approaches the Tubes at the Pratt Dam

Links:

Trip description from the BVNHC

I went to Chocolateville today - July 14, 2013

I was actually suppose to go there with Chuck, Tommy and Jim during the Paddle Across Rhode Island, but that got washed out, so I went by myself today. I put-in at the River Island Campground in Valley Falls, and paddled down to the Chocolate Mill Landing in Central Falls - about a mile. 

Until today I didn’t know that the first chocolate mill in the country was located in Central Falls. The Chocolate Mill Landing is actually pretty nice. It’s at the corner of Roosevelt Avenue and Charles Street in Central Falls just upstream from the Elizabeth Webbing Dam. The put-in is down a step hill, but there is a nice set of stairs.

This section of the Blackstone is rarely paddled since there hasn’t been good access. There has been access up in Valley Falls for a while (off High Street in Central Falls at the new River Island Campground), but the parking is a problem there, and it’s a long carry to the river. This will work out much better. 

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My pictures
River Island Campground - Central Falls

Lonsdale Drive-in Part 2 – Muskrats on the Blackstone - January 14, 2012

The Muskrats - Erik, Cheryl, Frank, Jim and Kent

I was back at the Lonsdale Drive-in today to paddle with a small group from RICKA - Jim called us the Muskrats. The day was bright and sunny and the temperature was around 33°, but it seemed colder because of the wind.

When I arrived at the put-in, Cheryl, Kent, Frank and Jim were already there. I got my gear on quickly and we headed down to the river. Last week I noticed a lot of trash in the area, so today I brought a trash bag and picked it all up. Suasco Al – the Trash Paddler – has become a good influence on me.

Frank breaks the ice

Last week, I paddled upstream to the Pratt Dam. Today we decided to paddle downstream into the Valley Falls Pond. It was a pleasant trip down with the wind to our backs. I knew it would be a different story on the way back up.

We paddled across the Valley Falls Pond to explore some of the coves on the far side. Frank was our icebreaker as we entered the first cove on the Valley Falls side. The ice was about ¼ inch thick.

Cheryl, Jim and the swans

We headed back out and paddled over to a cove on the Cumberland side. Once again, Frank led the way through the ice. This time we ended up in a small ice-free pond along with two mute swans. They weren’t very happy to see us, but we left them alone, and they did the same.

We headed back out and began to paddle back to the put-in. With the wind and current against us, it was a tougher trip. We stopped about half way up for a warm drink, and then paddled on. We had talked about paddling a little further up stream, but everyone decided to call it a day while we were still warm.

Heading back - Cadillac Mill and Cumberland City Hall in the background

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Spring Planning - Blackstone Valley Paddle Club trips for 2011

With the first day of spring a couple of weeks away, we have our first planning meeting for the Blackstone Valley Paddle Club next week. Unfortunately, I’ll be in New York. I did send along a couple of suggestions.

Looks like I’ll be leading a joint Blackstone Valley Paddle Club/Rhode Island Blueways trip on July 5th above the Blackstone Gorge. It’s a nice flatwater section that we do every year. One of the few intact locks from the old Blackstone Canal is visible from this section of the river.

In June, I’ll also be leading a Paddle Club Trip from the Valley Falls Dam on the Cumberland/Central Falls line to the Elizabeth Webbing Dam on the Central Falls/Pawtucket line. There is a little quickwater at the start which can easily be avoided. We will explore the system of trenches that provided power to the Valley Falls Mill Village, and then paddle down a pleasant section of the Blackstone River.

Dams on the Lower Blackstone River

I was sorting through some old pictures yesterday, and was able to put together pictures of all the dams on the lower Blackstone River from Blackstone, MA down to Pawtucket, RI.

Rolling Dam - Blackstone Gorge

Saranac Dam - Waterford/Blackstone

Woonsocket Falls Dam
(seen through the South Main Street Bridge)

Manville Dam

Albion Dam

Ashton Dam

Pratt Dam - Lonsdale

Valley Falls Dam



Elizabeth Webbing Mills Dam - Central Falls



Slater Mill Dam - Pawtucket

Pawtucket Falls Dam
(Photo  by Cheryl Thompson Cameron)

All can be portaged, although some are much more difficult than others.  The dams along the Blackstone River Bikeway from Woonsocket to Valley Falls (Manville, Albion, Ashton and Lonsdale) can be portaged relatively easily.

The next dam upstream in MA is Rice City in Uxbridge.  I would have had a picture of that dam if I hadn't lost my camera on Saturday.  Above Plummers Landing is the dam at Riverdale, followed by the Depot Street Dam in Grafton. I'm not familiar with the dams further upstream in MA, but I want to get up there sometime. The section from Riverlin Street in Millbury down to Grafton is on my list of places to paddle.

Valley Falls to Lonsdale - September 19th

I hadn't been able to paddle for the last few weekends, so it was nice to get out for a couple of hours yesterday.  I went down to Valley Falls and paddled up to the Pratt Dam.   The river was busy - saw a few kayaks, a couple of fishermen, and the Blackstone Valley Explorer running tours.

 
Valley Falls to Lonsdale from Erik Eckilson on Vimeo.

Links:
Valley Falls from Woonsocket.org
Trip description from the BVNHC

Valley Falls to Pawtucket – July 10th

I was back on the Blackstone River today paddling a section that I had never done before - Valley Falls to Pawtucket.

I parked off High Street in Central Falls in the parking lot next to the walking track. There is a path there that takes you over the old mill trench and down to the river. The river was low just below the dam, but was fine otherwise. With a lot more water, this might be a good place to bring my whitewater boat.  (There is a path by the mill trench on the Central Falls side that goes back up toward the dam which would make doing loops easier.)

Its only about a mile down to the Elizabeth Webbing Dam. I was able to portage around the dam on the right through the parking lot for an old mill that has been converted into condominiums. Its another mile down to the old Slater Mill. The scenery is OK if you like old mills. I did see lots of different birds including an Osprey and what looked like a Cormorant.

I got home around 11:30, and the rain and thunderstorms rolled in around 1:30.  Unfortunately, we still need more rain.


Valley Falls to Pawtucket from Erik Eckilson on Vimeo.

Links:
Valley Falls from Woonsocket.org
Samuel Slater from Woonsocket.org

Lonsdale Marsh - July 6th

Steamy – that’s probably the best way to describe the weather yesterday, but we still had around 30 boats at a Blackstone Valley Paddle Club Trip to Valley Falls. We put in at the Valley Falls Landing and paddled up through the Lonsdale Marsh to the Pratt Dam. The water level was low, and the temperature was hot, but several boaters still made it all the way up to the dam - with only one swim along the way. We paddled back down into the marsh just as the sun began to set - another nice night.

Links:
Valley Falls from Woonsocket.org
Trip description from the BVNHC
My Pictures