Kayaking in the Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge

Saturday was a gorgeous day so Nancy and I went for a paddle in the Oxbow in Harvard, MA. We headed downstream toward Rt. 2. It wasn't in bad shape, but I figured I'd get to the end of our paddle before filling my basket.
North of Rt. 2 I started picking up stuff - mostly a piece here or there. As we headed back, I grabbed a tire and some of the stuff that looked most hazardous - paint, motor oil, that kind of stuff.
There wasn't that much stuff overall - maybe 2 more tires and a few baskets of trash - hopefully in another week or two we can get back and clean it all up.
We ran into a group of 4 guys who do a trip down the river each year - it was their 30th year. They were very appreciative of the effort - maybe they remember what the river was like only 5 years ago, this month, when this story began.

Nashua River - 2A to the Ice House Dam

Saturday I had the chance to go for a paddle so I chose a place that others generally don't prefer to put in since I was by myself. Rt. 2A at the Nashua is covered with Poison Ivy and long grass that's ideal for ticks. Aside from that, it's a good launch point to clean up below the dam in Shirley.
I paddled upstream althought the current was stiff, and made it up to just below the train bridge - then it gets to fast and shallow to keep going upstream. I collected a little less than a basket full of trash, I was a bit surprised how little there was - maybe all this is starting to pay off?
Since I wasn't fully loaded and I don't like to give up unless I collect a tire or 2, I headed downstream and up the Squannacook River. At the joining of the two in a logjam I spotted a tire, but it was a truck tire - as in a tractor-trailer sized tire.
I noticed it was not lodged in so I wiggled it free and wrestled it onto the tree I was stopped at. After draining most of the water out I then rolled it down the tree to my kayak and flopped it on the deck. I thought I was gonna swamp my poor little boat! But I managed to get it situated, balance the rest of the garbage and very gingerly slide myself in.
Wow was that tire heavy! The boat was so unstable that several times I thought I was going to swamp. I did manage to get it back to the launch, unload it and drag it back to the truck - through the poison ivy of course. But it's out of there and fortunately it was not a long distance from the launch point - I'm glad I chose that stretch to work on.

Merrimack River Clean Up

I do a lot on the Nashua River, but my little kayak can't match up to what these folks are doing on the Merrimack River: http://www.cleanriverproject.com. Keep up the good work!

Kayak Season Opener

Today I had the opportunity to take my first paddle of the new year. I put in at 119 in Groton and paddled up to the Groton boathouse. There was only maybe a basket of trash along that distance, but I wasn't picking up trash, it was just a survey mission.
If anyone knows folks at the row club, I think one of their orange buoys is downstream just below Fitch's bridge on the western side.

Spring Thaw

The rivers look more and more open these days, as you can imagine, I'm itching to get out on the river and to get started on a new year of clean-up so I can add some new material to my Brainshark Presentation.

Although I enjoy other winter activities like snowshoeing, skiing (both downhill and nordic), and just hanging out in the snow, kayaking is what keeps me sane.

Any day now...

Trees in the River

I always wonder about what to take out of the river. I only take the stuff that didn't occur naturally, but I often wonder about whether the trees that seem to be "in the way" are serving a useful purpose.
Recently, Russ Cohen of the Mass Riverways Program gave a talk at the town hall here in Townsend. I wasn't able to attend, but here are a few of the documents he made available which cover some of these important topics as well as preserving the river and the surrounding areas.
There's lots of good material here to consider for home and business owners who have property near the river and for folks who just like to spend time there. Thanks Russ!

Fact Sheet 3
Fact Sheet 4
Woody Debris

Why do I do this?

I've been telling the story about cleaning up the river for a couple of years now, but I've never attempted to explain why, because primarily I want people to understand the problem, but more importantly, feel as though they can do something about it themselves. My motivations didn't seem to matter, but lately it seems like a question I ask of myself.
The exercise I get from kayaking helps me cope with the stress of work and being a single dad (nothing worthwhile is easy). But I think most importantly paddling is a very serene, almost meditative activity for me - even if I'm covered with trash. Just the sound of the paddle in the water and the sounds of nature makes me remember I'm part of a much larger picture. There are things that existed long before this lifetime and will be here long after my lifetime ends. That somehow makes my daily stress and challenges seem not so great after all. But it's more than just my favorite activity.
I've always had a deep connection to nature, it was clear even as a child. I'm not sure if it's because I'm told I have some Native American heritage or some other cause, but it's always been there. Seeing trash in a river or in a park or even along the roadside is a constant reminder to me that simply by living, especially in a western culture, I'm creating a burden on the planet every day. I feel bad about that.
In daily life, I recycle like crazy, have compact fluorescent bulbs throughout my house, and take the train to work, but I know I'm nowhere near carbon-neutral. If I could afford to switch my home over to geo and solar, I would, If I could haul the stuff away from the river in an electric car, I would, but I need a small pickup truck for that. If I had the time to grow my own food I'd even consider that. Cleaning up the river is not so much about doing something good, I'm trying to make up for the negative impact I have without even realizing it most of the time.
Don't get me wrong, it does make me feel good, and especially if I can inspire someone else to start thinking about their impact. While it gives an immediate feeling of accomplishment, the river provides a constant reminder that everything is impermanent. The constant change, the constant presence of a new problem brings awareness that what you've done is not important, what you're doing - now that's important.