Watercraft in Winter!

Stopping for a little laughter!

It was just about a year ago today that a winter storm advisory was in effect for our area.  At that time our kayaks were secured and stored away without a thought of being used as snow amounts made it the 3rd snowiest January on record.

Fast forward to today where the temperatures reached over 60 degrees.  Perfect for a day with the sisters to be on the Charles River - our favorite kayaking spot!  After checking out one or two landings we decided to shove off at Peter's Point because of its easy on/off access.

The strong current provided a solid workout.  The wind whispering through the trees blew in our faces as we made our way upstream. Gnarled trees looked as though they were waving to us from the sidelines and on the edge of the river shiny glints of ice sat smiling as if to say "yes, it IS January after all!"

It was a quiet day on the river with the exception of the  'raft of mallards' in the water ahead.  They acted like guides as they seemed to be leading the way.  Of course we did paddle by the Bill Martin Field where we heard and spied some radio controlled air craft flying high over head.

Quitting time!

Along the shoreline we could see many hikers and bikers also taking advantage of the weather as they made their way through the Rocky Narrows Reservation area.  We did exchange some 'hellos' and 'how you doings' with a few young hikers who were atop King Philip's Overlook.


The day that started out warm now had a nip in the air.  (Fortunately I had a sham-wow with me that I placed across my legs like a blanket for warmth.)  The sun was quickly sinking behind the trees so it was time to head back and call it a day.


This was one of those BONUS days...Who would have imagined that we would be kayaking in New England in January. 

Maiden Voyage 4-9-11

Splish! Splash! Splish!  Kayaks teetered as we carefully placed our left foot, then right, into the boat. With just a little effort we pushed ourselves into the waiting river! Our paddles plopped in too and we were off for our 'maiden voyage' along the Charles River on this beautiful spring day!  The temperature at 62 degrees was perfect for our first  outing of the season!  Heading upstream the wind was blowing briskly in our faces at a strong 7 miles per hour.
 
The river looked very different from our last paddle in the fall.  The trees that once held brightly colored leaves were mostly bare.  Upon closer inspection some of them were beginning to bud - a sure sign that soon it will be full of color once again.    Homes, paths and other landmarks not visible in the summer and fall could now be seen. The sparseness provided us with a contrastive view of our familiar playground.


Life on the river was rather quiet as well. Although the Peter's Point parking area was crowded, there was only one other fellow kayaker (he had a sleek fiberglass kayak equipped with racing paddles). However, one or two painted turtles, five turkey buzzards, a pair of busy mallards moseying about, a pair of boisterous Canada geese protecting their nesting area, and a favorite, the majestic  great blue heron were spotted during the trip.

Heading Down Stream

Hikers and walkers were seen on high atop King Philip's Overlook, the rocks near the Rocky Narrows section of the river.  Paddling through this narrow stretch of the river surrounded by the high rock formations, always makes me think about the Native Americans who might have paddled the same section of the river hundreds of years earlier.

Pulling into Peter's Point after a Great Day of Paddling!

After the mile or so paddle to the Route 27 bridge, we headed home with the wind at our backs and the sun peaking in and out of the clouds.  It was a perfect ending to a perfect day out on the Charles River.