Another 50 degree day - Blackstone River in MA

We had another nice warm day, and a couple of paddling buddies offered to come down to my neck of the woods (funny how that happens when you live in the south where it ices-out first) to paddle a section of my home river - the Blackstone. We did a nine-mile section from River Bend Farm in Uxbridge, MA to the Millville Rapid in Millville, MA. The day was warm, the river was up, and the winds were gusting up to 40 mph. The first half of the trip is quick water as the river twists and turns through the woods. After it absorbs the Mumford and West Rivers about half way down, the Blackstone opens up and there is more flatwater. There are two small rapids that get all the attention - a broken dam at the beginning, and the Millville Rapid at the end. Here we are running the Millville Rapid.

Millville Rapid from Erik Eckilson on Vimeo.

Good time as always. Few more pictures here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/eckilson/albums/72157689852110162

Looks like a great way to spend a day in January!

Your playful time in the rapid made me smile. Glad you recovered quickly from whatever ailed you so you could have some fun. Of course, I’m extraordinarily jealous…

Thanks - definitely the flu, but I am over it. The weather has been alternating between warm and cold, and it looks like that will continue into early February. If we are lucky, we won’t get an extended cold snap to freeze things up again. There is still a lot of winter left, but I am hoping.

@eckilson said:
Thanks - definitely the flu, but I am over it. The weather has been alternating between warm and cold, and it looks like that will continue into early February. If we are lucky, we won’t get an extended cold snap to freeze things up again. There is still a lot of winter left, but I am hoping.

I saw a longer term forecast for more and extended cold in February. I am on the opposite end of desire. I want more nor’easters and waves to ride… :slight_smile:

PS. Of course, I want and enjoy spring too… but in its normal cycle of time in late March/early April.

sing

Nor’easter’s are fine - snow is good, rain is good. I’d just like them followed by some warm winds from the south so the rivers don’t freeze up again. Is that too much to ask? Maybe it is in February.

@eckilson said:
Nor’easter’s are fine - snow is good, rain is good. I’d just like them followed by some warm winds from the south so the rivers don’t freeze up again. Is that too much to ask? Maybe it is in February.

Well… Okay. If you put that way. :smile: I think NE skiers, surfers and ww kayakers may have more in common than not about our desire for “normal” winter precipitation.

sing