With severe cold and a very early ice-up here in southern New England, it’s been over a month since I’ve been out paddling. Hiking is a good substitute, but I was anxious to get out in the boat again. With a warm weekend, and one of the local’s looking to paddle a section of the Quinebaug River in CT, I had my chance.
One of the first trips that I did with long-time P-netters Wickerbutt and Riverstrider was the Quinebaug River from Putnam to Dayville in CT. It was the spring of 2006. I had just bought my Yellowstone Solo, but was pretty much a complete newbie otherwise. That was the first of many great trips with those fine paddlers.
Since that first trip with Mike and Chuck, I have driven past the Quinebaug many times on my way to other rivers in CT. When I saw that Earl had posted a Quinebaug trip on one of the local message boards, I decided it was time to go back. We put-in in Putnam, but with the river at a nice level, decided to portage the Rogers Dam and extend the trip down to Brooklyn – about 11 miles. The take-out was still iced-in, but other than the ice and a long carry back to the cars, it was a great trip.
We got another couple of inches of rain yesterday, so the snow is pretty much gone, and all the rivers are running. Unfortunately, I’m home with the flu - sick as a dog.
@eckilson said:
We got another couple of inches of rain yesterday, so the snow is pretty much gone, and all the rivers are running. Unfortunately, I’m home with the flu - sick as a dog.
@eckilson said:
We got another couple of inches of rain yesterday, so the snow is pretty much gone, and all the rivers are running. Unfortunately, I’m home with the flu - sick as a dog.
I had several wonderful early season trips, and we seem to get a nice rain to top the rivers off every few days too.
Did a nice Easter afternoon run from Killingly to Canterbury today. The flow was nice and quick with just the right amount of bounce. Only once or twice did I notice that the upstream wind slowed me to a near stop on the flatwater sections.
Wonderful! Glad(and a bit envious)you got a point-to-point river trip in. Appreciate the references to Pnet bad ol’ days too…Did one paddle with Riverstriding Chuck over here on the Catskill Creek(pics lost to time and old computer)nice guy. Never met Wickerbutt in person, but he seemed like a real hoot from our old pnutter correspondences,
Now I’ll ask the devil’s advocate question so lurking vultures can have at you: How did you two set shuttle? Oh yeah, and that’s not remaining ice, this is…;-
If you are asking me, that trip was two years ago, so shuttles weren’t a problem. Crazy winter back in 2018 - everything froze up in the middle of November, and then it warmed up in the middle of January and we had great winter/early spring paddling.
Lots of rain this year too, but it is all kind of a waste. I did get out on Good Friday with a buddy - wives provided the shuttle. Like paddling alone with a friend.
Oops–Didn’t have my reading glasses on(don’t know where I stashed my reading comprehension either;-)
Like the shots of that ruin…Old mill?
Spoke with a pal yesterday while it was raining about the possibility of us tagging the Esopus in next few days. He got tested for Covid and was negative. Told him he’d still have to ride to Put-In outside on the back of my pick-up, because his personal hygiene’s never been the greatest to begin with(and my wife running shuttle won’t have it any other way.)
