# Trailboss' Paddling Reports: Summer 2007 (Now WITH PICS!)



## thetrailboss (Apr 28, 2007)

I just got a kayak and will be checking out some of the area's lakes, rivers, and ponds.  Stay tuned here for reports and more info.


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## thetrailboss (Apr 28, 2007)

*Date:*  April 28, 2007

*2007 Trip Report #:*  1

*Location:* Connecticut River, Ledyard Bridge

*Conditions:*  Low water, swift currents due to spring release.  

* Weather:*  Clouds.  Temps in the high 60's.  Water temps in the 40's maybe.     

*Trip Report:* The Maiden Voyage.  Decided to go to Ledyard after seeing that the Wilder Dam was releasing water, and the usually large lake in Wilder was shallow and pretty rapid.  I put in where the swimming dock usually is.  Found that the current was pretty fast...rode it out to just past the bridge and then paddled up stream past the boat houses, rode it back down.  

Just a bit too fast at this point...and the water was cold.  Will be back when the river is more normal.


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## thetrailboss (Apr 28, 2007)

*Date:*  April 28, 2007

*2007 Trip Report #:*  2

*Location:* Storr's Pond

*Conditions:*  Calm waters, no wind.  

* Weather:*  Clouds.  Temps in the high 60's.  Water temps in the 40's maybe.     

*Trip Report:* Well, my spin on the Connecticut was a let down, so I decided to go to Storr's Pond because I had time to spare and it was too nice to just go home.  I pulled into the lot to find a family...with kids swimming   After speaking with the Mom about boats and our new rack, I pushed off the beach and headed out on the .75-1 mile long pond.  Thanks to the woman for advice as to where to paddle this summer....

For the next 2:30 I was in pure bliss.  The water was flat.  I spent the time getting the feel for my boat.  I dig it.  Nice ride...stable, fast, and tracks well.  I was able to get into some narrow channels and cruise right along the shoreline.  Turns on a dime.  Really happy with the boat.  

Got close to some ducks, but no other wildlife to be seen except for some spring frogs chirping on the side of the water.  

I made 2 full laps of the pond, which is a narrow body of water with some character.  The water temp was not as cold as the river...feet went numb after a minute as opposed to 15 seconds.  I closed by doing the main part of the pond before heading back to the beach.  

Beside the beach/swimming area is a small channel, which is fed by a tributary.  Was able to scoot into the channel and even up the stream a ways!  It was a nice "runway" for fooling around. 

The boat is really comfortable and the seat is nice.  The padding is great.   

A nice afternoon....will certainly be back.


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## thetrailboss (May 1, 2007)

*Date:*  April 30, 2007

*2007 Trip Report #:*  3

*Location:* Storr's Pond

*Conditions:*  Calm waters, a stiff wind at times.  

* Weather:*  Clouds.  Temps in the high 50's.  Water temps in the 40's maybe.  

It was a cold paddle.  Interesting trip over...the kayak came off the car at one point because of the wind   And it was a :x day overall.  So I did not paddle too well....the boat was tacking a bit too much and I was really struggling.  Adjusting seat and pedals was tough tonight...I was a mess.  It was nice to get out.  Scared a beaver and a Great Blue Heron.


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## thetrailboss (May 1, 2007)

*Date:*  May 1, 2007

*2007 Trip Report #:*  4

*Location:* Storr's Pond

*Conditions:*  Calm waters, no wind.  

* Weather:*  Clouds.  Temps in the low 60's.

I couldn't resist getting out in the sun that we had...the first sun in almost a week!  When I went out to put the boat on the car this morning, I was surprised at how chilly it was.  The car said 49 F at 10:30am.  

At 4pm, I left Dartmouth and drove the 2 miles or so to the Storr's Pond.  Nobody was there...no wind and sun.  Got on the water and found the boat again...got a good rhythm  and into the flow.  I did see a large bird of some kind...maybe a bald eagle (didn't look big enough).  Also saw a snapping turtle up close.  

Two laps around the pond and some horsing around in the few inlets there were.


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## Rushski (May 2, 2007)

Sounds like someone is hooked...


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## thetrailboss (May 8, 2007)

*May 8, 2007 (With PICS!)*

*Date:*  May 8, 2007

*2007 Trip Report # :*  5

*Location:* Storr's Pond

*Conditions:*  Calm waters for the most part, some wind on the southern end that made for some choppy water.  

* Weather:*  Sunny for a change!!!  8) .  Temps in the 70's.  :beer:

Ms. Trailboss joined me for her first spin in her boat.  We put in at 5pm and it was perfect timing....just cool enough to be comfortable, but warm enough for a T-shirt and shorts.  Did three laps around the pond. Variable conditions...calm at the northern end and some choppy small waves at the southern end on one lap.  The water level had dropped, as I found out when I went up one of the inlets and got a bit stuck....oh well.  

The boat and I were one today....it was nice.  I also noted that I was able to go faster than Ms. TB in her boat and I was tracking straighter.  I have not tried her boat yet, but want to at some point.  She really liked her boat and she said it handled well and she had a good time...we were out there for a solid two hours!  Three laps and some playing in the inlets...all good.  Nice now that exams and classes are done!  We saw the resident kingfisher and several ducks.  Nothing else exotic....

Some pics:  

Trailboss coming in for a landing:






The boats on the beach:







*The Summer Boating Gallery.* Or at least the start of one!  :wink:


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## thetrailboss (May 9, 2007)

*Date:*  May 9, 2007

*2007 Trip Report # :*  6

*Location:* Woodward Reservoir, Plymouth, VT

*Conditions:*  Calm waters for the most part, some wind on the southern end that made for some choppy water.  Wind picked up at times…making it interesting.  

* Weather:*  Sunny for a change!!!  8) .  Temps in the 70's-80’s.  :beer:

*Report:*  Well, first time without the training wheels per se.  Left Storr’s Pond and headed to Killington for some skiing and paddling.  After skiing, I headed to the water:  






I got to the water at 1:30 or so, only 10 minutes from Bear Mountain and literally 4 miles from the Old Sunrise Base Area.  I had lunch and waited for the other folks to get their canoe in the water.  






From the launch, I headed north around that end of the reservoir, by the Farm and Field Entrance, and then around the eastern shoreline of the first peninsula, and then around to the furthest inlet on the east….around the eastern shoreline and then around the main part of the lake, where the wind was the strongest.  I saw the loon in the main part and watched as he dove for fish and popped up several hundred feet from where he was.  Amazing.  

I looped around the western side, staying as far as I could away from the noise of Route 100.  At one point in the lake there is a very shallow spot, marked by a cairn which the campers built (I assume).  From here, I cut across the lake and caught up with my winged loon friend.  After watching him, I cut into the middle inlet and around the beaver lodge and back to the launch.  Two hours total.  Good paddle, but I was not in top form.  

Some pics:











An interesting body of water and only minutes from Killington.  

The children's camp on that lake is enormous and has some really nice buildings and many, many boat launches and swimming areas.


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## thetrailboss (May 10, 2007)

*Date:*  May 10, 2007

*2007 Trip Report # :*  7

*Location:* Goose Pond, Hanover/Dorchester, NH

*Conditions:*  Calm waters.  Very calm.  Water temps in the 50's (very warm).  

* Weather:*  Sunny for a change!!!  8) .  Temps in the 70's-80’s.  :beer:

*Report:*  On my first outing, I had heard from another local that Goose Pond was a great place to paddle.  I did my research and found that it was fairly close by and was a pretty good sized body of water.  

I made the trip over today.  It is the body of water that is visible from Moose Mountain and Holt's Ledge.  

The boat launch is relatively new and has a great park complete with new picnic areas and a small beach.  

I spent two hours and covered most of the pond.  I started out and headed north into the small bay area.  After that, I headed south along the western shoreline and around the island (be careful of the rocks which are right below the surface in places!  They are marked).  

I was one of three boats on the lake and it was a sheet of glass for most of the day.  In the afternoon, the wind picked up a bit cooling things off.  On the way back, I headed around the island and then cut back across the width of the lake to view the Loon.  He checked me out and then took a dive and reappeared on the other side of the lake!  What nice birds.  Hope that they are nesting in the area.  

From the lake, one can see Holt's Ledge, Winslow (both the Dartmouth Ski Way), Moose Mountain (north and south) as well as other local hills.  It was very quiet....very nice.  

Some pics:

The start of the trip...look how flat the water is:






On the lake: (a great shot!)






Holt's Ledge:






Moose Mountain:






And the Loon:


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## loafer89 (May 10, 2007)

If you want to try some mild whitewater in Vermont, the White river between Stockbridge and Bethel is a solid class II and is fun. I also have experience on the Battenkill and the West river near West Dummerston which is a class I.

The Androscoggin River in Northern New Hampshire is also fun with lots of mild class I and a few class II parts. This river is unique in that it is heavily impounded and has water year round. Route 16 also folows the river which makes shuttling easy.

I am going to teach my son how to paddle on our town lake this summer and get him ready for some mild whitewater on the Housatonic.


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## thetrailboss (May 10, 2007)

loafer89 said:


> If you want to try some mild whitewater in Vermont, the White river between Stockbridge and Bethel is a solid class II and is fun. I also have experience on the Battenkill and the West river near West Dummerston which is a class I.
> 
> The Androscoggin River in Northern New Hampshire is also fun with lots of mild class I and a few class II parts. This river is unique in that it is heavily impounded and has water year round. Route 16 also folows the river which makes shuttling easy.
> 
> I am going to teach my son how to paddle on our town lake this summer and get him ready for some mild whitewater on the Housatonic.



The White River is a mile from our place...so we are definitely planning on trying it out!  :beer:


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## loafer89 (May 10, 2007)

The White River is usually only runable in the spring or after a rain. I kayaked it in late May after skiing at Killington.

Your best bet is to get the AMC River Guide to New Hampshire and Vermont. I own it and read up and scout each river before running it.

We paddle inflatable kayaks which are much harder if not impossible to flip and I do not do an eskimo roll, which you should know how to do in a hardshell kayak.


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## thetrailboss (May 26, 2007)

*May 26, 2007:  Connecticut River (Wilder to Ledyard)*

*Date:*  May 26, 2007

*2007 Trip Report # :*  8

*Location:* Connecticut River--Wilder Dam to Ledyard and back.

*Conditions:*  Calm waters for the most part, some wind at times and a slow current heading down stream.  

* Weather:*  Sunny  8) .  Temps in the 70's-80’s.  :beer:  Water in the 50's.

*Report:*   Holiday is here and the weather was great.  We decided to stay local....have a BBQ at the park and a nice paddle upstream to Ledyard and back.  I was very  and  to have such a nice body of water to paddle literally 2 miles from home...lots of interesting things to see, little nooks and crannies.  Two or three islands that are open to the public...two of them with grills and public camping areas.  Very nice.  

It was about three miles from end to end.  We went right up the middle.  Some stiff winds at times, but nice otherwise.  Lots of other folks on the water in their kayaks and canoes.  Good, friendly bunch overall.  Water level is still about a foot below where it normally is in the summer, which will help with the rocks and shallow areas.  

NH State Police had a patrol boat out...keeping control of things.  Lots of Dartmouth students....some brave enough to swim!  Very nice paddle.  Not too fast, not too slow.  Got to ride the current back to the park and enjoy a great evening barbecue.  Though I picked up enough cans and bottles to pay for our gas.  That's a good thing...leave the place better than you found it.  

At sunset, the water was still.  Very inviting for paddling.  We're going back out on Monday and Ms. TB wants to spend more time on the water.  :beer: 

Really digging the kayaking thing.....very relaxing and fun.  Hook it up with a BBQ and you've got it made.  We may be getting a hibachi from a friend....if it is small enough, I smell paddling trips to the island for a BBQ.  Very nice.


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## thetrailboss (May 28, 2007)

*Date:*  May 28, 2007

*2007 Trip Report # :*  9

*Location:* Connecticut River--Wilder Dam to Ledyard and back.

*Conditions:*  Calm waters for the most part, some wind at times and a slow current heading down stream.  

* Weather:*  Sunny  8) .  Temps in the 70's-80’s.  :beer:  Water in the 50's.

*Report:*  Another great day.  Got down there at 1:30 and enjoyed the sun and nice breeze.  Some strong gusts at times.  Paddled up around the islands and then back to the park.  Went down toward the boat launch, but didn't go too far down that way.  

I landed at the large island and scouted out the campsite.  Very nice.  Not as many boats on the water as on Saturday.  Just as nice of a day.  

We came back to the park and met our friends.  Fired up the grill and began the post boating action.  Took one of my friends for a paddle up around the islands...he wanted to try a boat.  So we went out for a 45 minute cruise.  Got out and checked out the DOC's cabin on the island...very nice.  We have hopes of a camping trip to the island....coming soon!

Came back and grilled some more.  Had a great BBQ and then came home.  Very nice afternoon.  Our friends were amazed that this park was so close and open to the public.  :beer:  

I am again simply  that the River is more entertaining than I thought it would be.  

Oh yeah....part of Big Green's crew team passed by us this afternoon.  

Some pics:

Looking south:






Looking north at the islands:





Apres Boating:






Trailboss' *boating album.*


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## thetrailboss (Jun 2, 2007)

*Date:*  June 2, 2007

*2007 Trip Report # :*  10

*Location:* Goose Pond, NH

*Conditions:*  Calm waters for the most part, some wind at times made for some small waves.  

* Weather:*  Hazy sunshine.  Temps were a good 10 degrees cooler than in town Hanover and WRJ.   Temps in the upper 70's to low 80’s.  :beer:  Water in the 50's.

*Report:*  A pretty nice rainy day.  We had decided to do another Connecticut River BBQ with some friends, but they called saying that they weren't coming...the wife was sick.  Well, the boats were on the car and we had stuff ready to go for the most part, so made a quick lunch and headed to Goose Pond.  

The hazy sunshine was better than expected...the clouds provided relief and the breeze on the water was nice.  

Ms. TB was  with the place....we had a great lunch at the point and then put the boats in.  Longest day out yet...a solid three hours of paddling.  We headed due south on the open water and then looped around the island.  This time I played around the large rocks in the strait....love the boat!  

We headed back out into the open water and into the southern bay.  Saw some kids playing with a small remote control boat and having a great time.  Very mellow afternoon...a few fisherman out, but nothing wild.  

After turning around, we lost our nice breeze and it got real warm.  We made a straight line across the pond back to the boat launch.  

Ms. TB hung back and enjoyed the sun.  I got back and actually did some swimming.  It was nice and cool.  Judging by the fish I saw near the shore, they had just stocked the pond.  Lots of smaller trout just in front of me...not darting off too far.  

After a few minutes, Ms. TB came back and I took her boat for a spin.  Different feel.  Hers sits higher on the water than mine and is easier to put on edge than mine is.  So it feels more tipsy.  Tracked about the same as mine.  The seat was not comfortable at all--there was a space between my PFD and the seat bottom, which made it very :x to sit in.  Ms. TB has been using a towel to brace her back, but within my five minute spint, I can see why she needs one.  The cockpit is HUGE compared to mine.  Not as snug, so I felt as if I was driving a bathtub.  She loves it though and that is what matters.  

I got back, did some more swimming, and then racked the boats just in the nick of time....a thunderstorm rolled in as we drove off.  Folks were still launching boats despite the thunder  

Ms. TB dug the place.  We will be back.


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## thetrailboss (Jun 9, 2007)

*Date:*  June 3, 2007

*2007 Trip Report # :*  11

*Location:* Connecticut River--Lebanon-Hanover, NH

*Conditions:*  Stiff wind, choppy waves.  

* Weather:*  Cold.  Clouds and some fog, temps in the 60's.  Stiff wind.  Water in the 50's.

*Report:*  Diehard day.  Ms. TB was rather content staying at home while I made the 1.7 mile drive to the water.  I put in at the Wilder Boat Launch.  Despite the weather, there were maybe four or five other cars/trucks and trailers there.  

I hugged the VT shore to avoid the wind.  Water was very high.  At the park point, I cut across to the NH side.  The wind was at my back, which was nice.  A couple motor boats out....nothing big.  

Meandered around the islands and then came back via the VT side.  As expected, the winds between the park and the islands were the stiffest and the waves were the biggest.  Nothing too bad.  As I paddled, I passed several ducks, even a mother with her ducklings.  

Made it back to the boat launch in about 1:30.  Very gray and cold, but lots of fun.


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## thetrailboss (Jun 9, 2007)

*Date:*  June 9, 2007

*2007 Trip Report # :*  12

*Location:* Connecticut River--Lebanon-Hanover, NH

*Conditions:*  Pleasant conditions, becoming smooth water in late afternoon.  

* Weather:*  Sunny skies giving way to clouds, nice breeze.  Highs in the Upper 70's.   Water in the 50's.

*Report:*  Well, we were originally planning on heading to a VT State Park for Vermont Days (free admission), but we ran out of time and decided to stay local...as in 1.7 miles down the road to the river local :wink:  Great hedge for high gas prices...and gives us time to do other things.  

Got on the river at 2pm.  Quite a few cars at the launch.  Ms. TB was initially :-? about going to the boat launch, but once she saw that we could literally drive to the water rather than carry the boats the 75 yards or so, she was  

Nice conditions heading up.  A nice breeze at our backs.  Small waves.  Got to the islands and found some canoes and kids in the water having a blast.  Some folks fishing...or trying to at least.  Heard that there was not much biting.  Water was low as well.  

We wandered around the islands and then headed to Ledyard.  Quite a few boats out which was nice.  

I talked Ms. TB into going over by the railroad bridge, a nice archway.  Once we got through the arch, the shallow cove offered some nice peace and quiet.  I spotted a waterfall on the far side and went to check it out.  It was quite cool over there and the waterfall was nice.  I took some nice pics...soon to be posted.  After some pics, I pushed into the current and rode it out into the cove and back to the river.  

We headed back downstream.  Boats began to disappear and the waves and currents gave way to a nice glassy surface.  Wow.  

We were out for a solid three hours.....lots of fun.


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## thetrailboss (Jun 10, 2007)

Pictures from June 9th.  

The Islands:











Open Water to Ledyard:






The Archway:






The Waterfall:











*The Gallery.*


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## thetrailboss (Jun 10, 2007)

12 Reports or so for boating and 0 for hiking!   This kayaking thing is really taking off!  And TB needs new hiking boots!  :wink:


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## bigbog (Jun 10, 2007)

*The best trips have Both!*

*trailboss*,
 Short, but interesting hikes can really break up what would be...long paddles 8).
Nice pics...

Steve


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## Jonni (Jun 10, 2007)

I tried kayaking once, and was happy I tried it, but this college student has no where near the money to afford that bad habit.


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## thetrailboss (Jun 11, 2007)

*Date:*  June 10, 2007

*2007 Trip Report # :*  13

*Location:* Connecticut River--Wilder, VT/Lebanon, NH

*Conditions:*  Pleasant conditions--smooth water.    

* Weather:*  Sunny skies, nice breeze.  Highs in the Upper 70's.   Water in the 50's.

*Report:*  Back to the River for a Family BBQ.  The weather cleared right before we were set to head to the park, which was nice.  Originally, my brother was interested in trying out one of the boats, but he changed his mind.  So I loaded both boats, figuring at least I would go, and maybe others would want to try it.  

We got to the park and unloaded the food and goods.  My Dad decided to give my boat a try, which meant that I would get some more time in Ms. TB's boat.  

I was a bit nervous at first because my Dad is not a fan of water....a bit of a hydrophobe.  We scooted the boat up to a dock and he eased into it.  At first he was very scared...because the boat was so low to the water....and then he got used to it.  He lost the fear of flipping (impossible in my boat really).    We went to one of the points.   He caught on fast...commenting that he would love to fish in one.  We paddled back to the dock and he got out, all  from the trip.  

My sister got into my boat next and we paddled down to the other boat loading ramp, which was maybe a half a mile or so.  She liked the boat as well, but did not like getting wet from the paddles.  

After a nice supper, my Dad was itching to go back out.  So we did.   Nice smooth water and a great sunset.  He was really awe-struck and digged the boating thing.  

"I can see how this can be addictive...it is so relaxing."  

We paddled around, almost to the Wilder Boat Launch, and then headed back.  

So I spent probably 90 minutes or so in Ms. TB's boat.  I noticed that her seat was not as supportive, though it did not hurt like before.  I also noted that I was able to get a better feel for the boat and a better fit into it.  Other than the seat, the two other big differences came in how it handled.  First, the bottom is much more keeled than mine.  This translates into a much more tipsy feel, but more ability to tilt into turns and to lean into things.  Overall, I did not like it as much and noticed that I got stuck once or twice on low rocks, which normally I could ease myself over in the other boat.   

Second major difference: the boat sits so much higher in the water than mine.  For the first time I got to see how my boat looks from the side.  The bow is high, but overall one is much lower to the water.  This translates into more stability and more connection to the water IMHO.  This higher feeling, combined with the keeled bottom, made it less confident IMHO as a boat.  As someone who has been in whitewater kayaks, I know that those are very sensitive and are meant to be rolled easier.  So this boat seems more closely related to that breed whereas mine is more of a flat-bottomed boat.  Both tracked about the same.


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## thetrailboss (Jun 15, 2007)

*Date:*  June 12, 2007

*2007 Trip Report # :*  14

*Location:* White River--From Hartford Village Park to CT River and back.  

*Conditions:*  Variable river conditions.  Some minor rapids, swift flat water.    

* Weather:*  Nice sunset, but in my face 8) .  Highs in the Upper 60's.   Water in the 50's.

*Report:*  Decided on a whim to go boating since Ms. TB was in DC for the week.  On way home from work,  I scoped out the water levels of the White.  It was a bit low, but doable.  Figured I had nothing to lose.  

Got to the park at about 6:30.  Was one of a handful of folks down there enjoying the evening.  Put in and paddled maybe .25 miles upstream to a set of minor rapids, just below the VA Cutoff Bridge.  The current was stiff, but I had enough power to get through it OK.  After paddling upstream, I found a nice set I wanted to play in, so I launched myself out into them.  Forgot how much fun that is.    Did it once more and then rode the current all the way down to the Connecticut River.  

The water is surprisingly clear and shallow...never more than waist deep.  Relatively clean, except for the laptop computer that I pulled out of the bottom.  No fish.  

The paddle upstream was slow, and at times tough with that sun in my eyes.  I think that this is a better river to go downstream....even though it is pretty flat, that water really moves!  

Not too scenic at this point...the trees sheltered the river from the roads and downtown WRJ, but it is still "downtown WRJ."


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## thetrailboss (Jun 17, 2007)

*Date:*  June 16, 2007

*2007 Trip Report # :*  15

*Location:* Connecticut River--Ledyard Canoe Club north and back.  Second trip to Waterfall and back.    

*Conditions:*  Flat water giving way to some waves.  Water had warmed quite a bit.  Good crowds on the water.   

* Weather:* Sun and clouds, heavy rain and T-storm rolling through.  Highs in the upper 70's.  

*Report:*  For my Birthday weekend, the plan was to do some time on the water.  We decided to head to Ledyard and rent another boat for my friend.  We got the last one.  Nice place....very old school and vintage place.  We launched at about 2:30 or so and were out for two hours.  

We headed north on the River.....headed up about two miles or so....at which time we decided to turn around.  The plan was to head to the waterfall south of Ledyard Bridge and then to return to the Boathouse.  About half way back we were overtaken by rainshowers and then pouring rain.  Like everyone else, we clung to the sides of the river underneath the trees as the rain slowly passed.  It let up enough to head back to the Canoe Club.  About 75 yards from the Club, we heard thunder overhead....just in time for us to pull out.  Ms. TB was done, so we returned her boat, but M and I waited for it to pass.  It did, after a little while, and we headed down to the Waterfall.  

The water was a bit lower...not as interesting as last week.  

On my way back to the archway, my phone rang.  Ms. TB said she was hearing thunder and the skies were black.  In fact, the skies over Lebanon were very black.  Ms. TB said she saw more storms were coming...and that she wanted to pick us up, so we headed back to the Canoe Club and pulled out.  

A nice afternoon, did not have to get out of the boat for my swim....since it rained.  

A nice pic:  







*The gallery.*


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## bigbog (Jun 19, 2007)

*.......for a ww boat........*

*Jonni*,
 Look towards a _used_ ww boat........always tons of relatively cheap boats from guys/women _moving on_ to another boat....

$.01
Steve


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## thetrailboss (Jun 25, 2007)

*Date:*  June 18, 2007

*2007 Trip Report # :*  16

*Location:* Connecticut River--Wilder Boat Launch north to the islands.  

*Conditions:*  Flat water.

* Weather:* Beautiful sunset, cool temps, no bugs.  

*Report:*  Went for an evening paddle with Ms. TB.  Very enjoyable...smooth water, nice sunset, a handful of folks.  All reasons for getting the boats in the first place.  It was a nice 1.5 hours....very nice.


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## thetrailboss (Jun 25, 2007)

*Date:*  June 22, 2007

*2007 Trip Report # :*  17

*Location:* Connecticut River--Wilder boat launch to Islands and back.  

*Conditions:*  Flat water with some wake at times.  

* Weather:* Partly cloudy giving way to two rain showers, which we dodged, and then a beautiful sunset.  Temps cooling and winds picking up out of the NW.  

*Report:*  A nice evening on the water.  My buddy Ron came over with his wife's 14 foot Acadia model and we headed out just after 6:30pm.  Later than planned, but still good.  We got on the water and headed down to check out an old bridge abutment...at least what we thought was one....guess not.  As we came up to the river, it began to rain, so we took shelter under the trees on the edge for about 5 minutes.  After that, we were in the clear.  

Landed on the medium of the three islands.  Nice place.  Small, but good campsite and nice trees.  As we did so, someone cruised by on their kayak and pitched their tent on the main island.  

We paddled around the cove and to the DOC Cabin....just in time too.  We checked out the cabin as it poured...the door was unlocked.  The inside was nice, but we were  to see the trash and debris scattered outside.  I picked some things up and then we headed back to the boat launch after the showers ended.  We enjoyed an amazing sunset...one that made everything around us glow bright orange!


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## thetrailboss (Jun 25, 2007)

*Date:*  June 24, 2007

*2007 Trip Report # :*  18

*Location:* Goose Pond, NH

*Conditions:*  Stiff wind made for good wake.  

* Weather:* Nice sunshine giving way to partial cloudy skies.  Pleasant, with highs in the 70's.   

*Report:*  I was absolutely  to see the sun again...for a second straight day!  We decided to go to Goose Pond for some paddling....noticed that there were more camps ready and more boats on the water.

After chatting with the lake attendant, we put our boat in at the launch and headed north.  The small bay was pretty choppy, especially with the motorboats zooming around.  We passed under Wolfeboro Road to head up into the marsh at the north end.  The tall weeds  
prevented us from going further, so we headed back into the pond.  

We decided to head toward the island and then cut back.  As we went around the island, we found a couple fisherman and signs warning us to stay clear of the loons....in fact, we saw both resident loons feasting on fish.  We thought about paddling around them through the narrow strait, but the loons, from 75 feet away, appeared stressed, probably because  of the guy in the nearby motorboat, so we headed back the other way and across the pond, where the waves were pretty big.  

We paddled back to the launch area...a nice 2.5 hours out.  I did get a minor sunburn, but it was a small price to pay for such a nice day.


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## Jonni (Jun 25, 2007)

bigbog said:


> *Jonni*,
> Look towards a _used_ ww boat........always tons of relatively cheap boats from guys/women _moving on_ to another boat....
> 
> $.01
> Steve



Thanks for the advice! I will be keeping an eye and an ear out....


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## thetrailboss (Jun 25, 2007)

Jonni said:


> Thanks for the advice! I will be keeping an eye and an ear out....



Down where you are, you should find a lot of used boats I would imagine....


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## MAD777 (Jun 27, 2007)

*Re: Trailboss' Paddling Reports*

Hey Trailboss, I just discovered this thread. What great pictures. Keep up the great posts!


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## thetrailboss (Jul 2, 2007)

*Date:*  June 29, 2007

*2007 Trip Report # :*  19

*Location:* Wilder Reservoir/Connecticut River, Wilder, VT

*Conditions:*  Calm.   

* Weather:* A nice evening, bit on the cool side.  

*Report:*  We decided to have a nice evening paddle and a BBQ at the river.  I got home early to find Ms. TB ready to get out of the house after a long day.  The paddling helped her with that pent-up feeling...

We left from the park area and headed north around the islands and up into the bay just below Ledyard.  I went around the cove near the mouth of the Mink Brook and then looped around a tuft of cat-tails/river grass that was growing out of the middle of the river :blink: before heading back downstream for the BBQ.  

Ms. TB was well ahead of me, so I had some catching up to do, but I did it :wink:  

When we got back, it was burgers and good BBQ stuff...and no bugs!  :beer:


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## Grassi21 (Jul 2, 2007)

Damn TB, I have a long way to catch up. ;-)

I'm taking the boat up to Cape Cod this week.  I'm going to take a one on one water safety class (wet entry and exit, and some more advanced stuff if we have time).  I'm hoping to take that class Thursday so I can hit the bay for a paddle on Friday.


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## thetrailboss (Jul 9, 2007)

*Date:*  June 30, 2007

*2007 Trip Report # :*  20

*Location:* Wilder Reservoir/Connecticut River, Wilder, VT; Mink Brook, Hanover, NH

*Conditions:*  Calm.   

* Weather:* A pleasant afternoon.  

*Report:*  Went out for a nice four hour paddle.  We went up around the islands and then paddled up the Mink Brook all the way to Route 10 in Hanover...which was a good half-mile in or so.  Other than the wastewater plant, it was a nice change of pace and it was nice and quiet.  From here, we paddled up to Ledyard and then under the Railroad bridge and over to the waterfall by the Montshire.  Very small now...thanks to the dry conditions.  The cove was a bit shallow...watch out for obstacles.  Ms. TB found it nice, but she was ready to head back. 

A pleasant afternoon.  Some pics:


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## Grassi21 (Jul 9, 2007)

Nice bow shot.  The scenery looks nice and peaceful.  Are there many homes along the CT River where you paddle?  The pond I paddle on has a number of homes along the shore.  The rivers down here are littered with homes.  I'm hoping to find some quieter places to paddle in the area.


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## thetrailboss (Jul 16, 2007)

Grassi21 said:


> Nice bow shot.  The scenery looks nice and peaceful.  Are there many homes along the CT River where you paddle?  The pond I paddle on has a number of homes along the shore.  The rivers down here are littered with homes.  I'm hoping to find some quieter places to paddle in the area.



Only two or three houses along the three-four mile stretch we frequent.  Most of the shoreline is owned by the power company.  The railroad (very quiet) runs on the VT side.  So it is very quiet.


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## thetrailboss (Jul 16, 2007)

*Date:*  July 4, 2007

*2007 Trip Report # :*  21

*Location:* Wilder Reservoir/Connecticut River, Wilder, VT

*Conditions:*  Calm.   

* Weather:* A pleasant morning before rain showers in the PM.   

*Report:*  Long overdue write-up, but better late than never.  Took a solo trip to the Connecticut River.  Ms. TB had other things to do...

Got there at 10:00 or so.  The kayakers leaving the launch said it "was amazing."  I agreed.  

Decided to take a different route than normal.  I paddled down around the large bay created by the dam.  Went down the VT side, cut across above the dam, and then paddled up the NH side to the park, used the latrine, and came down the VT side.  Overall, the bay is not interesting at all.  Some driftwood and debris in places.  The NH side is shallow and has a lot grasses growing.  Some interesting nooks and crannies, but not as interesting as the normal route around the islands.  

I was out for 90 minutes.  Got back in time for a guy and his dog to greet me.  The dog responded by crapping in the river.  Lovely.  :wink:  

A nice morning stroll.   Very quiet.


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## thetrailboss (Jul 16, 2007)

Oh yeah...you're all going to laugh at this one...decided to "accessorize" by purchasing this to fly on certain occasions (as a joke mind you.... :wink: )


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## Grassi21 (Jul 17, 2007)

You have to pimp your kayak!


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## thetrailboss (Jul 17, 2007)

Grassi21 said:


> You have to pimp your kayak!



Absolutely!  I will have a photo soon...am suffering withdrawal from kayaking....


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## Grassi21 (Jul 17, 2007)

thetrailboss said:


> Absolutely!  I will have a photo soon...am suffering withdrawal from kayaking....



I'm hoping to get out tomorrow morning.


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## MAD777 (Nov 9, 2007)

Hey TB,

I'm missing your great kayaking trip reports. 

I'm living between Florida & New Hampshire, mostly Florida now where I do all my kayaking but can you give some advice to a prospective New England kayaker (me).  In Florida, we can get away from the mosquitoes if we paddle out to open water, away from the vegetation on the banks.  I recently heard a rumor that black flies will come and get you even in the middle of a lake. Say, "It ain't so!"


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## andyzee (Nov 9, 2007)

MAD777 said:


> Hey TB,
> 
> I'm missing your great kayaking trip reports.
> 
> I'm living between Florida & New Hampshire, mostly Florida now where I do all my kayaking but can you give some advice to a prospective New England kayaker (me). In Florida, we can get away from the mosquitoes if we paddle out to open water, away from the vegetation on the banks. I recently heard a rumor that black flies will come and get you even in the middle of a lake. Say, "It ain't so!"


 

On the bright side, no gators up here


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## thetrailboss (Nov 10, 2007)

MAD777 said:


> Hey TB,
> 
> I'm missing your great kayaking trip reports.
> 
> I'm living between Florida & New Hampshire, mostly Florida now where I do all my kayaking but can you give some advice to a prospective New England kayaker (me).  In Florida, we can get away from the mosquitoes if we paddle out to open water, away from the vegetation on the banks.  I recently heard a rumor that black flies will come and get you even in the middle of a lake. Say, "It ain't so!"



The season is over...I'm afraid...

And the reports came to an abrupt end because Ms. Trailboss went off the deep end....and I have not had time to post any reports....long story.


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## thetrailboss (Nov 10, 2007)

And what advice did you need?  

Some other trips that happened, but were not recorded:  

August 16th:  Joe's Pond
August 18th:  Shadow Pond
September 16th:  Wrightsville Reservoir
October 13th:  Woodbury Reservoir
October 20th:  Lake Eden

It was a good season...


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