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Piscataqua Current Play Monday 10/19/20


Joseph Berkovitz

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GPS Track: https://www.gaiagps.com/datasummary/track/22be62e1125d6863f4c4a315528c608a/?layer=gaianoaarnc

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People: Joe Berkovitz, Bill Harter, Brian McCormack
Conditions: wind < 5 kt ESE, sun with high clouds, air 45 F warming to 65 F
Launch: 10:00; Land: 14:20
Distance: 10.3 nm
LT: 8:41 (-0.6 ft); HT: 15:01 (8.15 ft)

Although Paul unfortunately could not join us as planned, he posted a great set of directions which led us to have a truly enjoyable day on the water, in this area that none of us three had explored before.

We set out from Hilton Park on Dover Point, which is a free facility with an ample parking lot and a well maintained boat ramp. We launched a bit after low water, at slack before flood. This day was a spring tide so the current would definitely be on the stronger side.

We began with a long trek downriver against the building flood, mostly remaining in the many eddies on the Maine side of the river and occasionally moving towards the shore to avoid stronger current. This area is placid and very mild and there were few obstructions to worry about. The fall colors were beautiful and the initially frigid morning was rapidly heating up.

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Around 11:15 approaching a rocky point in South Eliot ME marked by daymarker R "4" (Schiller Station), we began to encounter a strong eddy current pushing us forward and could see a sharp eddy line at the point, a sharp constriction in the river.. We came around the point, attaining a very narrow eddy on the other side adjacent to a strong flood current at 3-4 knots. This seemed like a good turnaround point for us given Paul's advice to get back up to Dover Point before noon. We got out into the current and rode it back upriver, staying just inside the channel. GPS tracked our speed near the point at 6.5 knots, confirming the current estimate since we were paddling at around 3 kt.

We arrived back at Dover Point around 10 minutes before noon, positioning ourselves to scope out the General Sullivan Bridge before running the current under it. It was hard to see exactly what was going on under it, it seemed fast and rough but not chaotic or threatening. After going under the span just N of the central channel, we turned around and played in the current and eddies. On the northernmost span, now near max flood, the most fun spot was between the two northernmost pylons where there was a cool hydraulic standing wave with wave trains to either side, with a V-shaped eddy behind that let you creep right up to it and get on a wave. Presumably at this point in the cycle the water is just a little higher than a rock or ledge - explaining Paul's advice to get there before the water got too high for this effect to go off. In the current to either side of the eddy I’m guessing it was 4-4.5 kt based on paddling effort. The max flood prediction was for 5.33 kt at 12:04 pm.

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From here we ran up to Goat Island for our lunch spot. The north side of the river was a large eddy that ran against us; the current is mostly on the south side where there is a sprawl of moored boats. Arriving at the island, the currents do strange things around it, bending this way and that way. We landed at a beach on the north side where an eddy current moves in a slow circle in a small cove.

Goat Island is a truly great hangout spot with a great view of some interesting currents and eddies between it and Fox Point. We lounged a bit in the sun and foliage, then launched and headed to the current we'd been watching. There are a set of ledges here which generate eddies that are nice and well-defined, and the current is less aggressive (1.4 kt max flood at 13:03 on a spring tide). This would be a great spot for a future Skills Practice on current. There is lots of room to spread out and play, not so much boat traffic, and Goat Island is right nearby as a place to chill out and regroup.

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We swooped in and out of eddies for maybe 20 minutes or so, then headed back via the south side. For a while, that is... eventually we found ourselves paddling against the main current which was still quite strong. We crossed back north and then had to attain the put-in on Dover Point by running up under the bridge. The former play spot no longer had an eddy now that the water had risen, we were close to HW at 14:00 or so, and we actually couldn't sustain the speed needed to get all the way up in the middle of the main current — I'd like to say it was still running well over 4 knots so we don't sound like wimps. So let's say that it was. Anyway, we got around the point by hugging the bridge abutment, which itself required a strong effort at a few crux points. At the put-in, the water was almost at the very top of the ramp.

A great paddle in a great area. Now we have to explore it on the ebb! 

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So sad that I wasn't with you, Joe!  It sounds as though you had entertainment aplenty.  <Many> moons ago, Suzanne (Hutchinson -- people haven't forgotten already?) and I played at that <exact> same spot under the bridge...and I know just the spot around the corner in Great Bay where you played, too.

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