Wednesday Lunch Paddle 6/15/22

[Joseph Berkovitz]

As advertised, we set out this morning around 10:20 from Winthrop Boat Launch to visit Belle Isle Marsh, where “we” means myself, Jane Cobb, Ricardo Caivano and Sue Hriciga. Nancy hill was at the launch but due to a surprise  encounter with the severe US Open traffic she decided to visit the marsh on foot so she could return home early.

The sun overhead was creating an unusual triple halo in the high clouds:

with this auspicious start we set out around Snake Island to view the narrow and shallow entrance to its lagoon at mid-tide. High water not being until 12:45 or so, the entrance was impassable but we could see that mysterious terrain lay within!

we forged on around the perimeter of Logan. Mercifully the east wind meant that the landing path was over the city and the takeoff path was just south of our put-in, increasingly distant as we paddled on. with The entire airport downwind from us, we watched planes land and taxi in eerie silence with only the sounds of birds and paddles splashing. 

Right after we entered the marsh under a bridge with the flood current Ben Rechel caught up with us. He had arrived too late to launch with us but sans coordination (Ben apparently thought he heard us hailing him on VHF, but none of us had) he managed to launch from a closer point and rendezvous with perfect timing. 
 

we explored the perimeter of the marsh in a highly inefficient irregular and satisfying way, prowling down a number of dead end channels. I talked to a couple of locals who were paddling sit on tops near us. There are lots of boardwalks and trails running around the place used by locals. The east side of the marsh goes right up to the back of Short Beach in Winthrop but there is no access from the marsh to cross the road to the beach. 
 

we doubled back to the observation point on the west side of the marsh which is also accessible by car. A very beautiful and peaceful place for our lunch and postprandial stroll. 

It was now 1 and we left the marsh on the ebb, dropping off Ben on the way back to Snake Island. The entrance to Snake’s lagoon was draining once again when we got there, but it was just barely possible to fight through the current and shallows and Ricardo and I made it in. It is a little quiet oasis of birds and shrubs and trees inside:

 

birds I observed included blue heron, tree swallows, redwing blackbirds, snowy egret, great egret, common tern, and of course many seagulls. 
 

this was a truly enjoyable trip and we should do it again on an even higher tide if possible! Thanks everyone and please add your pictures. 

[Nancy Hill]

I'm glad you all had a nice paddle and I'm happy to report that my trip home was pretty good with very little traffic.  Even though it was not what I had originally expected for the day, I walked around Deer Island and the Belle Isle Marsh and had a nice time. My mood improved greatly with the fresh air and beautiful wildflowers everywhere. Here is a picture taken when you were all pretty far away. Belle Isle is such a pretty place and I'm glad you had the chance to explore a little bit of it before heading back to the launch.

[Joseph Berkovitz]

I forgot to mention that we briefly met up with Nancy at lunchtime - Nancy I’m glad you had a good day after all the aggravation!

ALSO - many many oystercatchers were seen, I should have mentioned. They really like Snake Island. 

[prudenceb]

I hope Snake Island isn't aptly named ?…

 

[Ricardo Caivano]

Nice place and very pleasant paddle. The photo is the view from the tower of four hungry paddlers.