Current Back River off of Westport Island ME.

[jason]

Does anybody have a source for information on the current information for the Back River near Westport Island.

I have paddled a few times from the Town ramp ( https://goo.gl/maps/kKhJub6eTcS2 )and it seems that the water always is flowing south.   I have been at high,  low and at a mid tide, and have yet to see the water flowing north.

Thanks -Jason

 

 

 

[PeterB]

That is what I read in a guide to paddling the Maine coast by Shelly Johnson. It seems that on the flood ,  the current of the  Sheepscot River winds around the top of Westport island and impedes any northward  flood current on the Back River, or actually pushes southward. Years ago we did a clockwise  circumnav. of Westport island, were counting on some push up the Back River from Hockomock Bay, but got none.   

[jason]

On 5/5/2016 at 11:55 AM, PeterB said:

That is what I read in a guide to paddling the Maine coast by Shelly Johnson. It seems that on the flood ,  the current of the  Sheepscot River winds around the top of Westport island and impedes any northward  flood current on the Back River, or actually pushes southward. Years ago we did a clockwise  circumnav. of Westport island, were counting on some push up the Back River from Hockomock Bay, but got none.   

5/7/2016 at 16:47 I stopped by the town launch and the water was running fairly fast North (possibly 3 knots).   I wonder if that's due to springs or if it has a small window that I hadn't viewed before.    

[Paul Kenwood Cappers]

I live on Westport Island and frequently kayak and power boat on the Back River of the Sheepscot.  Here is how the current works:

Incoming (flood) tide goes from open ocean (south) along the East side of Westport Island, the correctly named Sheepscot River, to the Wiscasset end of Westport Island (north).  Some of the water continues north by Wiscasset Harbor and upriver to the town of Alna and the village of Head Tide (aptly named!).  However, some of that incoming current diverts from the aforementioned flow and bends around the north end of Westport Island, now heading south under the Westport-Wiscasset/Route 144 Bridge in an area called Cowseagan Narrows, past both sides of Berry Island, and on to somewhere in the middle of Montsweag Bay.  Montsweag Bay is so huge that it draws water at the flood from both south (Back River flow connects in this southerly direction to both Kennebec and Sheepscot Rivers) and north as already described.

On the outgoing tide, of course everything reverses.  

[jason]

Paul,

Thanks for the info,  I have the current better in hand now.  

It would be good to meet you, I can be found at the fire department most Wed nights.

-Jason

 

[Inverseyourself]

Hi Jason, I remember a clockwise paddle round WPI a couple of years ago (with you). If I remember correctly, you told me that the back river was ebbing northwards, possibly related to ledges just south of the WPI Fire Department. I may remember it incorrectly.