River kayaking destinations wanted.....

[Brad Fournier]

Does anyone have any favorite river run destinations they want to share? I've done the ipswich from Topsfield to Foote bros. several times and the Shawsheen from Tewksbury to ballardvale. I was wondering about the Parker, how far upstream can you start (Georgetown area, like before Cranes pond??)also has anyone ever started from Foote brothers and paddled toward the coast? Also heard of something in middleton as well?? ( my sweetie doesn't like the coldwater season in the ocean, but still wants to do some padling)

thanks,Brad

Avocet RM Blue

Tsunami 120

[Michael_Crouse]

The Merrimac from Haverhill down to Newburyport is nice during the off season when the motor boats are gone.

Back River in Amesbury/Newton/Hampton Falls is a nice isolated spot, just be sure to clean off the boat when you take out, it can leave a bad scum line on your boat.

The flat sections of the Coontocook are nice.

The Exeter river? is nice, put in is on rt 108 in Exeter.

*** I should have said swamscott, not the exeter ***

*** corrected after Cathy's post ***

Pow Wow river in Amesbury?

Pow Wow pond and Country Pond in Kingston NH look like they're connected by a river, at least that's what the map says. Might be fun to figure out if it's accurate.

Concord river is another one.

[cathyfoley]

It is possible to travel down the Swamscott River in Exeter, NH all the way to the ocean at the mouth of the Piscataqua River in Portsmouth. Its a bit over 22 miles, but on an outgoing tide, the current runs pretty fast and not hard to cover that distance. There are numerous possible take-outs in Great Bay if you want a shorter trip.

[shewhorn]

The Contoocook River has about a 10 (statute) mile run where it's slow moving. There's a tad of current halfway up but nothing too difficult (depends on the flow of the dam though... I've never seen anything that's difficult which is not to say that it may not ever get that way... something to keep in mind). You can put in at Contoocook River Canoe in Concord and use their launch for $3 or go down river about a mile right before the dam and use the public boat ramp for free and paddle up river. There's a public beach that you can land on to have a snack. Pack a lunch and some bug spray.

For $10 Contoocook River Canoe will shuttle you to the Merrimack or up the Contoocook. You take out at their ramp on the Contoocook and they pick you up at the end of the Merrimack.

Cheers, Joe

[spider]

The Pow-Wow and Country Pond are connected, but it isn't a "river run" like you would think, it is more of marsh area that is best at high water before it fills in with vegetation.

I checked on it yesterday and it's starting to fill in.

Nice birding in through there though.

(I would love to know where the public put ins for Country Pond are located if anyone knows...)

[jonathan]

The Concord, Sudbury and Assabet River is a great place for a quiet paddle. The river winds through the Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, and is very rich in wildlife. The current is very slow so paddling upstream first and then returning with the current to the put in is easy.

There is a good book on the river system if you paddle there it is titled "The Concord Sudbury and assabet Rivers" it is a paddle guide with historical and wildlife information.

Jonathan

[Michael_Crouse]

http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Outdoor_Re...sites_table.htm

I see Powwow Pond, but nothing for Country Pond

[donperry]

I believe you can launch onto the Taunton River behind the Roche Bros on Route 18 in Bridgewater and paddle on out to sea. It’s about thirty miles to the landings along East Water Street in Taunton. There may be some bushwhacking at first and a folding handsaw is advisable. This trip is only advisable when the water is high and passes freely over the broken down dam just past Route 104. The faster current could knock the trip down to twenty miles or so.

Regardless, it requires a shuttle and a lot of seat time.

They’ve had a lot of rain down there and I’m fair game if anyone is interested.

[glil]

Another quiet, but very pretty section of the Contoocook River is just north of Peterborough, NH. There is a place to park a few cars along Rt. 202 at Powdermill Pond, a few miles north of the EMS in Peterborough-convenient for a shopping trip as well. There is a nice island for picnicing close to the put-in. You can paddle south (the current is negligible) several miles to (and past) a small park which could also be used as a put-in place. There is a bridge along the way suitable for jumping off if you feel the urge to. (There was plenty of water depth when we were there and in the section where people were jumping from, but certainly would need to be checked carefully each time.)

Another very nice area is the Slocum's River down in Dartmouth. You can start about 3.5 miles upstream at a small park, paddle down to the Lloyd Center for Environmental Studies (a nice place to stop for a hike, climb the observation tower, look for osprey and visit the "museum"). From there you can continue to Demerest-Lloyd State Park. Depending on conditions and wind, you could turn around there or continue out into Buzzard's Bay.