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Apr 8, 2023: Millers River

TC’s Paul Leclerc K-1 & Pat Cavanagh K-1

Joint trip with RICKA (RI Canoe and Kayak Assoc. and PPCS

Participants: PPCS Kenny DeCoster OC1, Ryan Galway OC1, Brendan Regan, OC1

Erik Eckilson OC1, Ben Gorman K1

It’s Millers Time!

With poor snowfall over the winter, leaving no snowmelt and virtually no early Spring rains, the whitewater rivers of southern New England were low. Fortunately, the Millers River in north central MA has an annual April release. Being a member of RICKA (RI Canoe and Kayak Assoc.) and a proud Chowderhead, I thought it would be fun to make it a joint venture. Kenny, Ryan and new Chowderhead, Brendan joined me, Pat and 2 other RICKA WW boaters – Erik, and Ben.

Whitewater boating is done on two sections of the Millers – the Upper Millers, a 7 mile stretch through mostly remote forested land beginning in South Royalston and ending in Athol and the Lower Millers, a 5 mile segment beginning in Erving and ending in Millers Falls. The Upper II/III section is more technical. The Lower is abundant II/III wave trains and a powerful class IV rapid (the Funnel) in the middle. Today, we would be doing both.

With a sunny, but chilly (40 degrees) start we put in at the Upper and headed out. All was going well, until we came to the last class III rapid – a fairly strong rapid requiring quick technical maneuvering. Erik decided to challenge himself by entering the section dodging what most boaters would rather avoid and quickly found himself going over a large pour-over. Immediately he was separated from his boat and in the water. Knowing what lay ahead, he quickly and safely swam to shore. Fortunately, Pat was behind and able to push his canoe into an eddy. Ben, being fairly new to whitewater, found himself too far right and unable to escape another large pour-over and quickly capsized. Unable to successfully roll his kayak, he ejected and hit his forehead above his right eye on a shallow rock.

Leading the group, I spotted an old large limbless tree just under the current, but it was too late to safely paddle around, so I paddled hard to get over it. Not having enough speed from the short distance, my boat came to rest on top of it. I turned to warn the group and spotted Ben in the water floating helplessly towards the tree. I blew my whistle. Either not hearing me above the turbulence or being disoriented from his injury, Ben headed for the tree and got sucked under. In those heart stopping seconds, he was pushed through underneath and came up gasping for air.

At this point the current was calm enough for him to swim to shore. His impact resulted in a cut and a golf ball size swelling. Had he been caught under the tree it might have been a very different outcome. Luckily it was near the end of the river, and he finished the run. We provided an ice pack for the swelling and a bandage. As it turned out, Brendan is a nurse and said he’d be ok.

Four of us continued to the Lower Millers: me, Pat, Kenny, and Ryan. We scouted the Funnel – it looked nothing like the video. They never do. After deciding our lines, Pat went first and went through clean. I entered next and went river right – too right and got flipped off the edge of a powerful hole. After two unsuccessful rolls in the turbulence, I waited for the rapid to lose its fury, then rolled up further downstream. Kenny was amazed I could hold my breath for so long. Being late in the day, and witnessing my rolling demonstration, Ryan and Kenny opted to skirt the rapid and stay dry. Off the river, temps had risen to the upper 50’s. You can’t beat twelve miles of whitewater fun with a few good friends. Be safe out there. SYOTR.

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Mar 25, 2023: Souadabscook Stream “Icebreaker” – 6″ on the gauge

Participants: Helen Hess OC1, Sean Kluttz OC1, Reid Anderson OC1, Kenny DeCoster TC OC1, Ella Reilich-Godino and Regan Greer OC2, Ron Chase K1, Charlie Berliant K1

Many years ago, I paddled the ” Ice Breaker” when it was 33 degrees, cloudy, and windy and I told myself never again. I don’t want to freeze to death. I always insist in the trip book description that the temperature has to be above 40 degrees. Last week, people were so eager to paddle that I got out voted and gave in. Eight of us braved the 36 degree cloudy overcast weather to paddle the Soudabscook with a gauge reading of one half. At this level, the river isn’t pushy and most of the rocks are covered. We ran class III drops, rocky rapids, and various surf waves of varying intensity- a little something for everyone.

Helen brought along two alumni friends from COA. As fairly new paddlers, Ella and Regan had great lines through the rapids, maintained their composure with an unintended boof in Crawford Rapids and mastered a tandem surf on the smooth wave. It’s great to have new open boaters along who enjoyed the river so much. Everyone else had good runs down the river. Only the TC couldn’t stay upright and rode the run out of Grand Falls on the side of his canoe bracing against the gravel bottom.

Five paddlers “skimmed the cream of the Sou”* and got off the river at Papermill Park, while three of us continued on – losing all feeling in our fingers and toes. Along the forested section, I saw a small brown head sticking out of the water. It dove almost immediately. I believe I spotted my first swimming mink! There wasn’t much surfing at the snowmobile bridge and we took off at Laskey Lane so that we wouldn’t have to scale the snow banks at the regular take out- the water district. I can’t wait to get on the Marsh Stream next week.

* an apt description of the upper Sou uttered at the put in by our President.

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Oct 22, 2022: Little Suncook, Epsom, NH

Ryan Galway TC OC-1,  Mason Galway C-1,  Kenny Decoster OC-1,  Craig Mckinnon OC-1,  Sean Klutz OC-1,  Ron Chase K-1,  Bill Stafford K-1,  Paul Bicknell K-1,  Steve Fortin K-1.

It was a gem of a day in east central New Hampshire.  The forecast was for temps in the mid 60s and sunshine and a release of around 300cfs on the Little Suncook river.  Pretty hard to beat for the middle of October.  I was joined by 8 others for a day of class 3-4 whitewater.  Many of the attendees were the usual suspects but it was also nice to be joined by a new club member Sean Klutz.  I love having more open canoes in the group and I hope he will join us on some more future trips.

This run starts out with a blast.  Just a hundred yards or so from the put in the river thunders through its steepest drop.  A shallow narrow section littered with river wide holes rocks and the occasional strainer. Mason,  Ron,  Paul,  Bill,  Steve,  Kenny and I decided to run this drop while Sean and Craig put in just below.  Everyone had great runs with no flips or swims.  The run carried on with more narrow steep class 3 rapids followed by a paddle through a short marsh.  The marsh terminates with a fun 6 foot boof off a dam to start the second half of the run.  The rapids continue as class 2 and 3 and everyone was having a good day until we got stacked up on some strainers. Unfortunately this resulted in one of the kayaks getting pinned and flipped upstream and the paddler washing under the log.  The paddler was ok,  but I was told at the end of the day it was a humbling experience. The excitement didn’t end there with the boat being set free I had to chase it alone and was finally able to corral it a ways down stream.  I was then able to get a bag to the boater and ferry them across the river.  We also had to rescue another boat as it drifted into the strainers.  In the chaos a paddle was lost and a kayaker was able to use my back up single blade to finish the run.  This was a fun day that ended well but made me aware that it is important to have your safety gear every time you are on the river.  That day multiple throw bags were used as well as rescue vests and tethers and a back up paddle.  All of these items are important and were essential to making it off the river safely in one piece.  If you don’t always carry these items please consider doing so in the future.

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Sep 17, 2022: Dead River @ 3500 cfs

Trip Coordinator: Brent Elwell K – 1

Participants: Ryan Galway OC-1, Mason Galway OC-1, Jeff Swett, Tom and Patti Rutka Shredder, Greg Winston K-1, Kenny DeCoster OC-1, Eli Ross K-1, Jeff Bickford K-1, Charlie Berliant K-1, Devon Carter K-1 and Paul Sarli K-1

The weather was spectacular with little wind and clear skies.  There was plenty of other river traffic including rafts and kayaks.  Mason and Eli provided ender entertainment below the Elephant Rock chute on river right.  There was no river carnage at Poplar Rapid on this trip which was okay by me.  Most paddlers opted for the middle route on this rapid.  It was a great day to be out paddling!

 

 

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Aug 20, 2022: Magalloway River @ 1200 cfs

Brent Elwell Trip Coordinator, K-1

Participants: Jean Miller K-1, John Brower OC-1, Connor Marland OC-1,  Chicago Man K-1

The group took a couple of runs on the Magalloway.  We were joined by a man from Chicago who was on a paddle tour of the Northeast.   He did fine, but I was surprised when he seal launched at the start with only hand paddles which served him fine.  The river was not crowded.  There were some great front surfing waves at this level.  To top the day off, we saw an eagle and osprey.