Essex to Selden

After a few days of high gusting winds, it was nice to wake up to a calm day.

I headed out to the lower end of the Connecticut River.  There are numerous good places to set out from in this area, it all just depends on what you want to see.  Today, I put in on the North Cove in the town of Essex.  I just felt like adding something a little historic to the trip.  The North Cove once had several shipyards in it building smaller ocean going vessels, as the mouth of the Connecticut River is fairly shallow. During the War of 1812, the British sent a small boat raid up the river and burned 27 ships. I cut across the cove and out into the main river through a small gap in long bar that separates the cove from the river. 

I follow the west shore upriver. Less than half a mile up is the Ely Ferry site.  The ferry dates to the 17th century and, if I remember correct, ran into the early 1900's.  The old landing on the far side is a good start point, but on this side it is only noted by a large swath of large submerged rocks that are otherwise totally out of place.  About this time I pass a young woman paddling a canoe full of gear.  She started in Farmington and is heading down and along the coast to Stratford.  With her are two more women on paddleboards....long trip for paddleboarding, uff da. 

I follow the shore closely, dodging the main current and taking advantage of eddies.  Osprey are numerous and a I spot an immature Bald Eagle, then a mature Eagle.  Being close to shore adds the possibility of animal sightings, and about the time I'm thinking that, I spot a weasel observing me.

Selden Channel

At Chester, I pass Eustasia Island and cross the river to Selden Island and follow that up and into the top end of the Selden Channel.  The channel is as calm and peaceful as I've ever seen it.  Great Blue Herons are owning the banks while Opsrey are keeping the sky.  

I cross the river again when I get back down to Ely's Ferry.  Here I notice that there is a large run of menhaden.  The fish travel in big schools, usually right under the surface and so it is easy to spot where the are as the water surface is choppy where they are.  In addition, they are surfacing and jumping out of the water quite often.  I take this to hint at predators like the striped bass.  Anyway, the Osprey and Herons are feeding well.