Menunketesuck

I put in on the Menunketesuck River. It is a fine day, although I start a bit late because the morning chill was less than inspiring. By the time I start, it is 30F with a 8-10 mph wind, which puts a nip on any exposed skin, mostly because I'm not used to it as we've had a very mild winter. The sky is clear.

The tide is about a 1/3 down and dropping. The Menunketesuck is canoeable at any tide level. The only restriction is the railroad bridge, which can have a strong enough current to make it impassable during the brunt of the tide change. The silt banks are well exposed. The consistency of this stuff - well, imagine a kid marching his GI Joe through a soft cow pie. It's a soft boot sucking goo, if one needs to get out of the canoe.

The recent snow has flattened much of the spartina on either side of the river. There are ice lines on some of the rocks showing last nights high tide. I spot a couple Kingfishers, and a couple Hooded Mergansers.

Just after the second bend, an Eagle overflies me. It is a second year Eagle with a spatter of white feathers on the head and tail. As I get near Opera Singer Point, the Eagle flies by again, this time with a friend. It's the last I see of them.

I turn and head up the east arm. In high water, one can cut the numerous meanders, but today I get the full tour. When I run out of water and spin the canoe, I alarm a small flock of Canada Geese, which stay put as I paddle away. 

Back in the main river, I head down to the RR bridge, flush 2 dozen Ducks - probably Blacks and Mallards. Another 2 dozen take off from way over in the west, too far off for me to be the cause. The current at the bridge is not too bad today, but there's not enough below to make it worth the bother.

On the way back up, I take in the west arm, as far as the hidden pond entrance, which is impassable without a carry. It has the look of an old dam that someone built just to have a pond. With that, I head back.