Salmon and Moodus Rivers

 The day is calm and warm - that kind of weather when someone might walk by and say,
   "It's kiinda warm for a drysuit, isn't it", as a sheet of ice floats by the put-in.

The first lodge, which is the newest one that I know of, is a bit shabby and still small.  However, the area around it is littered with leftover fresh peels and other signs that the colony is quite active.

Ring Neck Ducks

There are eighteen Mute Swans near the point.  A flock of about 50 Ducks flush from just before the point, when I am still at least 200 yards away.  They are dark and take off by flying low across the water before climbing out. From the quacking (most ducks do not quack), there are a couple Mallards in there, but just a couple. When I turn the point, I flush another 50 of the same type.  This time, a few circle back overhead and I get a photo, which even though the Ducks are silhouetted, the bill markings are clear.  They are Ring Necks. I flush some more as I head up the cove, but they never let me get closer than 200 yards - that is a long distance to spook from.

There is a fair current coming out of the Moodus.  No tide that I've seen has ever caused this.  Recently, we had some snow, then some rain, then some freezing rain, and a good deal of water has been locked up on the surface as ice. It is making its way into the river.  The low beaver dam is being topped by a healthy flow of water.  It takes me four attempts to paddle up and over the dam, and I do that by double poling it with both of my paddles. The last 1/4 mile up to the Johnsonville Dam is too fast to be bothered with, so I turn back. While drifting down, I am able to look around and see that there is a very active colony of beaver working in this area.  I hope the locals will leave the dam alone as a couple of feet of water in this marsh won't threaten anyone's property, and it would be interesting to watch the area go to beaver terrain.

The Moodus

I cross the top of the cove and enter the Salmon River.  There is a current, right away.  Typically, the Salmon has no discernible current  until one is about a mile up, and that is light.  I know at this point that there must be a pretty good wall of water coming over the Leesville Dam, my usual turning back point.  I also know that the last 1/4 mile to the Leesville Dam ain't gonna go today.

I flush some more Ring Necks, a two dozen strong flock of migratory Canada Geese, about a dozen Common Mergansers, a few Wood Ducks, and a pair of Great Blue Herons.

I make it through the tunnel on river right, and the current hauls me downstream.  There are a few gentle puffs of wind, and with a forecast of very gusty conditions for later in the afternoon, I put a little steam into the paddle.  The cove, which is open and shallow is no fun when it is windy.

I beat the wind.  It was an excellent day of paddling.