I put in at Indian Well. Rain was predicted one hundred percent, but it was far less windy than the previous days. There was also a chance of thunderstorms, which is one of the reasons I put in on this section of the Housatonic as it is in a forested valley and if need be, I can stand on shore and be very much not the tallest thing in the area. In fact, I have sat out a thunderstorm here before.
It is overcast and rather dark. Aside from some bass boat dudes that are fishing in the opposite direction, no one else is on the water. I head upstream with a light tailwind. I spot a pair of yellow Warblers, which stand out from the fifty Sparrows that, no doubt, I've passed without seeing more than one or two. I did not see it until I was directly underneath, but a large immature Bald Eagle flushes and heads upriver. Immatures are larger than young mature Eagles, having thicker and longer feathers.
The waterline on shore shows that the dam people are letting a good amount of water out. The old waterline is about a foot higher than current. lI spot a good sized mature Bald Eagle.
I get up to the easy whitewater below the dam. I only get about halfway up before calling it. It is so dark that I can't see submerged boulders unless they are creating a wave, and I know there are some that I'd rather not hit. It starts to rain. It is nice that the rain has held out until I am halfway through an out-n-back trip.
It rains steady as I paddle against a light headwind all the way back to my put-in. It's pretty wet, but it is not cold, and there has not been any thunder and lightning. Not a bad day at all.
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