Salmon River

We set out upstream on an almost high tide into the tidal freshwater marsh and swamp of the Salmon River.  S has not been here before, and it takes little time for her to realize why I chose this spot over several options.  The river starts with as a cove with marsh and swamp at the bottom and high forested hills bounding the top.  At the top of the cove it becomes river.  No public roads come to the river for the first three or so miles, and any nearby roads are silenced on the backside of the hills.

The Moodus River

 Once at the top of the cove, we take the short side trip up the Moodus.  The canoeable section ends just short of Johnsonville, an abandoned mill town with an intact mill pond and dam.  I found wild growing concord grapes along this stretch last year and a return to here is in the plans for later in the summer.

Leesville Dam

S is impressed at how the area has avoided over development.  There are some houses, but they are few and back some from the water....it is a simple play of the mind to filter them out.  The truth is, that the lack of development probably has something to do with a former nuclear powerplant that was situated on the Connecticut River.  But, that is gone, well erased and leaving a no admittance wildlife refuge in its place.

see this great blue heron in the photo above?

We stop and rest for awhile below the Leesville Dam.

The wind has come up and it will be in our faces all the way back.  It will be more work, but the breeze will feel good on such a warm day.  S paddles well and steady all day long.