Quinebaug

I put in and head to the southwest corner of the lake where the Quinebaug enters. It is easy to spot as what looks like a large cement bridge spans the inlet. It's dated 1958 and I suspect that it might not be a bridge, but rather structure for a reservoir depth that wasn't used. There is a foot high cement dam spanning the river just a few yards up, but it is an easy step-over.

The river goes wild as soon as I push off from the dam. Shrubs run right to the water's edge with a good crop of pickerel weed and arrow alum (or some other arrowhead swamp plant) separating the water and the shrubs. The river is deep enough and wide enough and flows with a small current that is no bother. A Great Blue Heron waits just around the first bend.

I had delayed on coming here for some time, mostly because it is a bit of a drive. But, looking over the map last week, I noticed that much of this section of the river is running through the center of a broad marsh. The lower section is enclosed by some forest, although it becomes big sky marsh soon enough. It is a very typical northern marsh and if one ignores some distant hills, it could be in north-central Minnesota or lower Michigan.

 

There are a good number of Redwing Blackbirds and Kingbirds along with Great Blue Herons on regular intervals.

I get to what I think is Holland Pond. There is a launch here with a US Corps of Engineers sign with a good map. The Quinebaug is an official river trail project overseen by the federal government and the additional funding shows in good condition of the waterway and ease of access. However, the sign says East Brimfield Lake, which I am pretty sure I left some 4 miles behind. I paddle the perimeter of the pond, finding a USACE building labeled Lake Siog. A fishermen tells me that both names are used for the one pond.

Holland Pond is the headwaters of the Quinebaug, so I head back down. I make a short side trip into Mill Brook. I cross one low beaver dam, then the brook splits in half, in all ways - it becomes half as wide. Then, not too many feet farther, a second beaver dam. I stand up for a looksee. The beaver dam is going to have to be a couple feet higher to back up enough water to paddle in. (On the map, Mill Brook is somewhere off to my left, in which case it is small enough that I didn't notice it.

Kingbird nest

I spot an occupied Kingbird nest on the way back.

You can see the kingbird in this photo

 Back at my start point, I continue past and locate the tunnel into Long Lake. With some time to spare, I paddle up to the top of the lake, about a mile and a quarter. It is forested with just a few houses well back in the trees, a worthwhile extra to the trip.