Finally got out to do some paddling

After a long cold snap, the forecast was for warming weather on Sunday. We put-out the word, and got a group together for a trip down the Wood-Pawcatuck in RI – three boats, four paddlers, all canoes. It was like “river church”.

It was a short run – only 5-miles. The river was at a nice level, and rain last weekend cleared out all the ice. One short rapid to run. Nice break for lunch with a fire. Can’t beat it. Few pictures here:

Doesn’t seem like enough of a trip to go under the trip reports category, so I put it here.

Nothin like that first paddle after winter!

I am still waiting, almost all water here is still frozen after 2 weeks of well below average temperatures. But daily temperatures are warming so it shouldn’t be too much longer.

jdeerfoot said:

I am still waiting, almost all water here is still frozen after 2 weeks of well below average temperatures. But daily temperatures are warming so it shouldn’t be too much longer.

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We can usually find open water here (southern New England) year round. Moving water sections of rivers don't freeze but you do have to be careful of the dead water behind dams, and there are lots of dams. If we get really desperate, we can go out into the saltwater of Narragansett Bay.

It's been really cold around here as well, but last weekend we had one warm day with an inch if rain. Between the rain and the snowmelt, it brought the river up a foot which cleaned out any ice.

eckilson said:

After a long cold snap, the forecast was for warming weather on Sunday. We put-out the word, and got a group together for a trip down the Wood-Pawcatuck in RI – three boats, four paddlers, all canoes. It was like “river church”.

It was a short run – only 5-miles. The river was at a nice level, and rain last weekend cleared out all the ice. One short rapid to run. Nice break for lunch with a fire. Can’t beat it. Few pictures here:

Alton to Bradford - February 23, 2025

Explore this photo album by Erik Eckilson on Flickr!

www.flickr.com

Doesn’t seem like enough of a trip to go under the trip reports category, so I put it here.

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I ran into your crew at Bradford landing. I’m the guy that was asking about dry suits.

Glad to see you got out and were able to enjoy the day. My part of NYS is still all hard water; inhabited more by ice fishermen than paddlers. The only running water I've seen is falling over a dam but 20'upstream of that it's still all ice.

That's all for now. Take care and until next time...be well.

snapper

JD Corry said:

I ran into your crew at Bradford landing. I’m the guy that was asking about dry suits.

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Great to see you here. We'll have to get together to do some paddling. Sounds like you have some nice trips planned this year.

snapper said:

Glad to see you got out and were able to enjoy the day. My part of NYS is still all hard water; inhabited more by ice fishermen than paddlers. The only running water I've seen is falling over a dam but 20'upstream of that it's still all ice.

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We haven't had a winter like that in a while. Lakes and ponds freeze and the deadwater above the dams, but it doesn't stay cold long enough to freeze up real thick or the freeze the moving water sections of the rivers. I kind of wish it would - nothing like a big ice flow to clean out strainers and other obstructions. Last time it happened around here was 2018. Here are some big ice chucks on one of our local whitewater runs - the Quinapoxet.


At this point, most of the local rivers need a good cleaning.

That was a weird winter in 2018. It was freezing cold in December and January, but it iced out in early February and we had great paddling for the rest of the winter.