Sue's response to the email was that she had been thinking the same about the weather and actually had an email composed to me proposing a midweek paddle, but she had hesitated to send it knowing that I was at work. So, she was ecstatic when she got the message from me proposing we paddle at about noon on Wednesday. Bea didn't need any arm-twisting to join in once she saw the message. Briggsy replied that he'd love to join us but was out of action with cold and flu symptoms.
I had to work at least a half day and had an evening commitment, so the plan became to meet at about 11:30am and try to launch at noon. I chose a spot where we could launch into either open water or more protected water.
We met at Lane's beach on River street in North Weymouth at about 11:30 as planned. This is a nice off-season place to launch from. Any other time of year, you have to pay to park here and probably would not be allowed to launch from the swimming beach. But now, you can launch from the beach into the Fore River or from the boat ramp at the other end of the parking lot into the Weymouth Back River. We launched from the beach.
I'm a little out of practice and forgot to take a picture as we put the boats in the water. The three of us had most recently used our gear at a nice warm indoor pool session in Randolph, so we all struggled to make sure we had everything for a cold water paddle. We headed to the left from the beach and found it a little windier than I had expected but it was straight in our faces, so it would be a nice push on the return leg later.
I finally remembered to start taking pictures when we slowed to watch the commuter boat go by. Bea pulled out her camera also.
We discussed whether to head around the corner into the back area of the Fore River or up into the Quincy Town River and Sue mentioned she'd like to see the U.S.S.Salem so we decided to head under the bridge first and then check out the Town River on the return trip if there was time. As we rounded a point, there were some kids waving to us so we waved back.
It's nice not having to deal with any boat traffic under the bridge, but you still have to keep an eye out for the catamaran commuter boats. Sue checks for traffic to our right as we cross the channel to head over to the Salem.
There were no commuter boats at the pier, so the coast was clear for us to head all the way around the bow of the Salem for a close-up look.
I mentioned to Bea how far Nelson had gone into the gap between the ship and the dock and she ventured into the same area but turned around sooner than Nelson did last summer.
I got a nice picture of Bea and Sue resting in the calm water between the ship and the dock, but didn't realize I had water drops on my camera lens till about 30 pictures later.
Sue and Bea, with the commuter boat ramps in the background, pulled out snacks while I changed my camera battery.
Next we explored the old docks of the former Quincy General Dynamics Shipyard. The shipyard employed thousands during WW2, but after a number of years of lessening activity, shipbuilding became extinct in Quincy and the yard was sold off to other types of business. The MWRA uses part of the yard for recycling waste into fertilizer I believe. Quirk motors owns a chunk of open land for new car auto storage. There's the United States Shipbuilding Museum with the U.S.S. Salem, the only preserved U. S. Navy Heavy Cruiser. A commuter boat terminal with service to Logan Airport and Downtown Boston. And there also appears to be some barge repair and barge crane service businesses still using the waterfront.
Here is part of the MWRA facilities. I think these are storage tanks for fertilizer.
A few barges. One out of the water, up on a dock, looking like it is going to be repaired or refurbished.
An old remnant building of the shipyard days. It looks like they built a huge cover over smaller buildings and are now starting to dismantle it, uncovering the old buildings underneath.
These big pipe covers are at the end of a pier. I wonder if they were part of a pumping system for one of the old dry docks.
We headed into the last opening between the piers where we could hear and smell some activity. It turned out there was a big crane on land working on assembling another crane on a barge. It was about to move a big section into place, but we didn't hang around to watch the lift. We still had plenty to see and it looked like it would take a while before they really started with the move. I imagine the diesel exhaust would increase considerably when the big crane got to work.
We headed back out into open water and I got this nice picture of Bea with the Fore River Bridge in the background. Again, I didn't notice how nice the clouds were while we were paddling, but they really make the pictures better when reliving the day.
We hugged the coastline as we made our way toward Weymouth Landing. I wonder if there is more of this old crane underwater, with it's top leaning on a round pier.
Last year's Salem trip included watching a tanker makes it's way to this Citgo Tank Farm Terminal. No ship here today, so we got a close-up view of the pipes and valves used for off-loading the oil.
Around the corner from the oil tank terminal, we passed the Metropolitan Yacht Club where there were still a few big pleasure boats in the water.
Next were more boats stored on land and the Braintree Yacht Club where there are no boats or docks in the water at this time of year.
We kept going inland under the Quincy Avenue Bridge.
Bea usually picks out a building she thinks would be a good Wild Turkey Paddler Club House on these near shore paddles. This is her choice for a spot on the Fore River that appears to be an affordable building that might be available.
There may still be some small boat building along the river. This shop still has activity but looking inside it seemed to be cabinet-making right now. There were still remains of tracks leading into the water, showing it's former boatyard history.
We continued on under the Shaw Street Bridge.
There was an old rail line through Weymouth Landing area. It's interesting how the MBTA lowered the height of the railbed but still managed to re-use the old bridge supports. They just cut down into the old concrete a few feet.
Since I was in a plastic boat, I tried to head as far up-river as I could but was stopped by rocks and a foot high elevation of the river. At some point this becomes the Monatiquot River which crosses Braintree before feeding into the Fore River.
Bea also came up into the rocky area to get a look around the corner. On the way out she was having a sip of her drink with total disregard for her boats gel-coat.
There are some condos or apartments along the river. I always thought their concrete construction was a little ugly and boring, but it looks like they've been keeping them up pretty well and replaced their decks recently.
Bea's hat is highlighted nicely in this picture as were are headed back out.
These power line towers are looking gigantic with the houses off in the background. A little bit of an optical illusion.
When I was a kid and my grandmother lived in an apartment along the water here, there was an Edison Electric Plant here with these same power line towers. Back then I'm sure the power flowed out from here. I wonder if now the power flows into this big industrial plant.
My guess is that this plant takes in treated sewage through a pipe from Deer Island and dries it for use as fertilizer.
There are some old concrete structures jutting out from where the old Edison plant used to be. They look like they were water tunnels. I think they may have used salt water in the old coal fired electric generating plant?
Approaching the Fore River Bridge again. Bea mentioned seeing traffic sign boards saying the bridge would be opening at 2:30, so we were curious about what might be coming in.
The commuter boats slow down nicely as they go under the bridge and turn right into their dock beside the Salem. In the summer, there is so much pleasure boat traffic through here. It wouldn't be quite as much a pleasant, leisurely paddle with all the chop from boat wakes and having to keep a constant look-out for traffic.
A final broad-side look at the U.S.S.Salem in the afternoon sunshine.
They built this high Fore River Bridge with a straight up lifting center as a temporary replacement for the old crumbling bascule type drawbridge. In this case temporary means 10 to 20 years it seems. It is interesting to look closely at the construction of the bridge. It looks like the old children's metal erector sets. (They probably don't make those any more.)
After passing under the bridge, we saw something coming in slowly but it was hard to distinguish what it was head-on.
We decided to cross the channel and get a better side-on view but a commuter boat was coming out.
After the Harbor Express went by, we made a quick dash across the channel and out to the mouth of the Town River to watch what was coming in. It was still hard to make out all the pieces.
There was a short tug boat pulling backwards on the front of a long barge.
And a large, long tug boat with a high towered bridge pushing from the back. It's hard to make out the tower of the tug in this picture with the buildings and chimney in the background, but the picture does show the long, low profile of the tug compared to the short tug at the front of the barge.
We stayed and watched as the car traffic on the bridge was stopped and the center section slowly raised straight up. The tugs and barge were very crooked for the bridge opening. It was fun to watch as the tugs maneuvered the barge until everything was lined up properly before they passed under the raised span. Here is a sequence of shots showing the straightening process.
Sue enjoyed watching.
But it was getting close to 3:00pm and I needed to be on the way home by about 4:00, so we decided we did not have time to venture up the Quincy Town River this time. It was time to enjoy the wind pushing us back along Wessagusset Beach to the take out.
A look out at the islands of Hingham Bay.
Heading in to Lanes Beach. It was sad to be done for the day, but great to get out on the salt water in February!
Here is a topo map of the area with our track highlighted.
A few specs from the trip:
Launch time: 12:04pm
Take-out time: 3:36pm
Total Distance Paddled: 8.65 miles
Thanks Sue and Bea for a fantastic afternoon of paddling in February!
For a look at Bea's pictures of this trip, visit her album on her Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=357916307574483&set=a.357916234241157.93643.100000683501288&type=1&theater
Norm
