Mini Trip Report - Hingham Harbor - Wier River 7/10

[Birdseye]

Dave, Mike (Finn) and I got together Sunday to paddle Hingham Harbor to the Weir River. We met at Hingham Beach at 1pm and by 1:15 we were on our way and paddling past Sarah Island getting ready to cross the channel. There was a light breeze and quite a few rolling swells but it didn’t hinder our progress much at all. We paddled down and around Worlds End with a plan to stop for a break at the same rocky cove we stopped at on a previous trip.

As we rounded Worlds End, the Weir River looked totally different than the last time I was here. It was polluted with every shape and size of motor boat you can imagine. Many of which were tied up in groups of threes and fours, some sporting bathing beauties on the bow and others with lively children springing from the gunwales into the refreshing water. But after an absolutely depressing three and a half days of rain, the weather this day made us feel like we had all died and gone to heaven and we weren’t going to let anything get in the way of us enjoying it. We weaved in and out of the numerous flotillas as the occasional scent of sun block, cigars and barbeque mixed with the fresh aroma of the salt air, accentuating the feeling of summer.

Eventually we were able to clearly determine our landing spot and were soon enjoying a snack, a stretch and a quick dip in the ocean from its stony beach. We watched a hand full of teenagers jumping from the same rocky cliff the not too long ago, Steve had photographed as he hung cautiously from a tree trunk to get the right shot.

We headed out again and down the river. The narrows, Mike had told me, can have some fairly fast moving water but we hit it at high tide and noticed no difference from the rest of the river. We continued on taking a left under the bridge on 3A that leads into Hull (I believe that road is George Washington Blvd). We passed two Osprey nests, one of which appeared to be inhabited and saw a number of egrets and more kayakers than we could count. As we neared what looked to be the end of the line we decided it was time to turn back.

We had toyed with the idea of paddling to Bumpkin before heading back but the return trip was a bit more challenging so we decided to call it a day and head back to the put-in. Once in Hingham Harbor we found that the wind and waves had picked up a bit, tossing us around playfully and making the paddling awkward at times. We made our crossing and paddled through Langley and Sarah Islands to a symphony of noisy gulls and cormorants.

We reached Hingham Beach at about 4:30 and had our boats and gear loaded up by 4:45. Not really wanting the trip to end we decided that Stars was the perfect spot for a Post Paddle Refreshment and made our way there on foot. Mike treated us to a round of delicious brew; He and I had the UFO while Dave enjoyed a Belgian White Ale. Thanks again Mike for a perfect end to a perfect day.

(I guess this isn't exactly a mini-report)

Photos to follow.[/i]

[Todd]

I think I've read these prose before. Ernest "Papa" Hemingway wrote about Cigars, flotillas, bathing beauties and post paddling refreshments.

Birdseye, have you been reading "Old Man In the Sea" or "Ilands In the Stream" lately?

[Birdseye]

Birdseye, have you been reading "Old Man In the Sea" or "Ilands In the Stream" lately?

I read "The Old Man of the Sea" when I was in grade school and never read "Islands in the Stream" but thanks for the compliment.

But I don't think Hemingway ever mentioned anything about a post paddle refreshment .