Housatonic River paddle

Jay H · 04-13-2012, 06:12 PM

The intent this morning was to spot a bike at the New Lenox road launch site and launch from Pomeroy at the park there on the Housy but after scouting out the launch site, the only thing that looks like could be safely launched there was a rubber ducky. Great Barrington's gauge seems to be running at 206 cfs, whereas for mid april, it seems the median CFS is like 1040, 5 times greater..

The recommended bare minimum is 150cfs so without knowing the section around Pomeroy south, I decided to forgo the bike spot and just launch at New Lenox which I know looks to be a more wide section (after the west and east branch of the Housatonic merges). So I launched and headed south towards Lee, passing Mallards, Canada Geese, lots of small box turtles.. and a bald eagle(!). Very regal and was happy to be able to get fairly close to it with my cheap PnS camera to get some decent shots with only the optical zoom... Made it all the way to the next put-in, which is Crystal street, towards Lenoxdale and the entrance to October Mtn. This part of the Housy is more like a large pond, aka Woods Pond rather than a meandering river...

Ran into two ladies on touring kayaks, this section is doable in a sea kayak but this was the inaugeral run of my rec Pungo 120 I bought from the Arc shop as their rental.....

https://picasaweb.google.com/1048270...nicRiverPaddle

Paddled past the put in and made it to the EPRI power station just north of New Lenox road...

http://my.epri.com/portal/server.pt?

before turning back and taking out...

Jay

masshysteria · 04-13-2012, 07:07 PM

About time you went through there!! The Bald Eagle hangs around there, saw him Weds. when I was fishing, and got some great shots of him. Also got some pics of an Osprey diving after fish. Ron Estes, whom Estes corner is named after, no doubt was out canoeing. he goes every day!

It is scary how low the water is for this time of year, these are mid-summer levels; it's not good! I think you would have been all right starting from Pomeroy Ave. the shallowest part is right there. Just beyond there, where the east and west branches unite, it slows down and starts to meander, all the way to Lenox Dale. Next time bring a pole!!

Jay H · 04-13-2012, 07:20 PM

Oh I waited til I got a nice proper beat up Pungo to kayak it...

I was checking out all the little side shoots and stuff, getting the kayak swamped and just exploring it. I actually got down to the little walkway bridge by Woods Pond to find two people diving in the river which was odd, especially how shallow it was but it looks like they were training cause there was a person on the bridge watching them and shouting stuff at them. Don't see that every day..

The guide book says there are some small rapids south of the dam south of the bridge. And a short portage around the dam.

If we do get a stretch of rain, it might help, along with the brush fires...

Jay

masshysteria · 04-14-2012, 12:16 PM

It would appear Jay that this is what you witnessed;

http://www.berkshireeagle.com/ci_203...triple-slaying

The only odd thing is that the noted Veterans Memorial bridge is about half a mile below that footbridge. Unless the police have other information not made public?

Jay H · 04-14-2012, 01:22 PM

well, I guess if they were diving for bodies, it would be a good time cause it's so low.

I saw what looked like an abandoned row boat somewhere by October Mtn area.. and I picked out a bunch of floating bottles but no bodies! Thanks for the link...

Jay

masshysteria · 04-15-2012, 12:40 AM

The red paddle boat spent all of last summer and this winter blown up against the eastern shore of the pond . I dont know who owns it, but now it is chained to a tree on the southern shore.

coldfeet · 04-15-2012, 08:30 AM

http://www.kayakquixotica.com/2009/1...take-my-pungo/

Good to see your part of the Pungo family! We can get together with Tony and Pungo around the area. Sounds like a nice paddle, I just got back from an ADK paddle trip. We went up Wed anc camped out at Axton Landing. Paddled to lower falls, hiked to upper, walked back and paddled back to axton for car camping. On Friday we paddled stoney creek to Indian Carry and then back to the car. Stopped over at Stewarts and had the new ice cream, "campers (something)". You wouldn't have liked the trip, sorry no bagels, it was still passover! But I brought the iron skillet for other matza goodies. Hopefully we can paddle near camp before the water gets really low.

coldfeet · 04-15-2012, 08:32 AM

Nice pics of the eagle, sad pic of warning sign

Jay H · 04-15-2012, 08:48 AM

Yo, David, planning a trip with Mudhook and any other Punpo People a trip from Bloomville south on the west branch of the delaware... Not sure when, but it's in the works....

I ate half the Coldfeet bagel stock on friday!!! Down to one more bagel.

We might get more rain before your camp. The Housatonic goes all the way into CT and I think it empties into the LI sound..

Haha, funny link, I have to share that. But the Pungo does have a bulkhead, in the back...

Jay

coldfeet · 04-15-2012, 06:27 PM

Jay, keep me in the loop with the PP (Pungo People) I will do my best to make it. 1 bagel left? I'm gonna have to ship some to you!

Jay H · 04-16-2012, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by masshysteria

The red paddle boat spent all of last summer and this winter blown up against the eastern shore of the pond . I dont know who owns it, but now it is chained to a tree on the southern shore.

Yes, I saw the paddle boat, but further upstream, before the housy spills into the wide and shallow woods pond, there is a aluminum looking skiff that's just washed up on the shore. I saw nobody around so I have no idea if it was abandoned or not...

I'll have to look up where frog rock is...

Jay

Jay H · 04-16-2012, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coldfeet

Jay, keep me in the loop with the PP (Pungo People) I will do my best to make it. 1 bagel left? I'm gonna have to ship some to you!

Will do, I am going to have to get a half skirt for the pungo, just to keep the stuff dry from the paddle drip...

Jay

coldfeet · 04-16-2012, 07:07 PM

I picked up a "full" skirt a few years back. My nephew Matt used it when we were on that Little Tupper trip, remember it rainned on way back. Boy that was years ago, how time flies. I'd like to check out the half skirt one day.

masshysteria · 04-16-2012, 07:14 PM

the previously mentioned Frog Rock is under the flood water of Irene. on the right side. I think they say its a 50 ton boulder, so its not a tadpole, its good size. The right wingwall to the dam is in the foreground.

masshysteria · 04-16-2012, 07:40 PM

Heres a period postcard showing the frog!

04-13-2012, 06:12 PM	#1
Jay H Ice Cream Time Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Pittsfield, MA Posts: 6,793	Housatonic River paddle The intent this morning was to spot a bike at the New Lenox road launch site and launch from Pomeroy at the park there on the Housy but after scouting out the launch site, the only thing that looks like could be safely launched there was a rubber ducky. Great Barrington's gauge seems to be running at 206 cfs, whereas for mid april, it seems the median CFS is like 1040, 5 times greater.. The recommended bare minimum is 150cfs so without knowing the section around Pomeroy south, I decided to forgo the bike spot and just launch at New Lenox which I know looks to be a more wide section (after the west and east branch of the Housatonic merges). So I launched and headed south towards Lee, passing Mallards, Canada Geese, lots of small box turtles.. and a bald eagle(!). Very regal and was happy to be able to get fairly close to it with my cheap PnS camera to get some decent shots with only the optical zoom... Made it all the way to the next put-in, which is Crystal street, towards Lenoxdale and the entrance to October Mtn. This part of the Housy is more like a large pond, aka Woods Pond rather than a meandering river... Ran into two ladies on touring kayaks, this section is doable in a sea kayak but this was the inaugeral run of my rec Pungo 120 I bought from the Arc shop as their rental..... https://picasaweb.google.com/1048270...nicRiverPaddle Paddled past the put in and made it to the EPRI power station just north of New Lenox road... http://my.epri.com/portal/server.pt? before turning back and taking out... Jay __________________ Life is a short, warm moment And death is a long cold rest. You get your chance to try in the twinkling of an eye: Eighty years, with luck, or even less. -Pink Floyd

04-13-2012, 07:07 PM	#2
masshysteria Berkshire County Delegate Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Washington Mass. Posts: 1,113	About time you went through there!! The Bald Eagle hangs around there, saw him Weds. when I was fishing, and got some great shots of him. Also got some pics of an Osprey diving after fish. Ron Estes, whom Estes corner is named after, no doubt was out canoeing. he goes every day! It is scary how low the water is for this time of year, these are mid-summer levels; it's not good! I think you would have been all right starting from Pomeroy Ave. the shallowest part is right there. Just beyond there, where the east and west branches unite, it slows down and starts to meander, all the way to Lenox Dale. Next time bring a pole!! __________________ https://picasaweb.google.com/masshysteria1958

04-13-2012, 07:20 PM	#3
Jay H Ice Cream Time Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Pittsfield, MA Posts: 6,793	Oh I waited til I got a nice proper beat up Pungo to kayak it... I was checking out all the little side shoots and stuff, getting the kayak swamped and just exploring it. I actually got down to the little walkway bridge by Woods Pond to find two people diving in the river which was odd, especially how shallow it was but it looks like they were training cause there was a person on the bridge watching them and shouting stuff at them. Don't see that every day.. The guide book says there are some small rapids south of the dam south of the bridge. And a short portage around the dam. If we do get a stretch of rain, it might help, along with the brush fires... Jay __________________ Life is a short, warm moment And death is a long cold rest. You get your chance to try in the twinkling of an eye: Eighty years, with luck, or even less. -Pink Floyd

04-14-2012, 12:16 PM	#4
masshysteria Berkshire County Delegate Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Washington Mass. Posts: 1,113	It would appear Jay that this is what you witnessed; http://www.berkshireeagle.com/ci_203...triple-slaying The only odd thing is that the noted Veterans Memorial bridge is about half a mile below that footbridge. Unless the police have other information not made public? __________________ https://picasaweb.google.com/masshysteria1958

04-14-2012, 01:22 PM	#5
Jay H Ice Cream Time Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Pittsfield, MA Posts: 6,793	well, I guess if they were diving for bodies, it would be a good time cause it's so low. I saw what looked like an abandoned row boat somewhere by October Mtn area.. and I picked out a bunch of floating bottles but no bodies! Thanks for the link... Jay __________________ Life is a short, warm moment And death is a long cold rest. You get your chance to try in the twinkling of an eye: Eighty years, with luck, or even less. -Pink Floyd

04-15-2012, 12:40 AM	#6
masshysteria Berkshire County Delegate Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Washington Mass. Posts: 1,113	The red paddle boat spent all of last summer and this winter blown up against the eastern shore of the pond . I dont know who owns it, but now it is chained to a tree on the southern shore. __________________ https://picasaweb.google.com/masshysteria1958

04-15-2012, 08:30 AM	#7
coldfeet Commander Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 666	http://www.kayakquixotica.com/2009/1...take-my-pungo/ Good to see your part of the Pungo family! We can get together with Tony and Pungo around the area. Sounds like a nice paddle, I just got back from an ADK paddle trip. We went up Wed anc camped out at Axton Landing. Paddled to lower falls, hiked to upper, walked back and paddled back to axton for car camping. On Friday we paddled stoney creek to Indian Carry and then back to the car. Stopped over at Stewarts and had the new ice cream, "campers (something)". You wouldn't have liked the trip, sorry no bagels, it was still passover! But I brought the iron skillet for other matza goodies. Hopefully we can paddle near camp before the water gets really low.

04-15-2012, 08:32 AM	#8
coldfeet Commander Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 666	Nice pics of the eagle, sad pic of warning sign

04-15-2012, 08:48 AM	#9
Jay H Ice Cream Time Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Pittsfield, MA Posts: 6,793	Yo, David, planning a trip with Mudhook and any other Punpo People a trip from Bloomville south on the west branch of the delaware... Not sure when, but it's in the works.... I ate half the Coldfeet bagel stock on friday!!! Down to one more bagel. We might get more rain before your camp. The Housatonic goes all the way into CT and I think it empties into the LI sound.. Haha, funny link, I have to share that. But the Pungo does have a bulkhead, in the back... Jay __________________ Life is a short, warm moment And death is a long cold rest. You get your chance to try in the twinkling of an eye: Eighty years, with luck, or even less. -Pink Floyd

04-15-2012, 06:27 PM	#10
coldfeet Commander Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 666	Jay, keep me in the loop with the PP (Pungo People) I will do my best to make it. 1 bagel left? I'm gonna have to ship some to you!

04-16-2012, 07:07 PM	#13
coldfeet Commander Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 666	I picked up a "full" skirt a few years back. My nephew Matt used it when we were on that Little Tupper trip, remember it rainned on way back. Boy that was years ago, how time flies. I'd like to check out the half skirt one day.

04-16-2012, 07:14 PM	#14
masshysteria Berkshire County Delegate Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Washington Mass. Posts: 1,113	the previously mentioned Frog Rock is under the flood water of Irene. on the right side. I think they say its a 50 ton boulder, so its not a tadpole, its good size. The right wingwall to the dam is in the foreground. __________________ https://picasaweb.google.com/masshysteria1958

04-16-2012, 07:40 PM	#15
masshysteria Berkshire County Delegate Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Washington Mass. Posts: 1,113	Heres a period postcard showing the frog! __________________ https://picasaweb.google.com/masshysteria1958

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