Signs of Spring on the Passagassawakeag

When does Spring arrive?
        March 21?
        The first Robin in the yard?
        The first Merganser on the Penobscot River?
        Or when every street and side road is being torn up for repair?

   By any definition, spring had arrived in Belfast.  Main Street had just been paved and the dock area was filled with construction equipment, ready to trench, pave, and redo ramps.   A load of  telephone pole-like pilings lay across our normal beach access, a trench was being dug before a side beach.  But the access to the paved ramp was available.  So, after checking with some workers to make sure our car wasn't in the way, we loaded our kayaks onto our handy carts and headed to the ramp.

   Good news!  It turns out the launch fees posted at the ramp don't apply to kayaks!  (Though I would still normally use the beach so the paved ramp is available for motorized boaters.)

   Belfast Harbor was filled with patchy fog and bright blue skies beyond.  And there was so much to see on the water:  new pilings;  a new Cornish pilot gig, the Malcolm G,set for action;

  the tugboat, Fornier under repair;

  and a busy Front Street Shipyard launching vessels.

  Once under Route One, the scenery was decidedly more rural.  To the south, a mostly abandoned railroad snakes through trees, while to the north, neighborhoods of varying eras line the shores.  This is one of my favorite neighborhoods.

   The wires above the river, and almost visible to the left, are thick enough to accommodate cormorants. 
    Further down is this lovely cupola-ed colonial with its massive rock companion.  That stretch of river also seems to be the new anchorage for the Shanty.

   We followed the river up further, below a railroad bridge, until it ended, as many streams do, in shallow water and fyke nets (for catching baby eels.)

   Our ride upriver and downwind had been nearly effortless, it would be more work going back to the parking lot.  I'm not a huge fan of wind, but I have to admit, I paddle faster and more constantly when going up wind.  We arrived back at noon, thinking the construction crew might be taking a break.  They weren't.

 In front of the shovel on the ground is a trench which crosses the dock, and I'm not sure where the little house is going.  

Summary:  Launch 9:40AM, finish noon.  One short break.  High 9:40AM.  About 6 miles.  Restrooms beside the dock parking lot (behind the tree on the right of the photo)

Belfast and the Passy (Maine)

Basics: Launch from the beach beside the town ramp. Generally parking is available, so long as no festivals are in town. Restrooms by the town ramp. 6 miles. Launch 11:10 AM, High 11:50, Finish 1 PM

Fall is in the air, the days are definitely colder, and unfortunately Mark is busier, so probably most of our paddles will be closer to home. But we still plan to get out and enjoy the water when we can.

This week’s trip was to Belfast Harbor, paddling the Passagassawakeag River. That’s a Native name, meaning place of the sturgeon. Coincidentally, the floor of the river is known for releasing bubbles of methane (though I’ve never seen this phenomena) leading some to shorten it to “Pass a Gas a.” Which is the wrong pronunciation; pa-SAH-ga-suh-WAH-keg if you’re interested. Those of us with less nimble lips call it simply the Passy.

This trip would follow our standard practice, paddling with the tide. We'd paddle up with the incoming tide as far as we could, then ride the current back. The wind from the northwest cooled us on the way upstream and accelerated our return.

These photos were leaving the harbor.

The three tiers are a float with cormorants, the walking bridge, and the Route 1 bridge.
There are so many beautiful old houses along the river, many with kayaks piled up near the shore.
Color was spotty along the trip, the maples and sumacs were beginning to turn. Hidden up on the telephone poles is an osprey nest. Can you find it?
Most colorful of all is poison ivy.
After we reached the point where our boats began to scrape on rocks we turned back, under the beautiful granite railroad bridge, now pinned together with steel.
We ducked into the northern most cove by this large boulder.
And spotted an eagle in a tree. I wasn’t going to take another blurry eagle picture until I saw it was really two. The larger bird is probably the female.
On down the river we went. Midway along the river narrows and wires stretch over it, providing a resting spot for many cormorants - watch for slice! One has given up on the wire and is resting on the mooring ball.
These seagulls were gathered under the Route 1 bridge. A graffiti artist had painted on a support: "Art or Crime?" Only in Belfast; affordable, liberal, funky and artistic. The photo shows Mark racing under a walking bridge, the Armistice Bridge. In the background is the skeleton of the building which was to become $600,000 condominiums on the harbor. It was a little too early for that, no condos sold, and the project remains unfinished. But someday soon I suspect Belfast will lose the affordable adjective.
I guess this dock is reserved for gulls.
The lead picture was taken in the summer. We could find only one on this visit. The exhibit is called the Long Breathe by Ryan Cowan, The Garden Muse.
In the background is the Cornish Pilot Gig, the Belle Fast. Come Boating sponsors community rows in the boats. Unfortunately they are often held early in the morning. But worth looking into if you are in the area.
Note how now that we’re finishing the sky is completely blue.
We made good time, Mark took the pictures heading upstream, so I only took a few close-ups coming back. That meant we could eat lunch at one of the many incredible restaurants in town!