Elswell That Ends Well

It was the first launching this year for the trusty kayak, to round out a pleasant Memorial Day weekend. The course was for a late afternoon float around Elwell Island; one of the biggest islands in the Connecticut river, if not the biggest. Shoving off from the dock at the Elwell Recreation area about 5:30ish, several contented looking kayakers and other floaters were just pulling in, from their own mid afternoon outings.







Elwell island is about 60 acres in area, at one time used for pasture land. The island is now edged by thick forest but there's still a big meadow right in the middle. I'm not sure how they did it back in the day, but getting the animals on or off the island must have been some work (but maybe that was the idea).

The Norwottuck's old rail-bridge-turned-bike trail uses the southern end of the island as a stepping stone, where it enters and re-emerges from the trees midway across the wide river.





Nearby and just to the south is the much more modern and recently renovated Calvin Coolidge bridge (route 9)...



It takes about 2 miles of paddling to circumnavigate Elwell island. This day the course was set for a counter-clockwise loop around; tackling the wider, busier eastern branch of the river first. This is the side where the power boaters hurl themselves up and down the waterway at whatever speeds available. Kayakers are well advised to hug the shores here, and brace for wakes...



After fighting and losing against a few of the higher wakes myself, I took a break and went ashore to dry off a little, and do a little exploring...



Other than an abandoned campsite, the island appeared totally devoid of natives. But there were a lot of birds were singing high above, in a forest of cottonwoods and black willows that is growing thick in the flood plain soil of the island.



Unfortunately it was too late in the day for a more thorough exploration of the dark interiors of the island, and I was a little too light on bug repellent for that kind of jungle trek anyway. A trip for another time. For now, back to the open water...as it were.

Around to the northern end of the island, where on the opposite shore some kids were cashing in on the little luxuries of life...



...then down the peaceful western side. I pulled the paddles out of the water and gently floated along with the slow current; milking the last leg of the journey and racing cottonwoods seeds as they floated and landed like snowflakes all around.





Carried along slowly like little more than driftwood, even the ducks don't seem to mind if you get a little close.



Finally, the dock came within sight again as the sun was nearly down; casting reddish on everything.







Just a few more minutes to linger, then it's time to take out...



...just as the last of the day, and the last of the holiday weekend, has come.