Hopkinton Lake again

I went to Hopkinton Lake again today, however, a storm blew in real quick so I left. Good thing too. It was severe lighting. Only spent 1 1/2 hours paddling. I did catch a small Perch and a Large Mouth Bass about 2-3 lbs. Enjoy the photos.

Locke Lake & Half Moon Lake, Barnstead, NH

Today I paddled in Locke Lake & Half Moon Lake which is located in Barnstead, NH. Although it is a nice lake to live on, if you paddle, these two lakes are very boring . There no coves or inlets, nor even streams to explore. I was out there with my friend Steve for two hours, battling 30-40 mph wind gust, which can be fun if you are in the right frame of mind. Of course, a bad day of paddling is still a very good day!

I have attached a link with a map of the two lakes for your convenience.

http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Fishing/bathy_maps/locke_barnstead.pdf

Hoit Road Marsh, Concord, NH

This morning I paddled Hoit Road Marsh in Concord, New Hampshire. The AMC book Quiet Water New Hampshire & Vermont recommends this as a nice place to paddle. The marsh is maintained by NH Fish & Game and there are no motor boats here at all.

So, with that information, I decided to spend a couple of hours there. I found this to be one of the most uninspired places I have yet to paddle. There were far to many weeds for fishing and barely no nook and crannies to explore. The marsh has a very boring shoreline, without much scenery. Although the marsh is 206 acres, it seemed much smaller due to the inaccessible areas choked with weeds.

On the bright side I saw many Wood Ducks and other duck species, as well as a Blue Heron and a Bald Eagle. Other than this, not much else to see. I would not recommend this place to paddle until you have explored every other place you can.

If you still choose to go there, you can access the pond by taking Rt 93 to exit 17 (Hoit Road) follow Hoit Road east for approximately 2.4 miles. The marsh will be on the left with parking on the right. Other than a nice little sandy put in for the kayak, there were no facilities.

You can access the NH Fish & Game information on this marsh by clicking the link below.

http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Fishing/bathy_maps/hoit_concord.pdf

Hopkinton Lake, Hopkinton NH

Today I paddled Hopkinton Lake. With it's great scenery and abundant wildlife, and the fact that gas powered motor boats are not allowed in this lake, makes for good paddling. Although the noise from Routes 202 & 89 can be heard, the lake is big enough that you can find solitude if you look for it. Although I encountered several canoes, I still found areas where no one was around.

Since the lake is rather large (roughly 500 acres) and I didn't have a lot of time, I headed for the quieter north east section. This area is accessed by taking a very scenic, narrow channel which is full of downed trees you must navigate around. It felt like I was traveling in a river from Jurassic Park!

You can access the lake by taking exit 5 on Route 89 (Routes 202/9). Take the first right after you cross Hopkinton Lake. The is a boat launch sign. There is a cement boat launch and parking, but no other facilities.

This was a great day and I look forward to going back there soon. I recommend this place highly!

Powder Mill Pond, Hancock, NH

On Labor Day I paddled unspoiled Powder Mill Pond. A few unobtrusive old farms front the western shore. The main drawback: road noise from Route 202, which runs quite close to the pond at the northern end. Since Powder Mill is a public water supply, gasoline-powered motorboats are prohibited, leaving exceptionally clean water. I spent about 4 1/2 hours paddling.

The pond can be accessed by Following Route 202 through Hancock to Forrest Road. Travel about 1 mile to the covered bridge. Put in is right after the bridge.

This lake encompasses 419 acres of empty landscape with a couple of unobtrusive farm houses on the western back of the pond. The average depth is 3 feet and the water is clear. With as much room as there is, it feels as if you are the only one on the pond. Most times you are. I recommend this spot very highly! Clink the link below for more information on Powder Mill Pond.

http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Fishing/bathy_maps/powdermill_hancock.pdf

New to kayaking

I finally did it. I broke down and bought my first kayak. I purchased the Prodigy Perception 10, which is a very beginner kayak. Although I have enjoyed this kayak, I wish that I had bought something a little better, with more performance. Oh, well, this one will have to do.

This blog will be about my adventures in the kayak and the places, people and things I see along the way. I have been kayaking for two weeks at least 2 hours every day. This past weekend, I was out paddling over 4 hours on two separate days. Boy are my shoulders tired. I did take a rest day today.

I hope you enjoy the blog. Feel free to comment and suggest locations in New England for the kayak.