Sea Kayak Trips Bulletin Board

Connecticut River

Posted By: Nick Schade
Date: Sunday, 18 April 1999, at 10:50 a.m.

Last weekend Scotty came by and we put into the Connecticut River for our first paddle of the year.

We put in at Keeney Cove in Glastonbury, CT where the water level was up over the bridge. There is no parking right next to the put-in, so I drove the car across the street to the Fleet Financial office parking lot.

There is a lot of trash around the put-in where the high-water brought in flotsom. Wading carefully through the detritous, we put in and paddled through the trees towards the south and the main body of the river. There were a few fisherman at the mouth of the cove.

The wind was blowing from the north along with a strong current. We hugged the east shore to avoid the worst of the current as we headed upstream. An osprey kept on getting startled from its perch as we continued pushing up behind it until it finally figured out that it could avoid us by going to the far shore.

The sun was warm despite the cool air temp and headwind. I was wearing a shorty wetsuit and a paddling jacket. Scotty had on a thick diving wet-suit which soon became uncomfortable. I was comfortable but did not feel overdressed.

We paddled up under the Route 3, Putnam Bridge where the current was making good eddies. The cars crossing above could be on another planet for all the connection they had to what we were doing. Going south from the cove is a nicer looking paddle, but with the current and wind, we figured it made sense to head north, and when you are in a kayak, the concrete and steel of the bridge become just another part of the scenery and less an intrusion on the experience.

Shortly upstream of the bridge we crossed the river, working towards the navigational marker indicating the entrance to Wethersfield Cove. Farther upstream we could see the jet engine test platforms of Pratt and Whitney. We turned into Wetheresfield Cove, past a couple more fisherman in boats, and under the Rt 91 bridge.

Wethersfield Cove is on of the first places in Connecticut to be settled. It provides a good anchorage and protection from the currents of the river proper. Around to the left is a small town park and boat ramp. We paddled over a fence and landed on the lawn of the park. A picnic table provided a place to sit and try to pet some of the dogs being walked. After a few minutes stretching, we hopped back in the boats and worked our way back to the river.

The wind and current made quick work of the paddle back. We stayed out in the middle to take full advantage. The shore seemed to just slide by. In better than a 1/3 of the time it took us to work our way upstream, we were back to the mouth of Keeney Cove. Scotty admitted that the idea of bucking the wind and current in the beginning was a good one.

We paddled through and around some trees and over some low-floaters and surprised a duck as we re-emerged in the open part of the cove. After a quick paddle, we were back at the put-in.

This is a nice, low-key paddle, and not a bad way to start the season.

Sea Kayak Trips Bulletin Board is maintained by Nick Schade - Guillemot Kayaks with WebBBS 5.12.