I hit a nice sweet spot this weekend in Connecticut. 

It all came together on a relaxing paddle on the Salmon River down in Moodus, just a few miles above where it meets the Connecticut River at Haddam.

It was sweet for several reasons.

For one thing, the weather cooperated.  That’s something that hasn’t happened very often during this year’s northeast paddling season.  So far, I think I have cancelled more paddling events than I attended.

Secondly, the venue is delightful.  There is very little open water, which I find boring. Instead there were lots of narrow bits and overhanging trees that provided a lot of shade on the warm clear day we had. And there are two tributaries, the Moodus River and Pine Brook, to explore a bit.  My favorite part is always the narrow passage upstream to the dam just beyond the Route 151 bridge at Leesville.  Even the launch area is pleasant, nestled along the river in the quiet, undeveloped Sunrise State Park, the site of a former resort. It’s a totally relaxing, leisurely trip of about seven miles.

Among the dozen of us who gathered for this there were plenty of friendly, familiar faces.  The icing on the cake for me was that there were a few treasured ones that I was seeing for the first time this season.  That gives you an idea how tough it’s been getting a decent paddle event off the ground this year.  Here it is August and there are paddle friends I’m just now seeing.  Usually I’ve touched base with nearly everyone within a month of being here.

And all of the dribble above was an excuse to post some photos.  Enjoy them.