Mid-November in the Taunton River

I began the trip near the top of the portion of the Taunton River shown.  The Berkeley Bridge is at the center.  Peter's Point lies south of the bridge, just above the widening.  The Assonet River branches to the right from the bottom.

One last trip as cold and dark and wind threaten to close off the season--Taunton River in Surprise.  Endless short-tacking as I dropped down the river against wind but with the ebb; low stress, since we were always making windwardway with each tack!  Dinner and a nap above Berkeley Bridge while the flood passed, then at midnight away once more, under bridge and a few miles more of beating and running aground and hitting rocks invisible in the dark, then to anchor at 5am, slightly lost.

 The river is narrow with fluky winds in its higher reaches.

Up at midmorning to discover I was right where I'd wanted to be.  I chose to take opportunity to visit up the shallow Assonet River at the top of the tide, rather than riding the flood straight home--figure out how to get home later.  Assonet is a few miles of narrow water flanked by mcmansions, ending in a pretty little bay with a mix of houses modest and less so, and also marsh and forest. 

 After dropping anchor at 5am, slightly lost, daylight found me right where I wanted to be: across from the Assonet River.

               One of the more modest homes along the banks of the Assonet.

A tiny islet marks the confluence of the two rivers.

After tacking back downriver to the confluence, fought upriver against current with a fluky west wind until the weakness of wind and strength of current brought me to a stop at Peter's Point, a couple of miles below the bridge.  Ate and slept a bit, read Moby Dick, and resumed sailing after a change in the tide; but lack of wind left no option but awkward paddling.  (Surprise's odd shape makes a motor the only practical alternative power.)  Flood was very late in coming and weak.  Finally dropped anchor below bridge, fatigued by paddling and inadequate sleep, and called Bea to bail me out, since it seemed impossible to regain the ramp on this tide.  Left boat closed up, taking valuables ashore in kayak.  Beatrice brought me to the tow car and we drove home in convoy.

 The way ahead past Peter's Point was narrow, shallow and rocky.  I couldn't negotiate it against  both wind and tide.

Extensive Phragmites marsh isn't found much loweron the river than Peter's Point.

My hosts for the evening (since I sort of camped in their back yard) have a nice idea for enjoying their waterfront: a loveseat atop this rock.

A welcome sleep in my own bed.

Two days later put plan into effect to retrieve Surprise.  With the wind strong from the north, returning to original ramp couldn't happen, so brought trailer to a downriver ramp I'd never used.  Then paddled against a cold wind (well-wrapped-up) the 2½ miles to the boat, rigged, and sailed downwind with the ebb to the ramp.  Nice to see in daylight what I'd only passed in darkness.  Some beautiful (and some peculiar) yachts at the boatyard.  A very nice ride, though short, past interesting waterfront properties and eclectic and individualistic homes.  The ramp is a nice one--newly-renovated as an Eagle Scout project--and I'll have to use it again.