Dirty Water

I'm gonna tell you a story
I'm gonna tell you about my town
I'm gonna tell you a big bad story, baby
Aww, it's all about my town

Yeah, down by the river
Down by the banks of the river Charles (Presumpscot)
That's where you'll find me
Along with lovers, muggers, and thieves (or Sue and Trish)
Well I love that dirty water   (not)
Oh, Boston (Westbrook), you're my home (temporarily)
                (Standell lyrics.  Dirty Water.)   (my notes)

August 22

I join Sue and Trish for a trek of new territory on the Presumpscot...not far from where Trish lives, and where there are nice, wooded walking trails alongside the river.

SUE AND TRISH IN WHAT LOOKS LIKE TWIN KAYAKS

YOURS TRULY IN BLUE-LY

It doesn't look like it in these photos, but the current was strong.  We paddled upstream in an area of the river downstream from SD Warren, and other industrial businesses. It was creepy.  In the pictures it looks all nice and tree-lined and peaceful enough.  But in reality, it was noisy (trucks, machinery, factories, traffic); smelly (at two points we were inhaling a sulfur smell and fresh tar); polluted (the water was neither clear or clean); and there was a great deal of debris from downed trees, as well as a significant amount of exposed roots. I've never traveled a stretch of river so ridden with downed trees.  There were unexplainable things (a downed tree with a pile of sandbags stacked underneath....(what?!)  and a large net hanging from a tree with  an unknown substance inside)

We decided this was our one and only time k'ing this stretch of river.

Industry sucks.