From the Brook: Canoeing on the Connecticut
This past week we embarked on a 4 day canoe trip down a section of the Connecticut River. I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect going into the trip, especially since I never canoed much before, and while there were difficult or strenuous moments, I overall found it to be a very enjoyable and relaxing experience. The weather was wonderful, with warm and sunny days and a light chill at night that was chased away by the warmth of our campfire. Every night, after dinner, we all gathered around to listen to Maiya read a bit from The Alchemist, one of their favorite books. It was a lovely way to unwind after the long days on the water, especially helped by the soft annotations of Maiya’s voice and the almost dream-like writing style and plot of the book. The moon, bright and close to full, hung overhead at night and turned the river to silver, though by the early morning the river was almost entirely obscured by mist. As the mist began to burn off , the river looked almost milky with the reflection of the fog, though by the time we got on the water there were only a few wisps of vapor rising off the river like steam.
Canoeing itself was surprisingly relaxing while not getting too monotonous. Fall was getting into full swing, and the openness of the river provided gorgeous views of the surrounding hills, dotted with fiery bursts of color from the trees. We saw lots of incredible wildlife on the water, including but not limited to water birds like herons, multiple hawks, some swimming deer, a possible bald eagle or two, and a very strange squirrel that tried to hitchhike a ride on one of our canoes before jumping off and swimming to shore!! The hours canoeing passed quickly with lively conversations with our random canoeing partner of the day or with a nearby other canoe, talking about everything from comfort TV shows and favorite music, to peanut farms, or singing silly songs to pass the time.
Paddling in silence was also lovely; the rhythm of the paddle and the smoothness of the water was very serene, especially during such a beautiful time of year with the trees changing. By the time the canoe trip came to a close, I was both tired physically, while feeling rejuvenated mentally and emotionally. We all really enjoyed canoeing, and I personally am super grateful for the opportunity to go on an overnight canoe trip and hope I can go on another one someday soon!
- Thea
