Canoeing the Concord

PaulM goes for a paddle on the historic little river:

Herons stood in the shallows, a band of about 60 Canada geese occupied one bend, other birds called here and there, and the river flowed by like time coming off a clock. On the way to the bridge we had the current in our favor, and it was strong enough to notice. Recent rain had topped off the channel. The bankside growth was lush with plants, bushes, and trees so familiar to us in central New England that we hardly notice the individual species. To a car driver, the vegetation can become a dense green sidewall. Slowed down in a canoe, you become more aware of the difference between looking and seeing. When you have to swing out into the middle of the river to avoid tree limbs dipping into the water, you notice more.