Dan Heiter contemplates the Ipswich Mills dam on his first attempt at his Herring Challenge. Read more below and support Dan’s paddle by sponsoring his Paddle-a-thon challenge here.
Hello River friends,
Can you imagine a million herring coming up the Ipswich River every year? I can, and I want to see it! On June 7th, I went out for my Herring Challenge #2 paddle- starting from the ocean and heading upriver past the dam like the herring don’t. As the name implies, this was my second attempt to paddle upriver, and maybe find out why the herring don’t. I wondered, what happens when we run into the dam? Will we reach our spawning grounds?
Before the dams were built the fish came in huge numbers, as they still do up the Mystic River downtown.
You can join my adventure (below), contact me if you need help getting on the water, or you can:
- Become an IRWA member and then use the boats at Riverbend any time – if you haven’t already!
- Join the Paddle-a-Thon and do your own thing along the River. Walk, run, bike, paddle, or join remotely in several ways. The event culminates on June 20th, but you can go any time! This is one of the safest ways to get outside during the pandemic – I see canoes, kayaks and SUPs on the river every day.
- Donate directly to the fundraiser, and support the science of River Monitoring.
I will be out often and especially:
June 19th – Heiter Challenge – contact me for details
June 20th – Herring Challenge #3 and Paddle Party – start from the ocean and head upriver past the dam like the herring don’t, all the way to the spawning grounds (I live on the Ipswich). Meet 8:30 at Pavilion Beach (resident parking only) or elsewhere along the way. High tide at noon. Up and over the dam? maybe? then to Riverbend and beyond, possibly returning downstream after spawning. Who’s to say what will happen?
Support Dan and clean water by making a donation to Paddle-a-thon on his behalf here and entering Dan Heiter under Directed Purpose.