Navigating Saugus River an activity close to home

SAUGUS – A great blue heron stands watch, a cormorant glides across the water grasping a fish in its talons and flocks of sandpipers erratically whip around the landscape.This is where the Saugus River meets the ocean, and if you’re looking for someplace to paddle close to home this weekend, this might be a good place to start.Joan LeBlanc, executive director of the Saugus River Watershed Council, said that the shoreline at Stocker Playground is prime for a put-in.”That is the best launch site for the main stem of the Saugus River,” she said.From the playground, boaters can turn left to go up river.However, LeBlanc emphasized that the river is under tidal influence for two miles upstream from the playground, so boaters should be mindful of the tides so they don’t get stranded on the mudflats.Cape-variety beach grass covers the riverbanks, which abruptly drops off into the water like little cliffs. A pair of cormorants swim by as mariners pass Pendleton Properties park on the left. They are eventually followed by a piece of driftwood or clump of seaweed. The water tends to be fairly murky as boaters make their way through the salt air, passing Off Ella Saint park on the right.It is not long before the beach grass suddenly turns into 6-foot walls of smooth cordgrass, giving the river a canyon-like feel.Mariners will then pass under the Northern Strand Community Trail, a 9-mile biking/walking trail that runs along the Saugus branch of the former Boston & Maine Railroad. At this point the river becomes littered with the detritus of civilization: driftwood, old tires and the occasional overturned grocery carriage, cast to the river’s edge years ago.”Although problems with trash and debris in the watershed have improved over the years, illegal dumping continues to contribute to pollution in the Saugus River,” said LeBlanc. She explained that the problem is compounded when trash is pushed up the river at high tide. She added that the council hosts a number of cleanups throughout the year, with the next one being planned for this fall.Although these obstructions can slow one’s progress, the river can still be navigated with relative ease. After negotiating about a half-dozen twists and turns, the Hamilton Street bridge, located between the Saugus Deli and the Hamilton Street/Riverbank Road intersection, will come into view. Boaters should be aware that overhead clearance under this bridge is steadily reduced with a rising tide.After passing under the Hamilton Street bridge, boaters should stay to the left as the river’s right side becomes quite shallow.Shortly thereafter, boaters will pass under an old rusted sewer pipe and the clumps of seaweed will begin to give way to coontail and other freshwater mosses.”Upstream from there it is all freshwater,” said LeBlanc.After coming around the last turn, mariners will pass through a section of the river known as Scotts Pond. Then, looking ahead, they will see The Forge at the Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site.Upstream from the Iron Works, boaters will notice that the river narrows significantly and becomes obstructed by rocks, fallen trees and overgrown shore vegetation making it impassable.In addition to Stocker’s Playground, LeBlanc explained that boaters can park at Vitale Park and use the town’s boat ramp on Ballard Street.She added that a third location is available at Rumney Marsh using an access road on Route 107 south.However, LeBlanc warned against boaters getting too close to the Route 107 bridge because it’s very close to the river’s estuary.”We very strongly recommend that boaters avoid going near or under the Route 107 bridge due to dangerous eddies and undercurrents,” she said.Despite her words of caution, though, a boat ride up the Saugus is still way more serene than any car ride on Route 1.The river area between Stocker Playground and the Saugus Iron Works: