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Wednesday, May 9, 2012
May is National Bike Month
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Striped bass make their return to Plum Island
NEWBURYPORT — It wasn't exactly as easy as shooting fish in a barrel, but those angling for striped bass Sunday were in luck, as schools of the immensely popular game fish were spotted along the shorelines over the weekend.
Stripers were so plentiful Sunday that, according to Surfland Bait and Tackle's Kay Moulton, they were pushing bait fish toward the beaches.
Unfortunately, those hoping to catch a little of that action yesterday weren't as fortunate. For some reason, the stripers were far and few in between, Moulton said.
"I'm afraid we told everybody, 'You should have been here yesterday,'" she said.
Regardless, the sight of so many bass over the weekend leaves little doubt that the striper season has returned to the Greater Newburyport area, more than a week earlier than normal.
On Sunday, fishermen crowded beaches along Plum Island, and others launched their small craft in the Merrimack River from a mobbed Cashman Park.
"It's all starting to happen: more boats, more people," Newburyport harbormaster Paul Hogg said yesterday.
Stripers are one of the most popular game fish in the region, drawing hundreds of fishermen to the area's most popular fishing spots: the mouth of the Merrimack River, Plum Island Beach, Deer Island in Amesbury and Joppa Flats in Newburyport. They can grow to almost 5 feet long, and their meat is highly prized by fish lovers.
Moulton and Hogg agreed that the striped bass season is starting a little early this season. Typically, the fish swim up the Atlantic coastline from their spawning grounds in Chesapeake Bay, near Maryland and Virginia, and into the region by mid-May.
Both believe that warmer water temperatures are a main reason for the relatively early start to the season. Such an assumption was likely aided by the earlier than usual arrival of herring, the popular bait fish for stripers. The herring, called alewives, were spotted in late March by the thousands in the Parker River in Newbury, weeks earlier than expected. In late March, the temperature reached an abnormal high of around 80.
On Sunday, the bait of choice was sea worms, which Moulton said were the hottest item that day.
"Sea worms really work well in the beginning of the year," he said.
Already, a half-dozen fishermen have had their photos taken with their bass and affixed to a wall display inside Moulton's Plum Island store. According to the state's recreational saltwater fishing regulations, striped bass can be kept only if they are 28 inches or longer. The biggest striper on Moulton's bulletin board as of yesterday was a 15-pound, 4-ounce fish caught by Andy Kelley on May 3.
Richard Hogg of Crossroads Bait and Tackle in Salisbury said he heard reports of a 47-incher caught off Salisbury Beach and multiple 30-inch-plus stripers caught off Cashman Park.
"The season has been pretty good for the last couple of weeks," Hogg, father of Paul Hogg, said.
Both Richard and Paul Hogg said stripers have been traveling far inland, having been caught at the Great Stone Dam in Lawrence.
"They're following the bait," Richard Hogg said.
But Richard Hogg said that if weather reports of days of rain for the region come true, it could seriously curtail the number of stripers caught as freshwater runoff enters the saltwater sections of the river.
REI.com is the Internet's largest outdoor store, offering a broad selection of trusted gear as well as expert advice and in-depth information about products and outdoor recreation.
REI.com is the Internet's largest outdoor store, offering a broad selection of trusted gear as well as expert advice and in-depth information about products and outdoor recreation.
National Park Action: Sportsmen’s Heritage Act
Dear Reader,
On Tuesday, April 17, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Sportsmen’s Heritage Act which, as drafted, could allow much of the National Park System to be opened to hunting and recreational shooting. Your representative voted to not exempt national parks from this harmful legislation. Take a moment to let your representative know you are disappointed with their vote to not protect national parks! Click the "Take Action" link after your legislator's name in the vote center to send your message. The bill included language that purports to exclude national parks and national monuments from hunting and recreational shooting, but is so poorly drafted that it could result in hunting being permitted in national parks like Yellowstone and the Great Smoky Mountains. In addition, it ignores the many national park unit designations that also do not allow hunting, such as national historical parks, national military parks, national memorials, etc. The House had the opportunity to exempt units of the National Park System from the bill by voting in support of a technical clarifying amendment offered by Representative Rush Holt (NJ-12). Sadly, Mr. Holt’s amendment was rejected. The bill has now moved on to the Senate where NPCA is working to get this harmful language removed and ensure a genuine exclusion for the National Park System that does not change current law.
Take Action: Please tell your representative you are disappointed to learn that they voted against Rep. Holt’s amendment on the Sportsmen’s Heritage Act which would have exempted the National Park System from the bill.
It's important to let our elected officials know when they don't do the right thing for our national parks. Thank you for taking a moment to express your disappointment in your representative. Perhaps next time they will do better by voting to protect national parks. Sincerely,  Elise Russell Liguori Legislative Representative  |
E-mail us at TakeAction@npca.org, write to us at 777 6th Street, NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20001, or call us at 800.NAT.PARK (800.628.7275).
Can't see this message? View it on the NPCA Website.
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NPCA | 777 6th Street, NW | Suite 700 | Washington, DC 20001 | 800.NAT.PARK | npca@npca.org
Dog Pulls Unconscious Owner From Train's Path
SHIRLEY, Mass. -- A pit bull named Lilly is being hailed a hero after she pulled her unconscious owner from the path of a freight train last weekend.
An engineer of a westward-bound freight train saw a dog pulling a woman away from the tracks in the early hours of May 4 in Shirley. The engineer tried to stop, but couldn't avoid hitting the 8-year-old dog.
The woman, identified as Christine Spain, wasn't hurt, but the train's wheels sliced through Lilly's right foot, fractured her pelvis in multiple locations and caused other internal injuries.
When EMTs arrived at the scene, Lilly was covered in blood but still standing guard over her owner, who had collapsed next to the tracks while walking home from a friend’s house.
The dog was initially taken to an emergency animal hospital in Acton, and she was then taken by Spain's son, Boston police Officer David Lanteigne, to Angell Animal Medical Center in Boston.
Lanteigne said he had adopted the dog for his mother three years before, and Lilly's companionship helped curb her drinking.
"Lilly's recovery from this horrific ordeal is my top priority right now and I'll do everything possible to get her back home to us," he said.
Lilly is undergoing extensive treatment at MSPCA-Angell. To make a donation to Lilly's care and treatment, click here.
Source: http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/31027600/detail.html
An engineer of a westward-bound freight train saw a dog pulling a woman away from the tracks in the early hours of May 4 in Shirley. The engineer tried to stop, but couldn't avoid hitting the 8-year-old dog.
The woman, identified as Christine Spain, wasn't hurt, but the train's wheels sliced through Lilly's right foot, fractured her pelvis in multiple locations and caused other internal injuries.When EMTs arrived at the scene, Lilly was covered in blood but still standing guard over her owner, who had collapsed next to the tracks while walking home from a friend’s house.
The dog was initially taken to an emergency animal hospital in Acton, and she was then taken by Spain's son, Boston police Officer David Lanteigne, to Angell Animal Medical Center in Boston.
Lanteigne said he had adopted the dog for his mother three years before, and Lilly's companionship helped curb her drinking.
"Lilly's recovery from this horrific ordeal is my top priority right now and I'll do everything possible to get her back home to us," he said.
Lilly is undergoing extensive treatment at MSPCA-Angell. To make a donation to Lilly's care and treatment, click here.
Source: http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/31027600/detail.html
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Photo Trip Maudslay Park 5/6/2012
Today's trip May 6, 2012:
Maudslay State Park
Newburyport, Massachusetts
(978) 465-7223
GPS (42.821979,-70.926094)
Web: http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/northeast/maud.htm
Lots to see and plenty of trails to walk, run, bike, or horseback. Today's visit was overrun with Baltimore Orioles. They seemed to be everywhere you looked today. A miniature horse club was on the trail today with harness carts. Adorable little guys trotting along the trails! There were lots of horses and it appeared there was a Greyhound club meeting on the open green today. Life is Good!
The trails were very busy today but still private enough to enjoy when you shoot off on the little side trails to check out the scenery or sitting along the shore of the river on a tree branch or on an outcropping of rocks along the way.
If you are lucky we were not today, you may have an opportunity to see a Bald Eagle or two while in the Park. There is a closed area of the park during certain months for nesting purposes. The trails are overall easy without much elevation change, so it is comfortable for all.
Below are some shots from our day at the Park, enjoy!
Trail Map
Download printable version (pdf)
Accessible Restrooms
Bike Paths
Group Day Use
Hiking
Historic Site
Horseback Riding Trails
Mountain Biking
Picnicking
Scenic Viewing Area
Skiing (Cross-Country)
Walking Trails
The Parking Fee at Maudslay State Park is $2.00. Annual Passes are available for purchase.
View Maudslay 5/6/2012 11:23 AM in a larger map
State Park
In 1985 the property was acquired by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Management to become Maudslay State Park. The main gate, the drives, the stone bridges and overlooks have survived, as well as stands of lilac, rhododendron and some of the fruit trees. The sites of the grand houses have been leveled. The tops of the foundations are visible in the mowed lawn. The swimming pool of the main house is empty and is choked with thickets. Except for select locations, the gardens and greenhouses have fallen into ruin, the walls scarcely visible on the overgrown hillside. The dairy farm on the property survived and was a working farm in good repair until the early 1980s.
The park service has added a parking lot. A nearby house became the park headquarters. A staff of rangers and grounds employees maintain the meadows and trails and conduct guided tours; however, visitors are welcome to hike the trails, except for areas restricted for ecological purposes. A memorial running course has been delineated. It winds through the meadows and pines. Rest rooms and shower facilities were constructed in the parking lot. Equestrian parties on the larger trails are common. The horses are often brought in privately in trailers, which park in the meadow next to the lot.
Since 1987, Maudslay State Park has been the home of Theater in the Open, which performs three live outdoor shows in the park throughout the year. The theater is also is known for their giant puppet pageant every May called "The Rites of Spring" and their walk in October called "Maudslay is Haunted".
On April 3, 2010 around 1:58 P.M., the Coachman's Barn, which was customarily used for the Theater in the Open, caught fire. The Newburyport, Salisbury and Amesbury Fire Departments got the blaze under control around 3:30 P.M. Only the stone foundation and the chimney survived. The chimney has been taken down for safety reasons. The small house next to the barn was largely untouched.
Maudslay State Park
Newburyport, Massachusetts
(978) 465-7223
GPS (42.821979,-70.926094)
Web: http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/northeast/maud.htm
Lots to see and plenty of trails to walk, run, bike, or horseback. Today's visit was overrun with Baltimore Orioles. They seemed to be everywhere you looked today. A miniature horse club was on the trail today with harness carts. Adorable little guys trotting along the trails! There were lots of horses and it appeared there was a Greyhound club meeting on the open green today. Life is Good!
The trails were very busy today but still private enough to enjoy when you shoot off on the little side trails to check out the scenery or sitting along the shore of the river on a tree branch or on an outcropping of rocks along the way.
If you are lucky we were not today, you may have an opportunity to see a Bald Eagle or two while in the Park. There is a closed area of the park during certain months for nesting purposes. The trails are overall easy without much elevation change, so it is comfortable for all.
Below are some shots from our day at the Park, enjoy!
Trail Map
Download printable version (pdf)
Accessible RestroomsBike PathsGroup Day UseHikingHistoric SiteHorseback Riding TrailsMountain BikingPicnickingScenic Viewing AreaSkiing (Cross-Country)Walking Trails
The Parking Fee at Maudslay State Park is $2.00. Annual Passes are available for purchase.
View Maudslay 5/6/2012 11:23 AM in a larger map
State Park
In 1985 the property was acquired by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Management to become Maudslay State Park. The main gate, the drives, the stone bridges and overlooks have survived, as well as stands of lilac, rhododendron and some of the fruit trees. The sites of the grand houses have been leveled. The tops of the foundations are visible in the mowed lawn. The swimming pool of the main house is empty and is choked with thickets. Except for select locations, the gardens and greenhouses have fallen into ruin, the walls scarcely visible on the overgrown hillside. The dairy farm on the property survived and was a working farm in good repair until the early 1980s.
The park service has added a parking lot. A nearby house became the park headquarters. A staff of rangers and grounds employees maintain the meadows and trails and conduct guided tours; however, visitors are welcome to hike the trails, except for areas restricted for ecological purposes. A memorial running course has been delineated. It winds through the meadows and pines. Rest rooms and shower facilities were constructed in the parking lot. Equestrian parties on the larger trails are common. The horses are often brought in privately in trailers, which park in the meadow next to the lot.
Since 1987, Maudslay State Park has been the home of Theater in the Open, which performs three live outdoor shows in the park throughout the year. The theater is also is known for their giant puppet pageant every May called "The Rites of Spring" and their walk in October called "Maudslay is Haunted".
On April 3, 2010 around 1:58 P.M., the Coachman's Barn, which was customarily used for the Theater in the Open, caught fire. The Newburyport, Salisbury and Amesbury Fire Departments got the blaze under control around 3:30 P.M. Only the stone foundation and the chimney survived. The chimney has been taken down for safety reasons. The small house next to the barn was largely untouched.
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