The Androscoggin River in Canton is calm on July 31, allowing boaters to take in the sights and sounds of the great waterway that stretches 173 miles from Errol, New Hampshire, to Bath, Maine. Donna M. Perry/Sun Journal

For over 35 years I have watched the Androscoggin River from a car, a bridge, a rock or an embankment but never from on it, until recently.

It brings a whole different view when you are in a row boat, sometimes floating with the current or moving by a small electric motor against the ripples. On this day, my husband directs the boat from the helm and does some fishing along the way. I, personally, just enjoy the wonder of nature and the relaxation it brings.

I like the feeling of contentedness. Of course, sudden moves of the boat do give me a little scare until I realize I am not going to go for a swim. I have my life jacket handy just in case but thankfully I learned to swim at a young age.

As we travel a section of the river in Canton you can hear the vehicles on the road in the distance. Sometimes they come into view. Other times the noise of the engines let you know they are not as far off as one might think.

A dead tree balances on a boom island July 21 in the Androscoggin River in Canton. Donna M. Perry/Sun Journal

You can see the beauty from the river. It is hard to imagine that at one time there was a bustling village right off the shore. For a now, it is quiet and there is no sign of the people who once lived there. Maybe if someone explored from land, it would tell a different story.

As we drift, you see the rocks and grassy islands in the middle of the water. There are trees that came down to create good hiding spots and feeding areas for fish and other water-based life. Lots of water bugs zip across the surface.

Another boat carrying three people is closer to shore doing some fishing.

Looking into the distance, wind turbines slowly turn on a mountain. From the river there is no sound.

An eagle circles overhead. A while later two eagles perch on two branches above the water. They were quick to fly off.

An old granite culvert, seen July 21, gives a glimpse of another facet of the Androscoggin River in Canton. Donna M. Perry/Sun Journal

Turning in the opposite direction, a granite culvert under an embankment comes into view. It must be strong because it has held up during the various stages of the river for years.

Farther upriver, an eroding embankment displays the roots of a tree. I have to wonder if this will expand the sides of the river when it is completely gone.

On this day, the river is calm. I have seen it in different stages. You can see the long green weeds coming up from the bottom. It looks as if you could see the bottom in some places.

It seems like it is clearer than I have ever seen it. Some boom piers come into view. Some have rocks sticking above the water. In other places grass islands are divided into sections where logs used to be floated down the river.

In one area a dead tree balances on a rock island in the middle of the river. Weeds grow up both sides of it.  You have to wonder how it became so balanced.

There is no sign of the angry rushing water that occurred last year that caused roads to break apart and communities along it to be devastated.

For a now, I intend to enjoy this side of the Androscoggin River. You never know what the wonders of nature will bring.