Delaware River (Oct. 3, 2006)

Jared and either an immature or female bald eagle have a staring contest along the Delaware River, Oct. 3, 2006.

Jared setting up camp in the 400s at Kittatinny Canoes and Campground, Barryville, NY, Oct. 3, 2006.



Crossing over Jersey's Driscoll Bridge is always a pleasant reminder of why we like to escape to the woods and water. We listened to Howard Stern with guest Mr. T on the way up.

Oct. 3, 2006
Upper Delaware (Skinner's Falls to Barryville)/ 63 degrees (air)

This was my third kayak/camping trip on the upper Delaware, this time with Jared. We borrowed Baker's truck -- it was set up with roof racks for easy boat transport. We left Barnegat at 6:55 a.m. and arrived in Narrowsburg, NY around 11:30 a.m. We met up with "Mike" a friend of Chris' that lives up that way. For $20 he shuttled Baker's truck back to our planned takeout. We put in at Skinners Falls at 1 pm. and reached the takeout at Barryville, NY at 4 p.m.

The river was pushing good and I caught a scary hole and some overhead chop right in the beginning at Skinners - best of the day for me. We estimated hitting about 6-7 whitewater spots on this trip. It was mostly flatwater, though.

We spotted about 7 either immature or female bald eagles (they were mottled) along the way.

Weather was great for October, about 63 degrees in the morning. No need for shirts.

We camped at Kittatiny Canoes and Campground on Rt. 97, Barryville, NY. It was $34 for 2 adults for the night. Note: At this time of year there are hardly any other campers here, so the owner always likes to corral what few people there are onto a lawn spot right next to the main building (weird). One year, Chris and I almost wound up lawn camping. Later we discovered that there were tons of secluded cool spots and insisted on moving. (We camped in the 400s on that trip in '05 at "Greatful Dead End," right next to Beaver Brook.) Jared and I camped at #410 on this trip - you have to ask, and it's a few bucks more. *Check in starts at 8 a.m.

We set up camp at 4ish after just a few hours of paddling. We set out into "town" and grabbed a beer at some tavern, where there were only a few locals playing darts. Otherwise, nothing else was going on, so we went back to camp to get our swerve on. Jared brought 2 big bottles of wine that we wound up pounding like 40s. I'm told that I performed the best drunken-almost-in-the-campfire-fall of all time ...

Quick Trip Upstream Oswego

10/1/06
Oswego River / 2.96' / 63 cfs / 57 degrees (air) / beautiful, supposed to hit 70
Trip: Oswego Lake to upper Oswego

Kenny was up from Florida so we headed upstream for quick trip in the two-man -- my 'big gun.'

High day on the Oswego

Small, fiery red leaves of a trident red maple loom over the Oswego, Sept. 4, 2006. It seems like fall always comes early on the river.

One of the sandy beaches downstream on the Oswego, April 9, 2006. As a joke, we call this 'Baker's Bluff' -- we slide down it in our boats for a dip at the bottom. (More on that later).

Foam blasts out of the spillway at the start of the Oswego River, Sept. 4, 2006. At almost 4 1/2 feet, this is the highest I've ever seen the Oswego.

9/4/06
Oswego River / 4.46' / 419 cfs / 73 degrees (air) / beautiful
Trip: Oswego Lake to Harrisville Pond (Chatsworth) / 6.3 mi.

Drop in: 3:30 p.m.
Takeout: 7 p.m.

BEFORE: Hurricane Ernesto kept the Shore a rainy, windy mess for Labor Day Weekend. Actually, just Friday and Saturday were a mess; but it was enough to keep the bennies from having one last takeover for the summer. Otherwise Sunday and today were excellent weatherwise. The rivers are super UP after a rainy week. This is the highest I've ever seen the Oswego, which usually hovers around 3 feet, and calls for a few drags over stones. Some other record-breaking readings are: Mullica at 3.5'/415 cfs (me and Chris hit it at 3 foot about year ago and it was like a lake; kindof sucked); and Cedar Creek at 1.98' (no cfs reading available).

* As a side note, famed-outdoorsman the Crocodile Hunter died today after a fatal sting ray attack.

AFTER:
Wow! One of the best trips I've ever had. Went with Mike Baker; it was his first time out on a creek. He did good (only dumped once at a strainer). The foam bubbles at the put-in were ridiculous awesome. You could take to the right of the fork at the very beginning. Baker dragged aground for just a sec only once the whole trip. We had a killer Genuardi'S Southside Slider at the break point. The highlight was dropping in from about a 20-foot high slope (now called 'Baker's Bluff' about an hour from Harrisville. You couldn't help but dump it at the bottom without a spray skirt (next time I'm bringing one and staying at that spot for about an hour!)

This should have been a 2 1/2 hour trip easy; but we took our time, had a few beers so it took 3 1/2. I'm going to try an hit this one again later this week.

Mullica River (Shamong)

We enter 'Beaver City' portion of the Mullica, fall 2004.

With Paul in the foreground, me and Dad head through a few overhanging cedars on the Mullica, fall 2004.

Chris and Paul on the Mullica, fall of 2004.

7/8/06
Mullica River (upper) / 1.91" / 156 cfs / 85 degrees (air)
Trip: Atsion Park (Shamong Twp.) to Batsto takeout
Drop in: 9:15 a.m.
Takeout: 3:15 p.m.

Met Jared at the dirt lot at Poor Man's Parkway and Rt. 539 at about 9:15 a.m. When we arrived at Atsion (put-in) there was a group (5-6) of older canoers putting in. We were of to a slow start, as we had to give them a comfortable lead. About a half hour into the trip, I was surprised to see them at the first sandy beach on the left skinny dipping. WARNING: This is the second old, nude man I've seen on this river! We took the opportunity to pass. Met up with another older couple a few hours in. Said they did the Mullica in the dead of winter. The guy was originally from Vermont, now Woodbury, and I think he's an eighth-grade teacher. (I left a note on their car at the put-in after we were done; maybe they'll keep in touch).

The water conditions were awesome; fast moving but not really any drops. (1.5 seems best for a 1 or 2 drops at the 'Great Expanse'. Jared was padlding with his sit-on-top which he said was hard to turn. He wound up falling in quite a few times. Also, just after Great Expanse, his paddle snapped in half at the joint. He wound up paddling the rest of the trip canoe-style. I also tried canoe-style for a little bit; it's good to know it'll work in a pinch, but is super slow compared to a full paddle. We took our time. We could have easily did this trip in an hour less if we picked up the pace (and Jared had a full paddle). We listened to Kings of Lionne on the way back to the put-in in Jared's truck. On the way home we stopped at the Lower Bank Tavern for a couple of cold Pabst Blue Ribbons. There were at least 25 Harleys out front of the Green Bank Tavern.



Some key times (rough) checkpoints:
* Beaver huts at 'Great Expanse' 10-10:15 am.
* First bridge (of 3) 2:30 p.m. (There's a ruler/gauge here; it read just under 10')
* Second bridge 3:05 p.m.
* Third bridge 3:10 p.m.
* 15 min. between put-in and take-out spots

Sunken day on the bay

4/15/06
Barnegat Bay / over head near channel while sittting (intercoastal and b bay), waist high 250 yards out from shore / NW wind / according to scottsbt.com tide was low at 3:47 p.m. (little egg inlet) / 68 degrees (air) / estimated 50 degrees, bay
Trip: Somewhere across Barnegat Bay, from 23 St., Surf City (Jared's house)
Drop in: 4 p.m.
Takeout: 5:10 p.m.

Today was the best of days. Lost my digital camera, cheesy sunglasses (had them one year) and alomst, my new boat. We left Jared's house from the end of his street at the bay. He was paddling Tim's old sit-on-top. He just bought it for $75. We headed out against a nice lap of 2-3 foot chop. My boat was filling fast (no spray skit) but we aimed to hit this "Christmas tree isle" probably about 2 miles across. At maybe a mile or half, Jared noticed that I didn' t put in my drain plug -- my ass was draggin' low. We were at about the 20 min. mark. He capped it, we paddled on. Soon, my boat was foundering (before the intercoastal waterway). We turned around. I was starting to think I was going to lose my boat, although I knew I could swim to shore. Finally, I had to take a dunk and take my boat for its first roll (1/2). It was still floating! I grabbed the front handle and Jared towed me and boat home (I kicked and paddled). The water wasn't cold while swimming (for about 40 min.) At a beach, one block south of Jared's house put-in, we washed in. We tested my boat and found that it wouldn't sink: upside down or upright with the stern bulkhead filled with, ice, beer and water after over an hour of paddling. My Pelican, that's supposed to be watertight, had about 3 teaspoons full of water inside after being submerged for the duration of our trip. The cam still didn't make it, but I hated that damn cam anyway (but I lost the few pics we had before the Titanic re-enactment).
I intend to write the Pelican people.We scarfed bbq chicken and dogs at Jared's later. On the way home we listened to The Black Keys (Rubber Factory) at bass +7 in his new Dodge Ram 3500 (Cummins diesel) -- windows down, rolling home, it was great.

* Note to self: Always use a spray skirt on the bay and double check the drain plug!

Oswego River (Chatsworth)

Me and Carolyn under an Atlantic White Cedar out on the Oswego, April 9, 2006. She was a good sport.

4/9/06
Oswego River / 2.97' / 65 cfs / 37 degrees (air) / cloudy
Trip: Oswego Lake to Harrisville Pond (Chatsworth) / 6.3 mi.

Drop in: 11:45 a.m.
Takeout: 2:45 p.m.

BEFORE: The first and only time I fell in was at the Oswego with Carolyn (about 3 years ago), so today -- in combination with a chilly, cloudy day -- marked an ominous trip.

AFTER: No falls or close calls, phew. After crossing Oswego Lake for portage to the river, we met up with 3 canoers that were in doubt of their trip -- questioning the water level. I thought they'd be OK but I'm sure their trip was a drag -- literally. I wouldn't recommend this trip below today's depth of 2.97'. I didn't have to get out, but we dragged over tea-colored stones in a few places (moreso at the start, and at Martha). Otherwise, it was a great day with Carolyn. We stopped on a sphagnum-filled bank for lunch at about 45 min. in. We saw 2 pine warblers (awesome), requisite turtles plopping off of logs, and spooked up some sort of hawk. It wasn't a red-tail because the tail was fanned rather than squared, but it was brownish in color. At the same time we spooked up a great blue heron nearby. Just before Harrisville Pond, we saw a guy just past the sandy penninsula on left, doing what appeared to be some sort of sampling in a foldable kayak -- it looked like a good boat. At Harrisville Pond we saw some sort of sandpiper (3).

Some key times (rough) checkpoints:
* 1 hour to sandy beaches (good for early break)
* 2 hours to Martha Pond / Furnace
* 28 mi. / 40 min. from our house (Barnegat)
* Made wrong turn on Red Road on way home. Came out at Baptist Street, (Chatsworth) which if headed south is the left before 679 off of 563.

Me, Tim and Chris at Cedar Creek

I made killer sandwiches for the day's trip -- roast beef, turkey, bacon, lettuce, tomato and American cheese.

Pitcher plants in a bed of sphagnum moss along the bank at Cedar Creek (Lacey), April 2, 2006.

Chris M. plays around the spillway at Cedar Creek April 2, 2006.

4/2/06
Cedar Creek / 2.44' / 86 cfs / 65 degrees (air)
Trip: Dover access to Dudley Park (Bayville) / 9.5 mi.
Drop in: 9:30 a.m.
Takeout: 1:15 p.m.


We (me, Chris, Tim) chose Cedar Creek as our first spring run, during an unseasonably warm early April day. Twice I thought about jumping in for the season's first dip, but passed. First trip in my new boat -- a 10' Dagger Approach. Its drop-skeg proved to be a worthwhile feature for long straits and also while grabbing a beer from the back hatch. I was surprised to feel the swarm of gnats on a couple of occasions -- while dropping in at Dover and at the concrete bridge at Double Trouble (I think that's where it is). It was a great day -- spooked up numerous mallards, a wood duck and a couple of Great Blue Herons roosting high above in trees (never saw them roost before). Swamp Maples (I believe) were starting to bud/flower with no leaves yet. Red-winged blackbirds and swallows out at the pond. We didn't see anyone else (paddlers) at drop/takeouts or in the water.

Some key times (rough) checkpoints:
* Little drop (1') at powerlines 10:20 a.m.
* Concrete bridge 10:30 a.m.
* Parkway bridges (2) 11 a. m.
* Rope swing/ Beer Bottle Beach 11:45-noon

Record day downstream Oswego

3/18/06
Oswego River / 3.79’ / 247 cfs / 32 degrees (air) "feels like 21"/ cold and windy
Trip: Oswego Lake to Harrisville Pond (Chatsworth) / 6.3 mi.

Drop in: 11:a.m.
Takeout: 12:50 p.m.

BEFORE: Fairly cold and windy today (Sunday). The Oswego had a good spike after a mid-March blitz of rain/hail/little snow (should be the last of that kind of weather for the season). Carolyn is going to follow and drop me off, since I’m going it alone – but I can’t wait! It’s been quite awhile since I’ve been able to do a down-river trip – pretty much since Chris got sick.

AFTER: River was really pushing – I definitely set a record time today at 1 hour 50 minutes. Spooked up at least a dozen, small ducks. They made squeaking noises (maybe wood ducks?). Also spooked up two deer. The river was beautiful. Some newly fallen trees made for a few nice little shutes and riffles.

It was tough going across Harrisville, with a serious wind; chop was breaking over my bow.

There was some sort of dirtbike race today. Tons of people and cars at Oswego Lake. I didn’t see anyone else paddling.


* Got to the wooden bridge in about and hour and a half, hour and 45 to Baker’s Bluff.

Upper Oswego with Carolyn

Me and Carolyn on the upper Oswego, March 3, 2006.

3/3/06
Oswego / 3.9'/ 275 cfs (these levels are from the downstream gauge) / low 50s (air)
Trip: Oswego Lake (from early drop in) to upper Oswego river
Time: Roughly 1 1/2-hour trip

I somehow talked Carolyn into paddling with me today -- it's a beautiful day in early March, following a mild winter, but she's not feeling well. After a late start I decided we'd just do an upper-oswego trip, so we could turn around in need be. It was blustery on the Lake Oswego, with a little chop from gusting winds. For a moment I thought about heading back, because I didn't want to get into a situation where Carolyn was frost-bitten, be she gave the OK to press on. It was beautiful in the cedar forest, with a reddish glow from now-wild cranberry flanking the river. It looked as if the river had recently been groomed by a canoe club, with a few fresh cedar cuts to be found. Noticed about 3 beaver huts toward the front portion. Saw one in a small aluminum, john boat with one paddle awkwardly eeking along the front portion - maybe the little engine on the back of his boat wasn't working, or he was working toware a specific fishing hole. No bugs. No wildlife spottings on the river, but two black vultures eating a deer carcas and a deer off of red road on the way home. Truck got muddy.

I didn't check the levels until we got home, but it would have been one of those great days to go downstream.