From: Kurt Ries on 08/20/98 08:02 PM
To: nyckayaker@envirolink.org
cc: Mike Notch@VIESystems, pgr@i-2000.com,
SRies@optika.com,
goldenapple@tcu-usa.org,
ken.wachtler@intranetsol.com,
WCMIK@classic.msn.com,
Steve Yu/VIESystems, fred@valvetech.net
Subject: The NJ Thing
Last
weekend we decided on the spur of the moment to do the "NJ Thing" and
head
for the shore.
Neither
of us had been to the New Jersey Shore and felt it was about time
we
checked it out. Pulled out a road map and decided Barnegat Bay around
Island
State Park and Little Egg harbor looked like some interesting Sea
Kayaking
and an easy drive. I would like to share our findings and solicit
for
additional New Jersey coastal paddling areas.
Have
Fun!
-Kurt
Kurt
Ries
Suffern,
NY
kries@viesystems.com
===========================================================
Our New
Jersey Coast Paddling Outing of 8/16-15/98
Saturday
-- Barnegat Bay
------------------------------------------
Waterproof
Chart #56E
Barnegat
Bay
1-800-423-9026
www.waterproofcharts.com
Island
State Park -- 732-793-0506
Driving
through the beach areas around Seaside Park I was starting to get
put off
with huge crowds and jet ski rentals around every corner. I was
pleasantly
surprised to find once entering Island
State Park the crowds
went
down and there were two put-ins solely for canoes and kayaks at areas
15 and
21. We decided to utilize the first
put-in with a destination of
the
Barnegat Bay light house.
From
the Island Beach State Park Brochure:
Island
Beach State Park is situated on a narrow barrier island that
stretches
for 9.5 miles between the Atlantic Ocean and Barnegat Bay. Sand
dunes
that offer habitat to maritime plants and diverse wildlife extend
from the
entrance of the park at Seaside Park to the tip of the island at
Barnegat
Inlet. Barnegat Lighthouse can be seen across the inlet from the
southernmost
point of Island Beach. Park visitors can enjoy the 3,000
acres
of sandy beaches, maritime forest, tidal marshes and dunes.
With
the bay side of the park to ourselves we proceeded to paddle the 70
degree
water south toward the Barnegat Bay Light house exploring the coves
and
inlets of the bird sanctuaries. Many sightings of Falcons, Snowy Egrets
and
Osprey. The bay waters themselves were full of Terrapin turtles watching
us with
great interest. The entire area at low tide was in about 1-5 feet
of
water. The sandy bottom could easily be scanned for marine life as we
paddled
along. By traversing the smaller channels between islands we were
able to
avoid all the boat traffic of the main channel by the mainland.
All
waters in the bird sanctuaries were clearly marked "No Jet Ski's"
making
for a very tranquil outing.
There
was significant boat traffic around the ocean inlet by the Barnegat
Bay
light house. This traffic was easily avoided because of the sand
shoals
expanding 3/4 of the way out into to the bay. These shoals limited
most
boat traffic to the main channel along the shore of the Barnegat Bay
Light
house. We stopped for lunch and beach combing along the beautiful
white
sand beach along the southern tip of Island State park. Absolutely
wonderful
mile or so stretch of dune-ed beach with only a handful of
boaters
out for a stroll. This area of shore is fairly seclude not easily
accessed
from the trail system of the park because of the bird sanctuaries
of the
north and limited boat traffic because of the shallow sand shoals.
Island
State Park also offers guided canoe trips in Barnegat Bay that
sound
interesting.
Sunday
-- Little Egg Harbor
-------------------------------------------
NOAA
Nautical Chart 12316
New
Jersey
Intracostal
Waterway
Little
Egg Harbor to Cape May
Sunday
we drove down to Little Egg Harbor and followed Great Bay Blvd. out
onto
the peninsula of the Wildlife Management Area. It was refreshing not
to have
the Disneyland atmosphere of the popular beach areas of Saturday.
We
put-in on the north side of the peninsula just after the first bridge;
another
sandy beach that no one was taking advantage of. We proceeded to
paddled
along the northern shore of the peninsula toward the eastern tip.
We
encountered a fair amount motor boat traffic that for the most part,
was
restricted to the main channel a few hundred feet off shore. This is a
big
crabbing area with the locals pulling up dinner in their nets of 2-6"
Dungeonus
crabs. Just passed buoy 17 about 3/4 of the way to the end of
the
peninsula we stopped at a small sand beach outcropping. While eating
lunch
we were entertained by swarms of Horse Shoe Crabs come up the sandy
shore
approach to the waters edge and turning back around to open sea. I
have
never observed this many in one area before ...fascinating. After
lunch
we explored the tidal pools inland and discovered what green headed
flies
were, nasty creatures that are a cross between house fly and an
alligator.
-I guess there is a little hell in every
paradises