Kayaking at the Blue Hole

[scubabruce]

I took a walk out to the Blue Hole today (which was actually black due to all the rain) and could have kicked myself for not bringing a camera. I met a couple on the opposite side of the Great Egg Harbor River near the Hole. Their plan was to swim to the middle of the Blue Hole with a life jacket on and drop a weighted rope to the bottom to find its depth. Unfortunately they came in on Inskip Rd so first they had to swim across the River which was deep and moving fast due to all the rain we just had. They used the rope to get across the River. After getting across with all their gear, they decided to have lunch before plunging into the Blue Hole, so I didn't stick around. The woman had a cell phone camera and promised to email me a trip report and photos of their endeavor which I'll post if I get them. Anyway, my real purpose in posting this is to ask if anyone has put a kayak in the Great Egg Harbor River near the Blue Hole, and if so, what was that like? The side they were on was easy to get to with a great put in area.

I think I saw the Jersey Devil but without a camera I couldn't take his picture.

 

[46er]

That sounds like it has the makings of something that might show up on UTube

 

[piker56]

I think the spot you were at is pretty close to Piney Hollow Road, so it would be a short paddle down stream. I've made it upstream for a little but there are lots of blow downs. I had a canoe, though. You may be able to get much further upstream than I can. The Great Egg Harbor River upstream of the Blue hole area is really Beautiful, but definitely not an easy paddle.

 

[scubabruce]

I think the spot you were at is pretty close to Piney Hollow Road, so it would be a short paddle down stream. I've made it upstream for a little but there are lots of blow downs. I had a canoe, though. You may be able to get much further upstream than I can. The Great Egg Harbor River upstream of the Blue hole area is really Beautiful, but definitely not an easy paddle.

Thanks. A little while after I posted that I checked out the "Paddling in the Pines" web site
http://www.njpinelandsanddownjersey...ser_op=view_page&PAGE_id=12&MMN_position=37:3

They indicate a paddle from New Brooklyn Lake down to Piney Hallow Road past the Blue Hole. Unfortunately, they don't mention any canoe/kayak rental places that do this, so it's difficult to get info on whether it's passable by kayak.

 

[manumuskin]

I haven't been down that stretch since the 80's but back then from new brooklyn lake to winslow road was very roogh but below that it was a breeze.there was a bad ice storm in the 70's and it had not been cleared yet above winslow road.i assume it is all clear by now.
Al

 

[scubabruce]

I haven't been down that stretch since the 80's but back then from new brooklyn lake to winslow road was very roogh but below that it was a breeze.there was a bad ice storm in the 70's and it had not been cleared yet above winslow road.i assume it is all clear by now.
Al

Who would clear it? I talked to the people at Micks and BHP and they said they clear the Oswego, Wading, Mullica & Batsto Rivers when needed because that's where their business is, but does anyone clear the Great Egg Harbor River in the above mentioned area? Do you know of any canoe/kayak rental places that do that stretch?

About two weeks ago after heavy rains, I tried going from Atsion's Goshon pond to Jackson Road in ATCO. It's a beautiful stretch but there was some major timber across the waterway, so I didn't make it too far. It would be nice to have some organizations or clubs "adopt a waterway" and keep it clean.....and clear of debris for paddlers.

 

[manumuskin]

I don't know who clears it but when I did it it had been cleared from winslow williamstown road all the way to Lenape.wether it is still cleared or not I do not know.I have not done the great egg since 85.even the uncleared new brooklyn section is a beautiful maple swamp.perhaps you should scout it out or take the first section as a real short one to make sure it is clear.Me and Whip never scouted anything,we just did it.We were young then,if your not,scout it.
Al

 

[DeepXplor]

I dove the Blue Hole in the mid 90's to reach the bottom. Yes, there is a bottom. After about 30 feet you get into decaying leaves, and yes, you can smell this under water. From that point I dropped a sash wt attached to a rope and I could determine another 20 feet of soft, decaying leaves and then there is probably some mud under that.

 

[pinelandpaddler]

I dove the Blue Hole in the mid 90's to reach the bottom. Yes, there is a bottom. After about 30 feet you get into decaying leaves, and yes, you can smell this under water. From that point I dropped a sash wt attached to a rope and I could determine another 20 feet of soft, decaying leaves and then there is probably some mud under that.

Wait a second, DeepXplor. Which "Blue Hole" did you dive exactly?

 

[DeepXplor]

The one near Piney Hollow Rd. I have some pics of it on my gallery

 

[woodjin]

I dove the Blue Hole in the mid 90's to reach the bottom. Yes, there is a bottom. After about 30 feet you get into decaying leaves, and yes, you can smell this under water. From that point I dropped a sash wt attached to a rope and I could determine another 20 feet of soft, decaying leaves and then there is probably some mud under that.

Wow, that is pretty cool. When I went there about 10 years ago I remember being surprised thinking it didn't look deep at all. I remember seeing the bottom. maybe it was a trick of the light.

 

[DeepXplor]

The light does refract at about 33%, and depth perception can change to 25%. The minute your head goes under water with a dive mask on you are able to see the real thing.

 

[pinelandpaddler]

DeepXplor, you must have dove a "blue hole" other than the natural one right by the Great Egg Harbor. The latter is only 4 ft. or so deep and has no man made structures like the one in your photo.

 

[DeepXplor]

It probably is a different one. The one I dove had a write up in the old SJ Mag and it got my interest. Can you tell me where the one is that you are speaking of? I would like to take a field trip there.

 

[manumuskin]

Deep explorer have you ever dove out to menantico wma or any of the blue holes in the cumberland county area?I've never known any to be deeper then 40 ft or so but I could be wrong.Some are exceptionally clear.One night while wandering menantico me and a friend noticed a car parked next to the landlocked blue hole on road left going in.we followed the tracks down to the pond and they disappeared at waters edge.I figgered someone walked across the shallow bar at that spot to the other side or was swimming around the corner when we seen bubbles breaking the surface about 50 ft out in the deeper area then this 70 year old man surfaced and we started a conversation with him.He had full scuba on and he said he just likes to sit on bottom during a full moon which it was.he said he could see at least 40 ft in any direction without lights.
Al

 

[DeepXplor]

Al, The only time I dove in Cumberland County was in the 1980's. A diver friend lived in Alloway and he took me to some non working sand pits. The water was clear and the deepest we were was about 20 feet. I got to pull my old log books out to look up all the facts. I think that there was some fish and light vegatation growing from the bottom up.

 

[Gerania]

It probably is a different one. The one I dove had a write up in the old SJ Mag and it got my interest. Can you tell me where the one is that you are speaking of? I would like to take a field trip there.

You're right, that's Winslow. The photo with the structure, sand in the background is the river where the old bridge was.

 

[pinelandpaddler]

Gerania is right about that. But the blue hole is only several feet deep.

 

[Boyd]

Hey Gerania - haven't seen you around here for awhile, welcome back!

 

[manumuskin]

The one near Piney Hollow Rd. I have some pics of it on my gallery

ever do any ocean diving around here? I know visibility seems to be poor near the beach but I wondered if it cleared up out further? The purtiest water i ever seen was the Persian Gulf right before Sadly Insane let all that oil lose in the Euphrates that washed into the Gulf.We took a marine boat trip out into it.Could see coral 40 ft down like looking through a glass.One shipwreck too.Cool it was!
Al