1950's campground

woodjin

woodjin

Piney
Nov 8, 2004
4,341
327
Near Mt. Misery
I had posted to your question Guy, but I guess it was lost. I met the kayak king (who was in the program apparently). IT was a very long time ago. I asked him for directions to Harrisville. He is a real big guy. I was at bodine field and he seemed annoyed that I didn't know where Harrisville was at the time LOL. He told me anyway. I felt stupid since I drove right past it. I have seen him in many pine barrens documentaries since that time.

Jeff
 
Teegate

Teegate

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Sep 17, 2002
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There must have been quite a few posts lost then.

I had never heard of that rental company. How did you know it was the Kayak King? Written on the kayaks or his vehicle?

Guy
 
Teegate

Teegate

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Since some of the posts are gone I will post somewhat what I posted before.

A man I work with and hike with watched the documentary “Pine Barrens Journey” a week or so back that one member here also posted about. In the documentary Don Bragg was mentioned who is the former owner of the Wading Pines Camp Ground. He is the person who was in the Olympics that Kingofthepines was asking about. In the 1996 documentary he owned a kayak rental place called “King Kayak” or Kayak King”. He is shown in the documentary dropping off some renters and also giving the host some kayak lessons. They then headed off at high speed in the river.

Has anyone ever heard of this rental company?

In any event, here is the listing for the showing of the documentary early tomorrow morning on Comcast cable.



http://mywebpages.comcast.net/teegate/pbj.jpg

Guy
 
Teegate

Teegate

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I wrote Don Bragg so lets see if I get some answers to my questions.

Guy
 
Teegate

Teegate

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I minute later I received this.

Your mail to the following recipients could not be delivered because they are not accepting mail from TeeGate@comcast.net:
tarzanbragg

Guy
 
Pineman32

Pineman32

New Member
Dec 4, 2006
11
7
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Jenkins Neck, NJ
That documentary was from 1995. The Kayak King from what I understand went out of business a few years back. Have not seen him in the area for quite some time. Regarding the post about him being the former owner of Wading Pines; somewhat true. Don owned the property that became Wading Pines after he sold that property to the co-owners of Dover Pools (Toms River area) in the mid 1970's (Chick Purpuri, and Bob Stern). They named it Wading Pines. They have long since sold the campground to the current owners.

G.M.
 
Teegate

Teegate

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I knew he did not own the campground, I meant the property. I failed to add the word "property" to my post.

BTW, do you know it he purchased all 184 acres of the tract from Mr. Stong?

And the website says he now lives in California.

Guy
 
woodjin

woodjin

Piney
Nov 8, 2004
4,341
327
Near Mt. Misery
TeeGate said:
There must have been quite a few posts lost then.

I had never heard of that rental company. How did you know it was the Kayak King? Written on the kayaks or his vehicle?

Guy
Click to expand...

i am not sure if i saw it on his vehicle (probably did) or if i recognized him in a documentary a short time later. i know he was dropping off kayaks when i spoke with him.

jeff
 
Teegate

Teegate

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An update to this old thread. Recently, Don Bragg added an interview of him to youtube where he discusses the founding of his Kamp Olympik that he ran there. To refresh your memory he owned what is today Wading Pines Campground in the 1960s after winning the gold medal in pole vaulting in the 1960 Rome Olympics.

It is in pieces so you have to click on each portion of the interview on the right side


Guy
 
turtle

turtle

Explorer
Feb 4, 2009
653
213
a village...in the pines
I believe his family was originally from the Salem/Cumberland Co. area. His brother George and family lived in Lower Bank for some time. At one time George was the bridge tender on the Lower Bank bridge. He died approx. 5-6 years ago and his wife purchased the last remaining lot in the "old" Lower Bank cemetery to bury him. They left town immediately after and moved to the deep south...... (just silly old info filed away in the dust bin of my brain......:words:)

:) turtle
 
kingofthepines

kingofthepines

Explorer
Sep 10, 2003
268
7
the final outpost
good to read this old thread again. I feel somewhat validated. The tower still bothers me. Perhaps it was a water tower for the rail line? Time has a weird affect on memory. Maybe in another 3 years I'll remember exactly what he said. Maybe it was one of Gen Washingtons watch towers? Yeah thats it, or maybe not...
 
Teegate

Teegate

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They were from Penns Grove which is the same town that Bruce Wilis grew up in. Don Bragg now lives in California.

Guy
 
Pineman32

Pineman32

New Member
Dec 4, 2006
11
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Jenkins Neck, NJ
Don was in Jenkins approximately 8 to 10 months back, and stopped by to visit my parents and I. He was telling us that he had experienced some misfortune since moving to California (house was destroyed by fire). But he was in good spirits, and said that he was planning to write a book about his life including his Olympic experiences, as well as his time at "Kamp Olympic" and his ill-fated "Kayak King" adventure. Having known Don very well since I was a kid (more years ago than I would like to admit) the one thing that has not changed is that nothing keeps Don down for long.

George
 
Teegate

Teegate

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Thanks for the info George. He looks pretty good in the video's so I was assuming he was doing okay.

Guy
 
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