camping/canoeing with my lady

[Adam Buchler]

My girlfriend has never camped before but she is thrilled about the idea. So, I want to take her camping and canoeing but I don't know where to begin. I would like to camp somewhere relatively secluded so it doesn't seem like we are anywhere near civilization. Also, I would like to be close to a canoe rental/launch so we don't have to go far to canoe/rent a canoe. Ideally I thought it would be cool to canoe to mullica or lower forge to camp but I am not a "pro camper" so I feel that my equipment/supplies are bulky and take up a lot of space. And, since I haven't been in a canoe in years so I can't really recall how much room they house for camping gear. I plan on going for 1-2 nights sometime in the first couple weeks of october. Any suggestions on campsite? Also, this may be a dumb questions but once you canoe down stream how do you get back to your car? lol

 

[46er]

Since both of you do not have much experience with either camping or canoe tripping I would suggest breaking it into separate endeavors. Select a nice campground, there are many, as your home base and take a several hour group canoe trip to get your feet wet. After all, you want it to be a positive thing. The link is to Mick's, good info there, check the camping heading. A call to them would get you what you want.

http://mickscanoerental.com/

 

[manumuskin]

They do not make canoes big enough for a sasquatch. Isn't your girlfriend afraid.I'm sure you've let her in on Squatch roaming the Barrens
Another suggestion would be if you don't want to hire someone like Mick's to shuttle you from the take out back to the put in or wherever you left your car you might want to consider paddling upstream first and then you know when you do decide to turn around it will take you less time to get back then it took you to get to your turn around point.Hint: It's easier to go upstream against current in a kayak.One cool trip is to head upstream from oswego lake till you've had enough and then turn around and head back.You can do this on virtually any pine barrens river.Oswego river below the lake tends to be a little fast and Mount Misery Brook is virtual barrens whitewater so these would be a challenge.After very heavy rainfall any stream could be a challenge.I"d say a real nice trip would be to see if you could arrange through Micks to be picked up at Bodines field (camp there) and dropped off at hawkins bridge and canoe back down to your camp and car.I don't know if they do this but it's worth checking.

 

[Adam Buchler]

So it seems that Adams and Micks are both closed that late in October....any new suggestions?

 

[manumuskin]

i know Bel Haven lakes rents canoes/kayaks or used to.don't know if they do shuttles

 

[imkms]

You could camp at the Godfrey Bridge campground. I like the back area, site 26, 27 or 29 (there is a map here http://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/wsf-godfrey-map.html)
These sites are large and fairly private, and they have a picnic table and fire pit. Outhouses and pitcher pumps are in the campground. Godfrey Bridge is also close to the private Wading Pines campground which has a store where you could get some treats, etc. Wading Pines also rents canoes, but you would have to check to see what they offer this time of year. But if they do, you could setup tent, walk to WP and walk back when done.

 

[Adam Buchler]

is there any decent hiking around bodine field if i camp there?

 

[manumuskin]

The Batona trail passes north of Harrisville lake and can be accessed from 679 or Evans bridge.It heads to Absegami lake to the south where it ends and to Batsto and beyond north.If your aerial and gps savvy and enjoy swampin off trail there are gorgeous isl;ands on both sides of th3e wading in the swamp from tidewater all the way up to Evans bridge and beyond. Aerial and compass will work as well.Many of the islands don't show on a topo.Also miles of sand roads across 679 that you can make loops out of.You can walk all the way to thE Plains if you like but that would mean crossing Bombing range property and their life threatening signs.