Great Egg Harbor River Canoeing

[MikeBickerson]

Just moved, and my books aren't unpacked yet, and the web is incredibly unhelpful...

Any idea the distance/estimated time to canoe the Great Egg Harbor River from Penny Pot to Camp Acagisca? Trying to figure out if it's viable for my Scouts. Looks like its about three hours from Penny Pot to Weymouth, but couldn't find any information past there.

Our "usual" is the Wading from Hawkins to Bodine (which is around 8 or 9 miles if I remember correctly).

Thank you in advance for any help!

 

[manumuskin]

ARGH! My Robert Parnes is packed away also:-(I know you can get from Weymouth to the bottom of Lake Lenape in two hours or thereabouts,not sure where this camp is unless it's the one on the right way up on the bluffs before you get to Lenape?I thought that is a girl scout camp???Two hours is steady paddling.I prefer to take much longer then that on this stretch.It's gorgeous!

 

[46er]

ARGH! My Robert Parnes is packed away also:-(I know you can get from Weymouth to the bottom of Lake Lenape in two hours or thereabouts,not sure where this camp is unless it's the one on the right way up on the bluffs before you get to Lenape?I thought that is a girl scout camp???Two hours is steady paddling.I prefer to take much longer then that on this stretch.It's gorgeous!

Acagisca camp is part of the Atlantic County parks system.

http://www.aclink.org/PARKS/mainpages/camp.asp#acagisca

http://www.paddling.net/places/showReport.html?489

The Paddle Shack in Mays Landing might be able to help about the times.

 

[turtle]

Mike....
Penny Pot to Weymouth = 9.9 miles = 4-6 hrs.
Weymouth to Acagisca = 2.7 miles = 2-3 hrs.
Acagisca to Lake Lenape = 4.3 miles = 3-4 hrs.
Just check out which areas you can take a trailer into. Acagisca is a real nice spot to camp with a group.

Terry

 

[manumuskin]

I was way off on my memory! I haven't done that section in over fifteen years.Hey it's worth a day trip.There are backwater bayous extending off the main river that are cool to explore. I remember massive beds of Pickerlweed and Golden Club so it must have been spring when I was on it.

 

[turtle]

Al, probably not too much off. We both know that the charts are for the average paddle in average conditions with average skill sets......
They are provided as a guide. You were probably booking along after a flood event in your racing kayak. ..... like Gabe.

 

[manumuskin]

Yes I did used to make pretty good time not even trying,older now and instead of a racer I"m more like a Ball Python that can lay in one place for days without moving

 

[Asburgoyne]

Should anyone still use this forum, perhaps you could help me gain some insight. I'm planning my paddling trips for the season, and I like to take on the Great Egg Harbor River. Specifically, I am interested in starting ABOVE Penny pot. On google earth, I have seemed to find a couple, possible good launch points.

One is at New Brooklyn Lake, Cedar Brook Road ( 39°42'6.40"N, 74°56'14.41"W )
Another is coming in from Fourmile Branch just down the road at Co. Rt. 659 ( 39°41'49.24"N, 74°56'24.83"W )
Then there's another about 8mi. down river from those (past Winslow FWM) at Rt. 54 ( 39°35'39.85"N, 74°51'6.01"W )

Has anyone done these (or know someone who's done these) sections to Penny Pot? What is the navigability like? From overpasses on google they look OK. Some aerial shots are real sketchy though.

If anyone can help, I'd certainly appreciate it. Otherwise, raw, unknown adventure it is!

Also, if anyone is familiar with above New Brooklyn, that too would also be valuable.

Thanks,
Andy

 

[manumuskin]

I did the Egg harbor from new Brooklyn lake to mays landing back in 85,86 in five different sections.The first section was intended to be from new Brooklyn to Piney Hollow rd but it was so bad down to Winslow Williamstown rd that we ditched the boat there and walked back to the lake to get the drop off car because there was no longer enough light left to get to Piney Hollow.There had been a massive ice storm in the late 70"s and had droppen hundreds of trees across the creek and had not been cleared.I have heard it's clear now but will not swear such is the case.We went back the next week expecting the same conditions on the next section of the river and were surprised to see it fairly clear.The rest of the river was quite nice.The section above Weymouth was a bit depressing since the east bamk has houses all up the river bank and 322 is quite loud and close.The best section in my opinion is between Weymouth and top of Lenape lake.it's gorgeous with channels and bayous meandering off the main channel.The Main river gets quite deep in there.I took a ten foot limb and jammed it all the way under from the canoe and went in to my arm pit and never touched bottom in one spot.If I was you I"d do a scout below new Brookly lake and if it looks good start there.We did that section in fall and the red swamp maples were gorgeous but the water was low.Did the last section in spring and Never Wet and Pickerelweed were blooming everywhere.

 

[Asburgoyne]

I did the Egg harbor from new Brooklyn lake to mays landing back in 85,86 in five different sections.The first section was intended to be from new Brooklyn to Piney Hollow rd but it was so bad down to Winslow Williamstown rd that we ditched the boat there and walked back to the lake to get the drop off car because there was no longer enough light left to get to Piney Hollow.There had been a massive ice storm in the late 70"s and had droppen hundreds of trees across the creek and had not been cleared.I have heard it's clear now but will not swear such is the case.We went back the next week expecting the same conditions on the next section of the river and were surprised to see it fairly clear.The rest of the river was quite nice.The section above Weymouth was a bit depressing since the east bamk has houses all up the river bank and 322 is quite loud and close.The best section in my opinion is between Weymouth and top of Lenape lake.it's gorgeous with channels and bayous meandering off the main channel.The Main river gets quite deep in there.I took a ten foot limb and jammed it all the way under from the canoe and went in to my arm pit and never touched bottom in one spot.If I was you I"d do a scout below new Brookly lake and if it looks good start there.We did that section in fall and the red swamp maples were gorgeous but the water was low.Did the last section in spring and Never Wet and Pickerelweed were blooming everywhere.

Thank you so much for your very informative response! The forum didn't notify me that anyone had responded, I will have to check my settings. I will definitely scout soon and report back to this thread.

I'm really hoping for a nice paddle through Winslow. On google earth (at winslow rd.) it seems someone may have made cuts to down trees and it looks like it's quite navigable {it's a 2016 capture though, so who knows now}. I will at least check there, since I don't have 4-wheel drive and don't want to get stuck on a dirt road in Winslow. Ill have to hike that scout.

Again, I really appreciate you getting back to me with your experienced information!!

 

[manumuskin]

Thank you so much for your very informative response! The forum didn't notify me that anyone had responded, I will have to check my settings. I will definitely scout soon and report back to this thread.

I'm really hoping for a nice paddle through Winslow. On google earth (at winslow rd.) it seems someone may have made cuts to down trees and it looks like it's quite navigable {it's a 2016 capture though, so who knows now}. I will at least check there, since I don't have 4-wheel drive and don't want to get stuck on a dirt road in Winslow. Ill have to hike that scout.

Again, I really appreciate you getting back to me with your experienced information!!

I heard years ago that the New Brooklyn Williamstown section had been cleared.If it is it is a gorgeous section and down to Piney Hollow is also.My least favorite section would be from 54 to Weymouth not that the creek isn't pretty but the houses on the south bank and 322 noise makes it less then tranquil. The best is last in my opinion.Weymouth to the lake is top O the Line.

 

[Boyd]

Thank you so much for your very informative response! The forum didn't notify me that anyone had responded, I will have to check my settings.

Welcome to the site! Unfortunately, I have not found the e-mail notification feature to be very reliable here.