Kayaking this weekend

wombat

New Member
Mar 22, 2005
10
0
77
East Norriton, PA
Nescocheague paddle trip

Sounds like fun to me. When are you planning to do this, and about how long of a trip is it? Is there a good restaurant at the Ace campground? :)
 

woodjin

Piney
Nov 8, 2004
4,358
340
Near Mt. Misery
nescocheague

Don't take offense Wombat but your question regarding a resturante at Ace Campground is going cause a few laughs for anyone who has ever been there. It was abandoned about 12 years ago I think. I was fortunite to have visited it before it was vandalized. I would guess that even in its' hey day you would have been hard pressed to find a decent sandwich for sale there.

When are you thinking of doing this Ed? I have done most of the rivers but have yet to do nescocheague. It has been on my list for some time now.

Jeff
 

ecampbell

Piney
Jan 2, 2003
2,895
1,037
I'll stop in Paradise Lake Campgroung tomorrow to see if we can begin there. If not we'll start down stream. I'm ready whenever, weekdays or weekend. I'm just watching the water level, lots of logs and water helps getting over them. Four hours is abit quick. It's not fast going and Ace is worth an hour of exploring.

The start is roughly here
http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?z=18&n=4392834.0001144&e=523483.000000001&datum=nad83

Get back to me on your day preference. How about this weekend, the water should be OK.

We need a couple of 4x4 to leave at the end to haul the kayaks back. I can hold 4.

Ron, it would be better in a kayak, the shorter the better.

Hey Wombat, why don't you come. The Picalilli Inn is right up the road, great wings and beer.

Ed
 

wombat

New Member
Mar 22, 2005
10
0
77
East Norriton, PA
Actually, I did look at the pictures of Ace Campgrounds, and didn't see a restaurant....but one can always hope........ I can try to make it this coming weekend, but I'll have to make my roof racks fit on the wife's Hyundai somehow. They don't seem to work well on my convertible (midlife crisis impulse purchase). My shortest boat is 12 feet; I could put the top down, recline the passenger seat and throw the boat in the car hanging out over the trunk, but not if there's any chance of getting rained on. BTW, what is the Swamp Monster?
 

ecampbell

Piney
Jan 2, 2003
2,895
1,037
Nescocheague Kayak trip

Ron,

Looks like it's just you and me. Do you like Saturday or Sunday? Where are you coming from? I like early too, cooler and maybe we'll miss the afternoon storms. Check your Private messages. Do you have a 4 wheeler?

Ed


Last call, anyone else?
 

Lorun

Explorer
Apr 10, 2004
128
0
Woolwich
Trip Report

Ed and me paddled the Nescocheague River that was planned last week but canceled due to the rain.

The day started off with my Jeep breaking down a ½ mile from where I was suppose to meet Ed and his wife. Thankfully a couple with a Canoe strapped to the top of their care stopped to ask me where the road was that would take them to the river. I told them that if they headed down the road and asked the guy with a Kayak on top of his truck he would be able to tell them. I also asked them to tell him that I was broken down waiting for him. Few minutes latter Ed and his wife found me and after a few moments I got the Jeep started. We drove the 6 miles through the woods on one of the rougher roads I have driven through the pines with Ed driving in the front in his Jeep than his wife and than me following and hoping I would not break down again before we made it to the drop off point. We made it to the landing spot and dropped off our cars. Ed’s wife shuttled our Kayaks and us to the starting point at Paradise Lakes Campground just below the lake.
I knew it would be an adventurous trip when I saw ED load into his Kayak a small bow saw and what looked like heavy-duty chain cutters. Only a short way down the river we had to portage around a fallen tree.
Further up the river forked with the left branch looking like a tangle of fallen trees and the right branch flowing under and through an impenetrable assortment of brush. I led us to the Left. We had to portage around another tree only to discover we could go no further due to this branch of the river turning into a swamp. We back tracked portaging around the tree again. Ed got out the heavy equipment and after about 20 minutes cut through the wall of brush blocking the right branch in the fork.

The rest of the trip had its challenges, I would let Ed go first and try to copy his techniques at getting under, over and through obstacles. I was rewarded with learning a lot about Kayaking and an incredible view of the scenery. This was one beautiful river. The river seemed more secluded and less traveled the further down we went.

Eventually we made it to the ACE campground and took a tour of the place. I was most impressed with the clear pristine lake at the Campground.

While trying to squeeze between a fallen log and the bank I did not notice a large rat snake until my paddle almost touched it.

We eventually made it back to the landing site where we had to carry are boats a short way down the path due to a fallen tree blocking the road to cars.

It was a great trip and I thank Ed for letting me trail along.

I will post some pics latter when I have more time.

Ron
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
26,009
8,775
Nice report Ron! I know you have a long ride home from there....did you have any problems?

Guy
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
26,009
8,775
Did you check out the dam where you started. Pretty interesting one!

Guy
 

Lorun

Explorer
Apr 10, 2004
128
0
Woolwich
No problems making it home. The engine seems to overheat at lower speeds and does not want to start once turned off, until it cools down.

The dam is not like the one at the end of the "Up the Cedar" trip at all. No one is going to climb over it anyway.
 

ecampbell

Piney
Jan 2, 2003
2,895
1,037
It was a very nice trip, a cooler and breezy day than the week before. The river right below the dam was wide and fast flowing, and except for 2 spots had few small obstructions. The campground rents canoes for it's guests to paddle down the river 2 miles and therefore maintains that section of the river, but didn't get to it this year. The manager told me they're trying to find someone to clear it. One of those obstructions was the toughest I've seen. A tree with sticky vines fell over the river at a spot where the river branches out to flow around other obstacles. I managed to cut through it, but it was so dense that I didn't even know if it would get us to the main river. Many scratches and spiders later we made it.
The beach
http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=309&pos=10

Ace is still a real gem, even with the graffiti. The vandalism seems to have occured in 2 stages and does not appear to be ongoing. Someone went there knowing exactly what they wanted and took the phones and sign. I have little doubt that my origional post was the inspiration.
no phone
http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=309&pos=9

The graffiti was no doubt done by someone from the local comunity.

http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=309&pos=8

http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=309&pos=7

In spite of all that it's still a beautiful setting.

http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=309&pos=6

I wish I could see pictures of it when it was in operation. When I walk through the camp sites I think of all the prople having fun there, swimming, camp fires....

Now it's just another place the states taken over and allowing to decay, never to her laughter again.

But I will return,

Ed
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
26,009
8,775
Tough one! That makes it fun. Thanks for posting it.

Guy
 
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