Manumuskin River

66C10

Explorer
Aug 4, 2023
109
197
South Vineland
Took a walk to yesterday to find a foundation Manumuskin had told me about off of a trail I had not been down in years. I wanted to revisit the trail where part of it rode along the edge of a cedar swamp and the foundation was a reason to get in the swamp and check it out. Didn’t take a picture of the foundation but it’s on the map below.
https://boydsmaps.com/#17.23/39.388588/-74.932931/mbx3dmidatl/-2.12/0.00
After finding the foundation on the island I kept walking up the Manumuskin a ways towards Bennetts mill. I’m usually in the swamps in the winter but it was nice this time of year not too much undergrowth or brush to battle on the edge of the water. Plenty of sand bars and sandy beaches to walk out and cool off. Here’s an old bridge on bearshead branch. Heard water running across it and walked toward the sound to find it
IMG_0408.jpeg


This photo below is looking south east where a trail may have existed it goes to an open edge on the Manumuskin with maybe half dozen some massive oak trees in an open area. One of the smaller oaks is straight ahead in the picture.
IMG_0409.jpeg

Must have been an occupied area where the oaks are. Old topos show there used to be a pond just to the south on the river so maybe it was the northern edge of the pond at one point
IMG_0412.jpeg

Here’s a newer not so great bridge crossing over the main water over to peaslees
 

66C10

Explorer
Aug 4, 2023
109
197
South Vineland
That Japanese stilt grass (Microstegium vimineum) in the foreground of the last photo has take over many swamp lands and watersheds. Not as much in the Pines proper, but still. I never saw so much of it everywhere I went this spring and summer. Some of that may also be rice cut grass.

Interesting read. Now that I think about it I didn’t see it much anywhere except where this photo was taken which happens to have the most human traffic, although I’m pretty sure I saw it sparsely growing on the rest of the bank. I will pay more attention next time I’m in the swamps
 
  • Like
Reactions: manumuskin

manumuskin

Piney
Jul 20, 2003
8,673
2,586
60
millville nj
www.youtube.com
That Japanese stilt grass (Microstegium vimineum) in the foreground of the last photo has take over many swamp lands and watersheds. Not as much in the Pines proper, but still. I never saw so much of it everywhere I went this spring and summer. Some of that may also be rice cut grass.

Whipoorbill and I once walked Tulpehocken Crik from Carranza rd to Hawkins Bridge in shorts,the idea was to stay in the crik as much as possible.Well we ended up walking the banks in a lot of places because the crik was either too muddy or too much brush in it and the banks were solid cut grass.Our legs looked like hamburger by time we got to Hawkins. but I can say we are probably among the few who have walked the Tulpe from carranza rd to the bridge:)
 

66C10

Explorer
Aug 4, 2023
109
197
South Vineland
Ben there are some nice old survey stones up that way.You want to see em we can take a walk.Oct 9 is my surgery so I"m going to have plenty of time coming up.
Me too getting my shoulder fixed next Friday. Just finished reading this report or whatever it would be called https://www.cumauriceriver.org/ConservationPlan2.pdf I’m sure you read it before but very fascinating and it points out some of the survey stones you mentioned before. I realized while reading it the picture above of the old bridge with a few logs that are left is a continuation of bloomingsdale Ave
 

amf

Explorer
May 20, 2006
155
50
Swedesboro
Whipoorbill and I once walked Tulpehocken Crik from Carranza rd to Hawkins Bridge in shorts,the idea was to stay in the crik as much as possible.Well we ended up walking the banks in a lot of places because the crik was either too muddy or too much brush in it and the banks were solid cut grass.Our legs looked like hamburger by time we got to Hawkins. but I can say we are probably among the few who have walked the Tulpe from carranza rd to the bridge:)
And there is a LOT of deep water! I've paddled from the bridge a good ways upstream, doing more paddling than walking.
 

manumuskin

Piney
Jul 20, 2003
8,673
2,586
60
millville nj
www.youtube.com
And there is a LOT of deep water! I've paddled from the bridge a good ways upstream, doing more paddling than walking.
most of the Tulpe is chest deep or less.There is one spot at the very top of the lower meadows that is about seven ft deep.I bounced it and would say seven,it's just below the first old defunct beaver dam.
 
Top