Got out twice this weekend. Saturday I threw my kayak on the roof and headed to Sandy Ridge and put in the bog there that I have been keeping an eye. Looking at Google Earth it looked like you could go quite far back only needing to portage over the dikes. Well I"ll be darned if I could even find my way back to the first dike. It was a maze of grass that all seemed to lead to dead ends. The water was only about 5" or 6" in most parts so it wasn't very easy to paddle. It was very beautiful though.
Next I tried the Tulpehocken upstream from Hawkins Bridge. I had tried it a couple of weeks ago but the water was extremely low. There was a very narrow stream to follow and there were quite a few logs to get over. Unfortunately I only got about 3/10 of a mile to the beaver dam. There the water had basically run out. It was so narrow there that I had trouble turning around.
This time it was very different. Last weeks rain had really swelled the creek. The water was very fast and over flowing the banks. This time I had trouble trouble because of the fast water and not knowing where the actual stream was. A couple of times I got stuck on the bottom. There were no problems with logs this time but I only got to the damn dam again. This time there was too much water. It was rushing over the dam in a torrent and I think for the first time I saw white water in the Pines. I could have portaged but the water was very fast and my arms were getting tired even in that short distance.
http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10034/normal_P1120133.JPG
http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10034/normal_P1120138.JPG
http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10034/normal_P1120148.JPG
Sunday I headed to Batsto. It took me about 2 1/2 hours to get there and about as much time to get home. It was all good though. Can't drive through the Pines without exploring. I entered at Atsion and after dodging numerous horses and vehicles I turned down the road to the Mullica Wilderness area. There are many great vistas of the Mullica along the way. I was surprised how many other people were also aware of that too, more horses and vehicles. There were a couple of new signs there the same vintage as the one at Quaker Bridge.
http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10034/normal_P1120227.JPG
http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10034/normal_P1120268.JPG
After a few more stops I finally made it to Batsto. Nothing very interesting to report as it was a carbon copy of last year. Can you say dejavu? (can I spell it?) I did run into kendawg and his girlfriend Debbi. They had just come from camping in a lean-to at Bass River. I took a quick tour and headed back into the Pines where I belong. I decided to take a ride up Swamp Rd. Swamp Rd starts off of Hawkins Rd near Hawkins Bridge and follows the west branch of the Wading River and then the Mile Run. It eventually takes you out to Speedwell Rd. It was a very nice ride and someone else thought so too. They marked it with beer cans every 30 yards or so. The terrain along the Wading was very dense in some parts for those that may be interested.
It was a nice two days in the Pines and you could not ask for better weather.
Steve
Next I tried the Tulpehocken upstream from Hawkins Bridge. I had tried it a couple of weeks ago but the water was extremely low. There was a very narrow stream to follow and there were quite a few logs to get over. Unfortunately I only got about 3/10 of a mile to the beaver dam. There the water had basically run out. It was so narrow there that I had trouble turning around.
This time it was very different. Last weeks rain had really swelled the creek. The water was very fast and over flowing the banks. This time I had trouble trouble because of the fast water and not knowing where the actual stream was. A couple of times I got stuck on the bottom. There were no problems with logs this time but I only got to the damn dam again. This time there was too much water. It was rushing over the dam in a torrent and I think for the first time I saw white water in the Pines. I could have portaged but the water was very fast and my arms were getting tired even in that short distance.
http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10034/normal_P1120133.JPG
http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10034/normal_P1120138.JPG
http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10034/normal_P1120148.JPG
Sunday I headed to Batsto. It took me about 2 1/2 hours to get there and about as much time to get home. It was all good though. Can't drive through the Pines without exploring. I entered at Atsion and after dodging numerous horses and vehicles I turned down the road to the Mullica Wilderness area. There are many great vistas of the Mullica along the way. I was surprised how many other people were also aware of that too, more horses and vehicles. There were a couple of new signs there the same vintage as the one at Quaker Bridge.
http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10034/normal_P1120227.JPG
http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10034/normal_P1120268.JPG
After a few more stops I finally made it to Batsto. Nothing very interesting to report as it was a carbon copy of last year. Can you say dejavu? (can I spell it?) I did run into kendawg and his girlfriend Debbi. They had just come from camping in a lean-to at Bass River. I took a quick tour and headed back into the Pines where I belong. I decided to take a ride up Swamp Rd. Swamp Rd starts off of Hawkins Rd near Hawkins Bridge and follows the west branch of the Wading River and then the Mile Run. It eventually takes you out to Speedwell Rd. It was a very nice ride and someone else thought so too. They marked it with beer cans every 30 yards or so. The terrain along the Wading was very dense in some parts for those that may be interested.
It was a nice two days in the Pines and you could not ask for better weather.
Steve
