Not your father's river

[bobpbx]

I went downstream on the Wading today beginning on route 563 at Burnt Bridge. I went a little more than halfway to the reservoir, and then came back (that was by design, I was looking for a plant).

Anyway, it's kind of a mess back there in most spots. I hit 4 beaver dams, all a big pain to cross in a kayak. Even though the water is low because of the drought, the beaver have really kind of ruined the experience of being on the river. If I had my way I'd eradicate all of them, or at least ship them to a state that welcomes them. There is a lot of rice cut grass in the savannas now...I'm not saying their habits cause this, maybe it was due to the cranberry bogs. But the river has really changed, and not in a good way.

There were some good spots, usually the cleared area just before a beaver dam.

One of the dams

Choked up. There is one area where the river seems to disappear into a sea of rush. Very hard going. Luckily I could pull through by grabbing the rushes.

A streamside savanna choked up with cut rice grass. Ed Campbell, you have experience with this river in the 1970's. What do you think?

 

[bobpbx]

PS: A stand of dead cedar trees makes for an interesting photo, but the Beaver's work is usually what kills them.

 

[ecampbell]

We had little trouble paddling from Chatsworth Lake to Speedwell An occasional downed tree but I don't recall beaver dams. then. We would leave on a Friday evening and paddle until dark and pick a dry spot. After the reservoir It was a challenge as to where the river went. It fans out to the 2 bridges at Speedwell and to the cranberry bogs to the south. We just followed the water, no GPS or maps. I remember dragging the heavy wooden canoe over roads from bog to bog, eventually coming out at the southern bridge at Speedwell.

Just north of the reservoir.
The reservoir, 1972.
.

Flooded somewhere below the reservoir.

Camp at the reservoir. Check out the canvas tent, cotton sleeping bags, cast grill and look at that cooler we paddled and drug in a wooden canoe.
]

The Wading right before the southern Speedwell bridge. Look behind the canoe for Tom's face.

I don't know if the river changed much, the times sure have. We traveled quite primitive and didn't have a care, but we were in our early 20's and could do anything. I have often thought of giving it a try again. It looks like most of the water now goes to the north bridge at Speedwell.
Thanks for making me think nice thoughts of the pines, there hasn't been much of that lately.

 

[ecampbell]

One more observation. Being in the area when DeMarco owned it and now as the Parker Preserve, aka the New Jersey Conservation Foundation, DeMarco was a much better steward. The place now looks like a bomb hit it, akin to Quarter Mile.

Here is a post in the visitors book at Southgate from April 2015.

 

[Teegate]

Someone speaking his mind. There are some very knowledgable people out there who see the good and bad.

 

[bobpbx]

Thanks for that update Ed. I too used to run the rivers like that in the 70's, but mainly the Oswego and Mullica.

I see in one of your photos that there was a hellacious burn? Even the cedars are crisped.

If you want to try it in a day someday(Burnt Bridge to Speedwell), I'd be game. A GPS should at least let us know if we are heading in the right direction.

Possible portage?

 

[ecampbell]

That's the route that looks the best, then off into the great unknown.