Oh Black Water

MarkBNJ

Piney
Jun 17, 2007
1,875
73
Long Valley, NJ
www.markbetz.net
Took a run around the Wharton with a few guys today. Whereas the story three weeks ago was snow, snow, snow, the story today was water, water, water.

We drove from Atsion out QB road and then on down Washington Rd, Penn Swamp Rd, Washington-Batsto Rd., Bulltown-Hawkin Rd., East Sandy Ridge Rd., to Carranza. There were significant holes everywhere, and in some cases water flowing right across the road. The Mullica and Wading rivers were very high. By far the toughest run was Bulltown-Hawkin Rd. We negotiated very deep flooded areas that stretched for hundreds of feet with ice a half-inch thick or more. For the first time I had water pushed up onto the hood of my FJ. Several areas had rushing water flowing across the road. One of the guys with a lifted Cherokee got stuck at the end of this road and it took thirty minutes to yank him out. Even Carranza was not a cake walk. Bottom line, if you're going into the woods take scuba gear.
 

RednekF350

Piney
Feb 20, 2004
5,057
3,328
Pestletown, N.J.
Thanks for the warning Mark.
We are headed out later today. I'll watch my step fer sure.
I buried my truck three times in the space of about 100' two weeks ago back here chasing geese.
Snow/slush/water/ice is a wonderful thing to pack beneath your diffs.
I think you could hear the f-bombs from space that night.
:)
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,962
8,705
I doubt anyone will come out to tow you out, so it is best to not travel alone. I have not been out in a month and have been working on other pine barren projects to keep me sane.

Thanks for the info Mark.


Guy
 

RednekF350

Piney
Feb 20, 2004
5,057
3,328
Pestletown, N.J.
Did a little caching today with my wife and son and I saw water in several places where I have never seen it before.
We spent some time in the vicinity of the plastic bridge on Three Bridge Road and that area wasn't too bad. 4WD was necessary but no real issues from Atsion Road to Raritan Ave.

We cruised home and took a scenic detour through Parkdale and the road along the JC RR tracks was flooded in several areas. The road got really nasty as we got closer to Chew.
This road is normally dry as a bone 365 days a year but today it had a few 100 yd. stretches that were under water and flooded into the adjoining woods. Fortunately, since the road is normally dry, the bottoms are firm sand and not rutted and driving through them wasn't that bad.

Here is a pic as we were driving through a stretch. My regulation pines survival kit, consisting of a fresh pouch of Beech Nut and a bottle opener, can be seen in the foreground. :) Of course the opener was just for the soft drinks that we had packed in pine flavored snow in the cooler.

beech.jpg
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,962
8,705
Of course the opener was just for the soft drinks that we had packed in pine flavored snow in the cooler.

Please tell us what soft drinks you use the bottle opener on? Were they from 1970?


Guy
 

Boyd

Administrator
Staff member
Site Administrator
Jul 31, 2004
9,829
3,010
Ben's Branch, Stephen Creek
Driving around Cumberland and Atlantic County over the weekend, there are a LOT of homes with flooded yards. Some are really bad, with houses that are "islands" in the middle of large "lakes". I saw one unhappy homeowner unloading sandbags to ferry across his "lake". This has been getting worse over the past month, but I don't think it will get better soon, with a rain/snow event on the way.

If you're considering purchasing a new home during the next couple years, this would be a good time to get out and do some exploring under "worst case" conditions. You will get a good idea of which homes don't have proper drainage.
 

Kevinhooa

Explorer
Mar 12, 2008
332
25
41
Hammonton, NJ.
www.flickr.com
Wow, that is some serious water Redneck350. I ride that dirt road all the time and I've never seen it pooled like that. There's two bridges on Sandy Causeway Rd. where the road you were on from Parkdale to joins in. I'm guessing they were pretty flooded too huh? I know sometimes if I see the water is backed up because of a clogged drainage pipe or something like that I'll try to fix it to keep the road from getting worse but with all this rain and snow, jeez. And yeah, I can imagine how deep the puddles are right now. Better fetch a "feeler" stick!
 
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