Oswego Lake to Sim Place ... 2009

[Teegate]

All,

Today was the most exhausting trip I have ever taken. Bob, Jeff, and I starting at 7:30 AM this morning traveled up the Oswego from just above Oswego Lake all the way to Sim Place, and back! This is wild country and in the 10 hours we were out there today we saw nobody. Granted, only the insane would travel that route twice in one day.

Before you view my photo’s I have to tell you there was a smudge on my camera lens for every photo.


We started at “Start” and ended at “End”, and returned. I would suggest you NEVER try it.

One of our first visits was this dam that someone built all the way across the river. It would be interesting to know what it was for. It had to have been active since there is a semi good size water area there from the dam.

Bob checking out a plant.

Accumulating branches from the trip.

Taking a break.

In this area you can see that extensive logging took place in the few years prier to 1963.

Going upstream was brutal enough, and this vegetation made it even harder. Jeff ahead of us.

Jeff at the end! There actually is an end to the river at Sim Place. This is private property.

After a long paddle upstream we did a quick trespass to take a few photo’s and have a bit to eat before heading back. All we left were footprints in that area. A rare view of a recent addition to this area since the barcode stickers were still on the wood.

More Swamp Azalea.

Moth

Sundew

Bladderwort

Other plants.

And Bob found this bug apparently laying eggs.

And finally, a video of Bob and Jeff getting Jeff’s Kayak across one of the numerous obstacles we had to cross twice. This is 38MB so give it time to load.


http://teegate.njpinebarrens.com/06062009/tree.mov


I actually have another interesting video of Bob you may want to see; however, the smudge on my lens annoyed me so much I have not posted it. If you really are interested I will upload it later. I am really tired and it is time for bed.


Guy

 

[pinelandpaddler]

Thanks for the report, Guy.

You guys truly are hardcore.

 

[james ungehajer]

Nice trip report Guy and pics to match, another great day to be in the Pines.

Jim

 

[bobpbx]

Bee-yoo-tee-ful flower photos Guy. I really like the azalea. I'll try to load some photos tonite. I don't feel to bad this morning. Ibuprofen works wonders. Jeff called me last nite. He got back downstream in about 2 hours. He is really quick in that kayak. He told me he saw some interesting things on the way down, he'll post them.

Great trip. You guys are good to "ride the river with" as the old western saying goes.

PS: that white moth is really interesting. We need a lepidopterologist on this board to round things out.

 

[whippoorbill]

Jeff called me last nite. He got back downstream in about 2 hours. He is really quick in that kayak. He told me he saw some interesting things on the way down, he'll post them.

Would it be safe to say, then, that it's probably better to navigate the upper Oswego with a kayak? Liftovers are often times more complicated using kayaks (at least in mine) due to the difficulty of exiting them when in water. Alfie and I have been contemplating a trip up there (though Guy's warning makes me wonder; when a PBX member sez something like NEVER do this ... listen ). We've been wanting to explore this section of the river for a long time and shoot the heck out of the area; sounds, though, like this is a perfect place to ruin a camera.

That said, beautiful photos, Guy!

 

[Teegate]

We went the complete distance which I would not recommend. Going halfway and returning is something the two of you should try. I am not sure you will get any special sounds unless you do this at night, and I don't see how that would work with all the obstacles. And remember, both sides are private property.


Guy

 

[woodjin]

We were fortunate to have high water levels on this trip. The river is shallow and without the levels where they were, it would have been much tougher. Lift overs going upstream were difficult in the kayak due to the strong current pulling the yak away from me and the difficulty of getting in and out of a yak. However, going back down was a breeze with fast currents allowing me to shoot over many of the lift overs on the way up.

At the start

lift and climb

Guy and Bob at the old dam thing

Majestic cedars

Cedars reaching out of the river like the fingers of Satan. Actually, this was a rather easy point.

if you look carefully in the upper right hand corner, you can see the Jersey Devil perched in the tree

Nice wide spot

On my return trip, I was without the company of Guy and Bob and the quiet allowed for more wildlife viewing. The sun came out about 1/2 way back and so did the turtles and watersnakes. I saw wood ducks and a deer and I heard something very heavy in the woods as I came around a bend.

Here comes the sun

I found this upside down on a small island. I first thought is was a HUGE red belly shell. When I returned and filped it over, I saw it was a snapper shell and not recordbreaking large but still good size. I found it intact, but numerous lift overs broke it a bit by the time I returned

I caught and released this spotted turtle on my return trip as well.

I thought it was a great trip but it was very long and hard. I would not recommend it in anything other that extremely high water or for anyone who is not a masochist.

Jeff

 

[woodjin]

Just two more photos;

guy and Bob at the long since gone Allen's bridge

Bob and Guy at the end;

Jeff

 

[Teegate]

I wonder why JD did not jump on us as we went by? Maybe he figured we were going to meet the devil by days end anyway


Does that shell have a tag on it?

I am so glad you were able to make it Jeff. It made the trip much more interesting as usual.

Guy

 

[james ungehajer]

Guy

I understand the private property issue at Sim Place, but, you stated that there is an end to the Oswego, the Oswego does cross Rt.72 into Howardsville, are you saying and i am trying to understand this that if you, Jeff, and Bob portaged over the stated end to continue your trip, that you can be charged with trespassing ?

I thought that a River, Sream was considered a right of way like an old Railroad bed, ala the Tuckerton Railroad.

Jim

 

[Teegate]

Jim,


I just said there was an end because the legal questions of us continuing on are uncertain by me. And I had no intentions of going any further anyway. If one makes it to there they are tired, and we knew what we had to do to get back.


Guy

 

[james ungehajer]

Jim,


I just said there was an end because the legal questions of us continuing on are uncertain by me. And I had no intentions of going any further anyway. If one makes it to there they are tired, and we knew what we had to do to get back.


Guy

I just feel IMHO opinion that that dike should never have been erected, it is impeding the natural flow and course of the Oswego, also IMHO i think that it should be backhoed into oblivion.

Jim

 

[MarkBNJ]

What an epic trip, and great pictures from everyone. You guys are hard core, for sure. /respect.

James, I think you're right. I looked into this once a long time ago, but I don't remember the precise legal points. I believe that any flowing watercourse that is not wholly contained on private property belongs to the people of the state. In other words, if it flows through your property, it's not yours. If it raises on your property and flows off it, it's not yours. If by some wierd chance it flows around in a circle and never leaves your property... ok, it's yours.

That said, I doubt a dike like that could have been built without the proper authorities giving a thumbs-up.

 

[bobpbx]

Some additional photos from this day to remember. This first is our tracks. I turned on the GPS where most canoer's turn around and go back.

The river was like another world after the rain. It was not like the little oswego, it felt like the big oswego.

Jeff's speedboat, revving up.

Guy smiles in anticipation of whats ahead. Little did he know. See how clean his shirt is now!

About 5 years ago (or so), Jeff found what I feel is the oldest Cedar in NJ. This one is only half that size, but the branches are similarly shaped. The other one was so big Guy has a photo of me lying on a branch.

Time after time we found ourselves between a rock and a hard place. On the way back Guy and I counted 60 obstacles we had to either climb over, or duck under, or rock the boat until we could get through. That's 120 times in one day. I was so very sore by the end. We had to eat often just to have enough strength to do this.

Many areas upstream surprised us--very wide and open. Quiet and peaceful.

On the way back, up near Sim Place, we got out in the thicket, as it were. It was so lush and peaceful that I wandered away from the canoe for 20 minutes just looking at plants--and loving where I was. This is a shot in that area.

A sundew collage. Every prostrate plant that normally was not under the water, was under.

We found a wonderful bog, created by a spring fed stream. Here is Guy scoping out his macro shots.

I went over to where the stream was coming out of the woods (c'mon, you knew I just HAD to), and found the water ice cold and it had carved out deep holes in the sphagum bog. This whole was nearly as up to my neck when measured with a stick.

After a long, tiring day...homeward bound. I won't do this one again, but I'm really glad I did. If we did not have that two days of rain, we may not have made it.

 

[james ungehajer]

Real nice Bob, you guys took me on a ride that i could never even think of doing, only in my dreams.

Jim

 

[tom m]

AHHHHH ! those pics brought memories of Piker and I doing the trip, but I didn't see any broken canoe seats in your Boats ??? LOL! Beautiful pics We caught most of our fish below and right above that old dam .

 

[piker56]

Wow guy's, that looked like quite a trip. Tom M and I must be wimps, as we turned around at one of the first real bad looking spots. Jeff, next time bring your fishing stuff and stop at that first dam (above and below). It was a really good spot. We also wondered when it was built and what it was used for.
Greg

 

[tom m]

What do ya mean Tom M and I ????? If I remember correctly you said and I quote " Tom I think we better turn around now it looks like a dead end and I'm a little scared of the canoe seats now " End Quote !!! I have the new seat done for the back and I put the old one back in front since it didn't snap

 

[bobpbx]

Wow guy's, that looked like quite a trip. Tom M and I must be wimps, as we turned around at one of the first real bad looking spots. Jeff, next time bring your fishing stuff and stop at that first dam (above and below). It was a really good spot. We also wondered when it was built and what it was used for.
Greg

I will try that for Pickerel, thanks! I really love that section of the river. It is begging to be explored.

 

[james ungehajer]

90% of my fishing is Saltwater, i did do some Freshwater when i lived in Pennsauken and Delran in the 70's and early 80's, hauled some nice Pickerel out of Chatsworth and Oswego Lake, Black Rooster Tails were my weapon of choice. I think i might now get an N.J. non resident, i miss the Pickerel Fishing.

JIM