The Ore Pond: A PBX Exploration

[woodjin]

Back on Labor Day of '08 I visited an Ore Pond deep in Wharton State forest. While there I discovered slag in, near by, Deep Run and an old cord road. Believeing the cord road lead to the nearby Batsto river where the bog iron was loaded on barges to be shipped down to Batsto furnance, I tried locating the load in port by kayak along the batsto at a later date, unsure of my success. Here is that old report; http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/get...r-ore-pond-something-else.html?highlight=pond

Today, with my PBX brethren, we attempted to locate the load in spot, check out the mystery slag in deep run, and explore the ancient ore pond. Attending were, myself, Bob, Guy, Jess, Tom, Gabe and Ed

We met at Atsion Ranger station at 9am and then off to deep run. Sadly, the water levels were significantly higher than my previous visit making it impossible to locate a single piece of slag. Some began to doubt my original claims but I swore to be vindicted some day when the water levels dropped again. The original pics of the elusive slag:

There was also this unusal piece of iron? between two downed trees

We followed deep run for a bit before turning towared the ore pond

Gabe along deep run

Enormous sweet gum lined the banks. Some of them rotting near the base of the trunk

Guy and Jess near the southern base of the ore pond

A section of the ore pond today

how it appeared in '08

The higher water levels took the edge off the orange a bit. We located the cord road, only a short section and had to estimate the direction to the batsto river. an aerial photo provided some guideline and we reached the batsto with little evidence except for one lone post still remaining in the water. A dock perhaps? 200+ years ago. Probably!

At the Batsto, Guy demonstrated birth control methods used by iron era bargemen. The downside is the effects tend to be permanent.

From there we traveled to the skit to investigate a clearing I have been curious about for more than 12 years. My camera was acting up and I didn't get much photos. we found lots of disturbance but little hard evidence of historical human presence. An outhouse pit or well was located and based off of some observations I had from aerial photos we located a causeway/dam which was pretty impressive.

the beautiful skit

A great day to out in the wood with perfect weather.

Jeff

 

[pinelandpaddler]

Jeff:

This historical map shows a road at your causeway.

http://maps.njpinebarrens.com/#lat=39.785974630714094&lng=-74.63917136192322&z=15&type=hist&gpx=

 

[Teegate]

I had a great time yesterday and want to thank Jeff for an interesting outing. And I want to thank everyone else for making the day for Jessica and I one to remember.

Now to the video's! This one shows Bob's pole dancing skills, and how Jessica is not quite the person many of you think. Turn up the volume and listen closely.

Bob does not like to get his feet wet, so he found an alternate way across the Batsto. What will you be doing when you are almost 60?

And finally, Jessica making her way across a beaver dam on the Skit Branch.

Guy

 

[bobpbx]

It was a very good day. I'm surprised I'm the only one who gave it a 9.0!

 

[Teegate]

That is a real high number for any hike. There has to be a point where you have room to add to the score if the hike was exceptional. So in my opinion the 7 to 8 range is a good score for a good outing. Gabe started it off correctly so I went with him as did one other.


Guy

 

[glowordz]

Looks like a fun trip. Love the photos and videos. Terry showed me some ore-in-the-making on another river--quite interesting. The Skit is one of my favorites, and it's as lovely as ever. Nice to see each of you in action, especially Jess.

Glo

 

[bobpbx]

Jeff, you may have missed this in your 2008 post, but you gave very detailed location instructions to Gabe on where you originally found that slag:

"The timber in the water was about 15-20 feet upstream from the slag. The pits were on the western shore directly across from the slag, and then one slightly upstream, and one slightly down stream." Jeff

And you did not show us that iron did you...the one between the trees? I would have liked to have seen that.

 

[woodjin]

Jeff, you may have missed this in your 2008 post, but you gave very detailed location instructions to Gabe on where you originally found that slag:

"The timber in the water was about 15-20 feet upstream from the slag. The pits were on the western shore directly across from the slag, and then one slightly upstream, and one slightly down stream." Jeff

And you did not show us that iron did you...the one between the trees? I would have liked to have seen that.

i missed that in my old thread. That still would have put us in the correct location that we were looking. That iron would be completely invisable with the water as high as it is. I am confident that a return trip during low water levels will reveal much.

Jeff

 

[Hewey]

Looks like you guys had a good day in the big woods. The ore bog really looks a lot different than it did two years ago. I wish I could have made this hike. I have spent the last 3 days chasing Deer in the mountains of Vermont. It will be nice to get home, with any luck I should be home in time to get an evening hunt in the Pines.

Chris