Visit to Oak Island #2

[scubabruce]

On Oct 17, 2012 I kayaked to Oak Island and toured the place as best I could. Hiking the island is no picnic becuse of the dense tangle of briers and other plants that reach waste high and higher in some places. On Oct 18, 2012 I hiked toward the island from the old roadway off Rt 9. As a condition of my special use permit, I need to provide US FWS a report and a copy of my pictures. Here are some of the pictures that I took.

Point of departure on Bass River. Cross the river, enter Broadhead Creek and take the first tributary on your left. This will bring you to the southern most part of the island

The oyster dredge is still at my landing point. There is a clearing for about a 10 yard radius around this spot. After that, the briers and undergrowth for about 75 yards make travel impossible. I had to go along a deer path in the marsh to travel any further. After the 75 yards, there is higher ground with almost no undergrowth and you come to the 1935 geodetic survey monuments.......

This is the triangulation station disk. The fiberglass witness post is still present (top of picture) but broken off.

Below is the reference mark disk NO. 2

There should be another reference mark disk labeled NO. 1 but it is missing! In it's place where it should have been I found a square hole. Since USGS last inspected these markers in 2011, it was removed recently. The markers are in line with each other approximately 15 feet apart.
The triangle disk N 39 34.5130 W 074 26.3219 elevation approx 12 feet.

Missing marker?

Ruins of a structure I believe was used by the USGS folks. Inside is a collapsed block chimney with a hole in the block for a stove pipe. N 39 34.6344 W 074 26.5192

This I believe is a fox den hole judging by the number and type of tracks around it. It was about 50 feet from the ruins described above

Duck pond on the eastern side of the island. I saw two duck blinds on the pond but no ducks.
N 39 34.5308 W 074 26.1924

Tree stand not far from the duck pond. It's chained to the tree and there are no steps going up to it. US FWS probably has rules against putting nails in trees.

Up to this point I could find no evidence of man made trails, but the hiking was easy due to the lack of undergrowth. As I continued north I found a raised trail and followed it a short distance but this area was heavily encased in dense briers. I could see where it made a sharp 90 degree turn toward the east, eventually curving around toward rt 9. There is a low area just before this trail which is full of tall Spartina grass and briers that I couldn't wade through. I was disappointed because this is supposedly the area where there are several ruins of homesteads. A better approach would be to come in via boat from Jobs Creek and Rt 9.

 

[scubabruce]

This is a report of my walk toward Oak Island along the old trail off Rt 9. I got in less than 1.5 miles - the first bridge is out

Entrance off rt 9 north of Jobs Creek

At one time you could drive a vehicle through here

The woodland gives way to marsh. The roadway has deteriorated but the path is raised above the marsh and you can see the gravel. This is a deer trail out with Oak Island in the distance

First bridge over the unnamed tributary to Jobs Creek. Large timbers are visable below the surface. This was about two hours from flood tide and the depth was 5-6 feet. I thought about getting my wet suit but.....maybe another time

The biggest surprise was finding this lake. It's about 1000 ft in from the entrance off rt 9 and 75 ft to the left (north) as you head in toward Oak Island

Ducks Unlimited structure on the lake. I don't know what this is.

I got to see about 70% of what I wanted to see at Oak Island. My permit is good til 10/26 but I'm leaving for Hawaii 10/22, and then Florida for 6 months.

 

[manumuskin]

you never got to the main ruins.the much older ones?it is an easy walk up a hidden trail from the cellar you took a pic of,at least I've heard it is anyway

 

[dogg57]

That Ducks Unlimited structure is for Wood Ducks I do believe. In Maryland they are using Old Freon tanks in a test area

 

[Teegate]

Nice report. I suspect they want your photo's so they can check on the place without going there.

I don't see how someone could have taken that "Long" number 1 monument. That is a hugh piece of concrete and it took two of us just to carry the one I legally have, and three of us to get it in my car. It is 2 foot long by a foot square. I could barely slide it in the hole I put in my yard for it. Are you sure you did not miss it?

BTW, for the new members of this site the one with the triangle is the actual "Long" station. The ones with the arrows are reference markers and were used years ago to point to the triangle station in the event it was damaged or removed. They just lined up the replacement with the arrows and the station was back in it's original location.

Guy

 

[bobpbx]

Freon tanks indeed. I hope that never takes hold.

 

[bobpbx]

Nice report Bruce. Thanks.

 

[scubabruce]

you never got to the main ruins.the much older ones?it is an easy walk up a hidden trail from the cellar you took a pic of,at least I've heard it is anyway

The USGS ruins are out on a slightly projected; i.e., finger like part of the island. Heading north you need to make a left turn and walk SW about 300 feet to get there. Continuing in that direction past the ruins is an obscured trail leading to the marsh that I think was used by USGS to access the station by boat. I didn't see a trail there heading north and I had to backtrack to continue my journey up the island.

 

[scubabruce]

Nice report. I suspect they want your photo's so they can check on the place without going there.

I don't see how someone could have taken that "Long" number 1 monument. That is a hugh piece of concrete and it took two of us just to carry the one I legally have, and three of us to get it in my car. It is 2 foot long by a foot square. I could barely slide it in the hole I put in my yard for it. Are you sure you did not miss it?

BTW, for the new members of this site the one with the triangle is the actual "Long" station. The ones with the arrows are reference markers and were used years ago to point to the triangle station in the event it was damaged or removed. They just lined up the replacement with the arrows and the station was back in it's original location.

Guy

The NO. 2 reference marker was to the west (left) of the Long station and the NO. 1 marker should have been to the right an equal distance and in line with the other two, right? I looked for it - maybe it was buried. I also found a brass measuring ruler at the Long station that was broken off, which I left.

 

[dogg57]

Freon tanks indeed. I hope that never takes hold.

Remember this all in a test Phase. So far the ducks like the wood better. Beats them being thrown into a landfill or dumped into the woods.

 

[GermanG]

Remember this all in a test Phase. So far the ducks like the wood better. Beats them being thrown into a landfill or dumped into the woods.

I never understand why anything like this even needs to be tested. It is already known that they naturally nest in tree cavities. Boxes made of wood are the closest thing to what they have evolved to use, and naturally decompose when abandoned. Much of this kind of thing is due to so many people who have been brainwashed about the value of cute little recycling projects. If they want to recycle these products they should just recycle the material, not reuse the product where it will just end up as litter somewhere else. Most of the bird boxes I build are recycled wood anyway. You could get enough slab wood from any sawmill at little or no cost to build hundreds of wood duck boxes.

 

[dogg57]

I never understand why anything like this even needs to be tested. It is already known that they naturally nest in tree cavities. Boxes made of wood are the closest thing to what they have evolved to use, and naturally decompose when abandoned. Much of this kind of thing is due to so many people who have been brainwashed about the value of cute little recycling projects. If they want to recycle these products they should just recycle the material, not reuse the product where it will just end up as litter somewhere else. Most of the bird boxes I build are recycled wood anyway. You could get enough slab wood from any sawmill at little or no cost to build hundreds of wood duck boxes.

Maybe you should write to Ducks Unlimited? They spend a lot of time and money to help the ducks.Maybe that's why we see a plastic box as the one in the picture.I dont want to take away from this post.Scuba did a great job on it.With that said I am done

 

[46er]

I never understand why anything like this even needs to be tested.

The only possible thing I can see with the metal box is that climbing critters that like eggs will have a more difficult time getting to those duck eggs. There we go again, messin' with the natural world order.

I was at Brig today, the quackers are beginning to show up in good numbers. The honkers shouldn't be far behind.

 

[Hewey]

Very nice report! I would like to see Oak Island other than from a truck window on the Parkway. It is kind of a shame that you need to get a special use permit to legit explore on any of Forsythe. I get a zone 58 deer permit every year because one of my deer properties in Barnegat backs to Forsythe. I am allowed on the land any day to hunt in the permit season except Sunday. The permit is first come first serve at the counter any place you can buy a NJ fishing or hunting license. Then again, would the land be abused if they did not have the restrictions in place?

Chris