Wading River to Wading Pines, a PBX Hike.

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
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All,

This time of year is always the biggest hike for the members of the Pine Barren Explorers (PBX), and this year was no exception. Our founder bobpbx came up with a good one as usual. Here is an edited version of the email we all received back on January 7th of this year.

**
The title of our Big Trip for 2007 is entitled:

“Wading River to Wading Pines”

Get some muscles on your legs and grow a big fin on your back. You’ll need to get in shape for the big 2007 trip. It will be held on Saturday, May 5th. Like last year, we need an early start, no later than 7:30 at the starting point, which is the Wading Pines campground.

From there, we’ll get in a vehicle and mosey on down the Chatsworth Road to the sleepy riverside village of Wading River. We’ll abandon the vehicle at that point and foolishly walk all the way the hell back to the Wading Pines Campground, generally following the river. During our daylong exploration we’ll cross the Wading river no less than seven (7) times. I want to say right here and now that how you get across is your own business; wade, swim, build a raft, get on another guys shoulder, call for a helicopter, use a boat or a life raft, bring a horse to ride, or get some of those kiddy swimmies for the arms, but get across the dog-gone river. No slackers here.

PS: this will come in handy http://pooltoy.com/facodubafl.html
**

So at 7:30 this morning 5 members of this website, and two non members found ourselves in Wading River walking all the way back to Wading Pines. And Steve (Behr655) kayaked up the river following along with our planned stops. A knee operation kept him from walking all that way.

It is hard to imaging how far that it when you are walking straight through the woods and along some serious swamps by the Wading River. Due to time limitations we actually only swam across the river two times, but what an adventure that was. Because of my camera packed tightly in my backpack, I have no photo’s of the crossings. But Steve does :) Here are a few photo’s to give you an idea of our day.

Here is a canal we found along the way.

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A green snake sunning in the brush.


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A break in the action.


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A group shot in one of the nicest places along the route. You would never guess where it was, even though many of you have most likely been within a few hundred yards of it. It is a well hidden Gem!


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All of us in a remote area of Wading Pines after a long day. Attending was Pinelandpaddler, Long-A-Coming, Behr655, bobpbx, TeeGate (Me), RednekF350, ecampbell, and two non members of this site..Paul and Mickey.

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A great day, with great people. And I want to thank all of them for the very special celebration for me.

Guy
 

Tom

Explorer
Feb 10, 2004
231
9
Looks like you guys had a very great day. And, what a great weekend for it!
 
Oct 25, 2006
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Beautiful day,great photos Steve,you all had a great day,thank for sharing,quack,quack.How many miles were logged?,how many hours did it take for the trip?
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
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8,737
We met at 7:30AM and by the time we got a geared up and down to Wading River it was around 8. We ended at about 4:45.

As for milage I have not checked my GPS. I would guess that it was around 7 miles or so of woods and swamp walking, and swimming across the river twice.

Guy
 
Oct 25, 2006
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Two other questions about the outing on saturday. Were the bugs tolerable or overwhelming? How was the water temp?
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
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No bugs, only ticks. Water was cold but not that bad.

Guy
 

RednekF350

Piney
Feb 20, 2004
5,064
3,341
Pestletown, N.J.
What a good day to be alive and in the pines.
I started the day off with a thorough boot soaking in a sphagnum swamp in the first half hour but Bob saved my day with a pair of poly socks and gore tex booties.
We were able to see and feel what most visitors to the pines never see, that is the world beyond the trail..
Here are a few of my photos.
The first is the group collectively looking at Behr doing kayak tricks in the smoking current.

http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=281&pos=82


The next is the hidden area that Guy referred to that is within earshot of a very busy place.

http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=281&pos=29


The last is the party afterwards with good food, libations and tall tales.

http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=281&pos=3

Thanks to Bob for setting this trip up and thanks to Bob and Guy for the water stashes.
Scott
 
Oct 25, 2006
1,757
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Great photos also Scott,especially the hidden spot,when looking at the last photo of the party,it looks like yuengling lagers were being enjoyed.
 

bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,693
4,864
Pines; Bamber area
It's hard to believe you can find this 100 yards off of 542 next to the houses on the other side of the Wading River Bridge. This is Betty's Ladle at the start of the exploration trip:

BETTYSMED.JPG
 

bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,693
4,864
Pines; Bamber area
A mystery photo. Shot from the other side of the fence on State Property with a telephoto. Who knows where this is? And what it is?

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It was a great day and I had the trip from a different perspective, paddling upstream.

If you look close you can see the PBXers making their way along the river.
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Here they are just above Crossing 1

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Lunch break at Crossing 2

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Getting ready for Crossing 3

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Fearless leader?

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OK this is good. I checked the depth of the river at Crossing 3. About 3' in the center. Micky prepares to step in then ends up up to his neck!

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Scott makes his way across at Crossing 4

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Guy is the last one across

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Chillin' at Wading Pines

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Steve
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,984
8,737
It is very obvious that there is a problem with plastic containers along the river. There is so much trash from the use of the river that will never degrade. It will most likely get buried at some point, but it always will be there. It seems to me that one day it will have to be just as illegal to carry plastic items on the river as it is having beer. There may come a day when you have to rent containers from the rental services and leave a deposit to insure you bring it back. Owners of kayaks or canoes may somehow have to also be restricted in their use of plastic items; however, I am not sure how that would be enforced. In any event, something will have to be done or one day in the far future they may have to put an end to the river use. Seems hard to believe but the trash does not lie.

Guy
 
Oct 25, 2006
1,757
1
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Why is it so hard for some people to follow one basic rule,what you carry in with you,you take out back with you,it is despicable!!!!
 

RednekF350

Piney
Feb 20, 2004
5,064
3,341
Pestletown, N.J.
It is very obvious that there is a problem with plastic containers along the river. There is so much trash from the use of the river that will never degrade. It will most likely get buried at some point, but it always will be there. It seems to me that one day it will have to be just as illegal to carry plastic items on the river as it is having beer. There may come a day when you have to rent containers from the rental services and leave a deposit to insure you bring it back. Owners of kayaks or canoes may somehow have to also be restricted in their use of plastic items; however, I am not sure how that would be enforced. In any event, something will have to be done or one day in the far future they may have to put an end to the river use. Seems hard to believe but the trash does not lie.

Guy

I found the amount of trash along the waters' edge very disturbing.
I think we got to see a more drastic visual in the lower tidal reaches where the recent nor'easter and flood tides have pushed a rack line well into the woods.
The occasional flip-flop and some trash are probably a result of an occasional capsizing. The rest, I am afraid, is the product of ignorant slobs.
Scott
 
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