PINELANDS CANOE TRIP
This canoe and kayak outing is designed to be interesting for the experienced paddler and simultaneously safe and welcoming for novices and "first timers".
Date: Saturday, June 8, 2013
Time: 9:30AM
Place: Mick's Pine Barrens Canoe & Kayak Rental
Route 563 (GPS: “5 Patten Lane”), Chatsworth, New Jersey
We start our day by meeting at 9:30AM at Mick's Pine Barrens Canoe & Kayak Rental, nestled among New Jersey’s cranberry bogs some nine miles south of the hamlet of Chatsworth. Our plans are to head down the Oswego River, if its water levels are high enough, or else down the Wading River - a roughly 4 hour trip, counting lunch break.
This canoe/kayak outing is attractive for both the experienced paddler and families, novices, and "first timers". The Pinelands rivers are shallow, involve no "white water" rapids, and can easily be navigated by novices. However, there are many twists and turns, overhanging branches, and submerged trees, and occasionally somebody tips over - a misadventure that befalls the experienced canoeist no less than the first-timer.
Most of us rent our rivercraft at Mick's, but those who have their own equipment may bring it for Mick’s to transport (for a portage fee) with our rented canoes and kayaks. Canoes can also take a third passenger (but no one under 5 years old, please)! The rental will typically be in the range of $50 for the day, depending on the vessel you choose (canoes and double kayaks cost more than single kayaks), and the total number of rentals from our group.
Mick's website offers useful information about the rivers and forests in the area. It has an interactive map, photos, and even movies to provide river-goers with a preview of their experience. There are no restaurants en route, so do pack a lunch. Sunscreen is a good idea in June, and while insects are rarely annoying (dragonflies actively patrol the river), some people like to bring insect repellant.
The intrepid may find other attractions in the area after their riverine exertions: Batsto Village, Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, laws of probability at Atlantic City.
To register for this event, contact Yuki and Jeff Laurenti at laurentijy@earthlink.net. They will arrange for the group discount, assuming our numbers warrant. There is no fee for this event; individuals will make payment of the equipment rental fees when we assemble.
Organizer: Yuki and Jeff Laurenti
Cost: No cost to register. Individuals will be responsible for rental of equipment.