First time on my new (to me) canoe

I bought my Old Town Pathfinder used so that I can use it to paddle others around, do some fishing, have more storage room, etc.  Well, that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.  To me, however, there's something about learning how to paddle a canoe (correctly) and there's something very ...um, I don't know, romantic about paddling a canoe that just doesn't seem to have the same thing with kayaks.

So the weather finally turned and it is a beautiful day today.  Although the wind is really kicking up, more than 20 mph are predicted, I needed to get out.  I went to the Passaic from South Orange Ave. in Livingston with the intention of paddling as close as I could to Route 24 in Summit.  I made it most of the way but then came to a blow-down and I couldn't find a way around.  Besides, by the time I got there i had a huge headache and I was ready to turn around.  On the way, however, not quite half way, when I got to the powerlines, I found a nice little place to pull over and half a lunch and rest.  I brought a blanket with me and laid it out on a high spot so it wasn't wet.  I was right next to one of those mystery buildings that I've seen at this part of the river.  I had some lunch, laid down on the blanket and closed my eyes for a bit.  After my rest i continued upstream until I hit the point to turn around.  I did stop along the way back at another spot to rest again.  Along the trip I saw so many waterfowl and deer.  I tried to take pictures and movies but the effort to keep the canoe going straight was just about all i can do.  As I get better with the J-stroke I'll hopefully make it easier on myself.  All in all it was a great trip.

First time on canoe at EveryTrail

Short Black River Trip

I tried to paddle on the Musconetcong River but it wasn't to be.  I headed off the the Musky, having never paddled there before, and came to what I thought was the launch.  I unloaded my boat and after checking a map, realized i was not at the launch.  The water seemed to be moving fairly well and it was cold.  I reloaded the boat and headed to the real launch only to discover it was iced over.  Back to the original spot I went.  I unloaded and launched without any issues.  It did seem to be moving fairly well and I paddled upstream for a little bit.  After only a short time, however, I decided that it was moving too quickly and not knowing the river, and it being cold, I didn't want to risk it so back I went.  I took out and decided to head over to Black River.  I had been wanting to try the "other side of the road" from the lake so that's where I went.  It was a nice, short twisty trip.  I was surprised at how clear the water was and how sandy the bottom was.  I didn't make it too far and then headed back.

Short Black River at EveryTrail