Environmental Center downstream with Dani

I took Daniella for a paddle on the Passaic. It was supposed to be sunny and mid 60′s but when we hit the water it was foggy and mid 40′s. There hasn’t been much rain lately so the water level was quite low and there wasn’t much flow. We got in the water and started slowly downstream. After going under Route 280 it was a bob and weave trying to get around the blow-downs in the water. Shortly after heading into Essex County Park we came to a blockage. I may have tried it on my own, and maybe portaged on my own, but not with Dani. Besides, she was already complaining that her butt hurt so we turned around and headed back. All in all the trip was about 3.5 miles and took us about an hour and a half.


View 03/18/2012 Short paddle with Dani in a larger map

Willowbrook Paddle

Had to start the paddling season! I was really dying to get back on the water so after a failed attempt at doing my taxes, I needed to paddle. I had wanted to see the portion of the Passaic below 2 Bridges so I put in at Riverside Park in Little Falls, just above the little falls, and paddled upstream. I went behind Willowbrook mall and made my way until I reached 2 Bridges Road. It was only about 3 miles up, and then another 3 miles back to the put in point. Not a lot to see…still a lot of debris from the floods.


View Willowbrook 2/26/12 in a larger map

10-23-11 Peace Meadows

I didn't have a lot of time but I wanted to get back out on the boat.  It has been a long time since I've been paddling because of ....well, everything.  My back, softball, hunting, blah blah blah.  Well softball ended yesterday, the weather is beautiful today so I wanted to get back on the water.  I took the morning to clean the house and  start picking up the leaves in the yard.  I finished around 1:00 and got my stuff together to head down to Peace Meadows.  I was a little nervous about how it would be to get in the boat but it wasn't bad at all.  The weather was outstanding, sunny and around 60.  The leaves have started to change, I actually thought they would be further along than this.  Aside from some beautiful surroundings, there isn't much to report on from this trip.  I did see a deer, but other than that and a few ducks here and there, not much in the way of wildlife.  I had three speedboats come whizzing by with two guys in each boat.  They were drinking.  I found it kind of ironic how they were buzzing around on the boats, drinking, carrying on amid all this tranquil beauty.  I'm happy that I'm me and that I can enjoy the peacefulness of the area and not that I feel like I have to speed around drinking to enjoy it.


Here are some pictures from today

Peace Meadows 10-23.11

Here's the route I took.  Not a super long trip, just under 6 miles round trip.


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Swim with your boat day!

Went to "swim with your boat day" with the Hackensack River Canoe and Kayak club. The event was held at Green Turtle Pond in Hewitt and it was such a great experience. They went over a bunch of safety things including PFD's, whistles, etc. Showed all kinds of gear, safety and otherwise and then showed how to do an assisted rescue and a self rescue. Then we got a chance to swim around in our PFD's and then practice doing a wet exit and assisted rescue. With my back hurting the way it does I was doubtful that I could accomplish it, but I did. Painfully. The design of my boat also made it quite difficult, mostly because of the open cockpit, but It was an awesome experience and certainly made me feel a lot more comfortable if I were to fall out of my boat.

Swim with your boat - 7/23/11

Finally!!

I took the day off today to finally get back to paddling. I wasn't sure if I would be able to get in and out of the boat but it proved to not be too much of a difficulty. I started out at Oakwood Park in New Providence, trying to cover more of the Passaic River. I don't know if there could be a harder day for paddling. We're in the middle of a heatwave (my truck said 103) and it hasn't rained in so long there was hardly any water in the river. I didn't go too far because the lack of water made it really difficult to navigate. I spent most of my time trying to find my way through channels that I could get the boat through. I did get stuck only once and finally turned around when I hit an impass. I could have portaged but between my back, the heat and the difficulty in paddling I decided that I would just make it a short day.


The pictures will show you just how low the water was...


It was, however, a pretty day and great to get back onto the water.  Here are some pictures of the river and of some of the animals I saw along the way:

Passaic River 7/22/11

I did see a blue herron also...he and I kept playing tag all the way up and down the river as well as seeing a few sunbathing turtles and a whole lot of carp that kept splashing the water around me as I would pass.


Here is the track I took...

Wish I could get out!!

Well, I hurt my back almost a month ago and I haven't been able to paddle at all. I could probably paddle...I THINK I could get in the boat...not sure about getting out though. I'm going a bit stir crazy so I MAY try to paddle this upcoming weekend. We'll see how it goes.

All of Piece Meadows - 6/5/11

Today, Chris and I headed out to paddle all of Piece Meadows.  We met at Two Bridges Road in Lincoln Park and loaded his kayak onto my truck then together drove up to Bloomfield Avenue.  The water level was really low, by several feet, and flowing very slowly.  We put in the river at around 8:00am.  The trip was a beautiful, relaxing paddle.  The entire trip, which was just under 13 miles, was fairly uneventful with the exception of one blockage that we had to portage.  We slid in the mud and got eaten alive by mosquitos but we were quickly back in the river and paddling on our way again.  We saw only a deer or two, a quick glimpse at an otter and a crane that we seemed to follow down river.



Here is the route we took


View Blmfd Ave to 2 Bridges - 6.5.11 in a larger map