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This website is integrated with Google Earth - you can zoom and scroll the aerial imagery to get a better view.
The Delaware & Raritan, or D&R, Canal, is a basically 40-mile-long pond. The water flows very slowly from west to east; it is essentially still. Access points generally coincide with bridges or locks. The map above shows just the northern portion, zoom out to see the whole length from Trenton to New Brunswick.
More: Delaware & Raritan Canal ...
Shark River is not really a river, it is more of a saltwater lagoon with an outlet to the sea. The actual inlet would be a very bad place to go, with a lot of boat traffic and sometimes swift tidal current. The lagoon is much better, and I have marked two spots that are easy access and parking - both in public parks. Don't try to use the boat ramp, you might get in trouble.
More: Shark River - Neptune/Belmar ...
This is one of my favorite birds to see when I am out paddling. You're not going to get very close though, a good reason to bring along the binoculars. The Kingfisher is a songbird that thinks it's a hawk. They are actually related to Hummingbirds. You might think that makes them not very aquatic, but I have seen them dive into the water, surface, and take off again, so I guess they put some effort into evolving. ( The Cormorant might want to take notes. ) Kingfishers usually sit in branches near the shoreline, and fly very low and fast over the water.
More: Belted Kingfisher ...