Note: New Jersey law requires the wearing of a PFD from November 1 through May 1.

Navigation

Do you have a cell phone? You'll probably want to bring it along, and it probably has GPS. This can be very handy out in the wilds of New Jersey. Even if your phone doesn't have GPS, it can triangulate off nearby cell towers and give you a general location.

The cheapest way to use your GPS is to install Google Earth on your phone. That will give you a bird's-eye view of where you are, and a compass. Pretty basic, but it's free. If you want more, you can get a mapping app. I use OsmAnd on Android. The advantage of this is that it can record your trip. Later, you can see how far you went, etc. If you're like me, you'll forget to turn it off and record your drive home too.

Like most phone apps, OsmAnd's user interface is like some sort of puzzle game. The trip recording function is actually a plugin. Figure it all out before you go out, and you won't end up wanting to throw your phone in the water. I've actually used OsmAnd for years, but the developer keeps making unnecessary changes, so every few months you get to re-learn it.


A New Jersey "Blue Hole" is a sand quarry that has filled with water from the aquifer below. These are very dangerous places. This is because, although the visible part may look like a Caribbean beach, the underwater sides of the quarry are steep and unstable, and merely walking near the edge can cause a collapse into the hole. The water is deep and cold, and the victim is quickly overcome by shock and hypothermia and drowns.