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

Cliffwood Beach - Aberdeen

Cliffwood Beach
( 40.45216, -74.22137 )

  1. Lake Lefferts - Matawan ( 40.41563, -74.23362 )
  2. Raritan Bay - Cliffwood (E) ( 40.45089, -74.22033 )
  3. Raritan Bay - Cliffwood (W) ( 40.45216, -74.22269 )
  4. Raritan Bay - Cliffwood (Whale Creek) ( 40.45090, -74.22274 )
  5. Raritan Bay - Keyport (E) ( 40.44095, -74.19534 )
  6. Raritan Bay - Keyport (W) ( 40.43921, -74.20160 )
  7. Raritan Bay - Laurence Harbor (E) ( 40.45877, -74.24622 )
  8. Raritan Bay - Laurence Harbor (W) ( 40.46223, -74.25482 )
  9. Raritan Bay - South Amboy (N) ( 40.48343, -74.27059 )
  10. Raritan Bay - South Amboy (S) ( 40.47946, -74.26831 )
  11. Raritan Bay - South Amboy Ramp ( 40.48401, -74.27416 )
  12. Raritan Bay - Union Beach (E) ( 40.44787, -74.16598 )
  13. Raritan Bay - Union Beach (W) ( 40.45479, -74.17517 )
  14. Wagner's Marina - Matawan Creek ( 40.43540, -74.21416 )

The marker in the lower-center of the map is a super-easy put-in on Whale Creek, above. The other markers are a longer slog over the beach. All have convenient free parking (don't leave your vehicle in the launching area, that's a dick move!)

The creek is strongly tidal. At high water, you have a nice wide channel and can go almost to the highway. At low tide, not so much. The current can really rip under the bridge, bring your paddling muscles. In a strong current situation, it is best to go up-current on the outbound leg, and get a free ride back on the homeward leg.

If the bay is choppy, you can go up the creek, hopefully the wind will keep the flies down. If it is calm, go out the creek and explore the bay. If conditions here are just no good, pull back on the map, I have marked some alternates that are only minutes away.

Tides

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After Google sent me a bill for their map service, I decided to switch to OpenLayers maps, which are free. And I quickly came to like them better. At first, I thought the satellite imagery was neat, but it turns out that often things are hidden under trees. Also, the coordinates on the satellite imagery are less-than-accurate. Google's street maps are also less-than-accurate, and also less-than-informative, lacking accurate borders and labels ( although they do have lots of advertising! )

As I got the hang of OpenLayers, I started to redo a lot of things and simplify, getting rid of a lot of stuff I had done to make up for the shortcomings of Google Maps. OpenLayers maps look a lot like USGS quadrangles, and don't need a lot of help, just zoom in and there is a wealth of information. Google's maps are also strongly colored, which makes it difficult at times to do anything with them. OpenLayers uses nice muted colors that are easy to write over.