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by Andrée Jannette
New Jersey Outdoors
Spring 1998
$4.25
If you don't know how to turn your canoe on a dime when you put in at your first Pinelands river, you will by the time you finish. These are narrow, winding rivers, full of sweeping curves and sharply angled switchbacks. Yet these twists and turns are very much a part of the mystique and the delight of paddling in New Jersey's Pinelands.
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Prospertown Lake is not a park, it is a "Wildlife Management Area", and falls under a completely different set of regulations, which you can find here:
- https://dep.nj.gov/njfw/wildlife/wildlife-management-area-regulations
From the state website:
Any vehicle used to transport or launch a vessel or water conveyance on the following WMAs must have affixed to the lower corner of the driver’s side rear window a Boat Ramp Maintenance Permit or a photocopy of a current hunting, fishing or trapping license showing the Conservation ID Number (CID#). Identifying information other than the CID# may be blacked out to protect your identity. Boat Ramp Maintenance Permits may be purchased for a fee of $15.00 from any license agent or Fish and Wildlife’s license Web site (under “Wildlife Management Area Use Permits” after logging in and selecting to make a purchase).
This is a nice clean lake that straddles the border between Monmouth and Ocean Counties. The neat thing about it is, if you scroll the map to the upper-right corner, that is not some industrial park, that is Great Adventure! This is the lake that is at the back of the park. At the east end of the lake, you are looking up at all the rides, while to the south is the Safari Park. You can see more water from there, but I wouldn't jump any of the dykes, as that would put you on Great Adventure's property, or maybe in the lion pen. It's not a big lake, but there is plenty of shoreline to inspect. There is a small dam at the western end. No real facilities, just parking.
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The map above shows a nice put-in in northern Piscataway. This spot has floating dock, and is convenient to Route 287. The river is tidal at this point, and the flow will depend on that, and the season. If you go upstream from here, you may quickly run out of water! I made it to Bound Brook one day, but only by hiking through the ankle-deep riffles, towing the boat behind me. ( Which is why you should always have a piece of rope with you. Ahem - line! )
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I have marked Lot C on the bay side, which is the best combination of parking and access to the water. This spot is very popular with windsurfers. You could also use Spermacetti Cove to the north. On a very fine day, you could even try the ocean side.
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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 a bird that you are almost guaranteed to see on any kayaking excursion. This is because they are very common, and not very waterproof. After diving underwater, they need to dry their sodden feathers in the sun, as the one above is doing. You can often get pretty close to them at these times.
More: Double-Crested Cormorant ...