Kathy and I decided to take off from work on this Tuesday to celebrate my birthday and do some kayaking. It had been raining for what seems like the past week and today provided a break in the weather that gave us a great day to kayak in what were hopefully some high waters.
Based on the extensive rains of the previous few days I thought it would be good opportunity to complete a gap in the Passaic River we had not yet done. Uncharted waters for the two of us so anything could happen and who knew how fast the water was, if there was a lot of portaging or how long this trip would take. To date, the Passaic has been very tame, a winding lazy brown river, so I wasn’t too worried.
It would have been nice to get out earlier, but we had off and Kathy wanted to take full advantage. I did the packing early and got the car loaded but we didn’t leave the house until probably 11:00am.
After getting some egg sandwiches at Gene’s, dropping my car off at Shepard Kollack Park in Chatham, the take-out point, driving to the put in point at Valley Road, going back into town to take a dump at Burger King, we were ready to put in at 12:30. Compared to the first time we used Valley Road, our first trip, the area was now way over grown. Recognisance of the put-in area revealed a large snake in the grass resulting in Kathy and I moving up the path a bit to use a different put in area. It looked as if it would be a challenge. Kathy got in her kayak and I pushed her in. She started to list badly and almost went in. She didn’t have her paddle in her hands, mistake #1 and almost bought the sink. Fortunately she didn’t capsize, but she did cut her finger. We made good use of our first-aid kit before we even got started.
Time-line of the day based on the photographs taken:
- 9:55 – I made PB&J sandwiches with strawberries we got from the farmer market last week. That was a nice combo.
- 12:30 put in a Valley Road.
- 12:32 – Bridge 1 – Going under the Valley Road.
- 12:56 -Power Easement 1
- 1:09 – We see first pile of strange white foam.
- 1:36 – We see bucolic farm on the right side.
- 1:50 – Power Easement 2
- 2:08 – Sewage Treatment Plant 1 – Long Hill Township on the left.
- 2:18 – Ball Fields – On the left, baseball.
- 2:21 – Bridge 2 – Normal modern concrete bridge.
- 2:35 – Sewage Treatment Plant 2 on the right.
- 2:41 – Bridge 3 – Normal modern concrete bridge with I-Beam structural supports below.
- 2:48 – Power Easement 3
- 3:03 – Bridge 4 – Combo railroad trestle low and Valley Road/Springfield Ave bridge that separates Morris and Union Counties. The road bridge employed aqueduct styled repetitive arches to achieve it height over the railroad bridge.
- 3:26 – Sewage Treatment Plant 3 on the right, Berkeley Heights.
- 3:28 – Bridge 5 – Snyder Ave – This was very low and we had to limbo below it. It is a modern concrete with a faux rock decorative exterior. It was a bit creepy going so close to the underside concrete of the bridge above you. We took out immediately after the bridge at Passaaic River Park, Canoe Launch Area
- 3:30 Take out for lunch at Snyder Avenue.
- 3:34 – Kathy ventures to the Berkeley Heights Sewer Treatment facility at 29 Snyder Avenue to use their bathroom.
- 4:03 – Back in the water after lunch.
- 4:18 – Power Easement 4
- 4:27 – Bridge 6 – Also a modern concrete with a faux rock decorative exterior, much like the Snyder Avenue Bridge but with much more clearance.
- 4:31 – Power Easement 5
- 4:37 – Power Easement 6
- 4:54 – Power Easement 7
- 4:56 -Bridge 7 – Normal modern concrete bridge with I-Beam structural suppots below.
- 4:54 – Power Easement 8
- 5:04 – Power Easement 9
- 4:56 -Bridge 8 – Normal modern concrete bridge with I-Beam structural supports below and a suspended white pipe of something dangling from it.
- 5:19 -Bridge 9 – Old stysle beamed concrete bridge
- 5:29 – Dam/Waterfall 1 – I got caught and the top and got through. Kathy carried her boat around.
- 5:34 -Bridge 10 – Tall single-arch old style stone bridge.
- 5:36 – We begin to chase a Blue Heron down the River.
- 5:41 -Bridge 11 – Normal modern concrete bridge with I-Beam structural suppots below.
- 6:00 – Take Out at Shepard Kollack Park, Chatham. We left the Kayaks there, took everything else in may car and drove back to the put in at Valley Road, Long Hill Twp. We pulled through a McDonald’s drive through on the way there.
- 6:43 – We get to Kathy’s car at Valley Road and start driving back to the take-out at Shepard Kollack Park.
- 7:08 – We arrive to Sheppard Kollock Park to find no one stole our Kayaks we left in the boat ramp.
- 7:26 – Car is packed and ready to go home.
- 7:46 – Kathy’s car and the Kayaks are parked in the driveway.
- 8:00- Kayaks are in the house.
- 9:14 – After walking the dogs I cracked a bottle of Havens, Red Wine Bourriquot, Napa Valley, 2005 and posted a quick blog and next I started on this adventure’s blog.
The first half of the trip move pretty slowly. We had to trek trough many narrow passages of downed trees. Fortunately, with the help of the high waters , we were able to get through obstacle with out a problem, but it was a bit of a maze. The water was not heavily polluted and empty drink bottles were not as plentiful as I expected. The water was a dark chocolaty brown. Kathy described it quite succinctly as appearing like chocolate milk. And she was right.
We didn’t see to much wildlfe. A few frightened turtles that dove in the river upon seeing us. We found on Blue Heron late in the day that we chased down the river. That was about it. We saw one elicit campsite set up on the right bank of the river early on. There were lots of bridges and sewage treatment plants.
The last half hour of the trip the river narrowed and picked up speed. I went over two mini-waterfalls caused my dams and they were a risk and a rush. Kathy portaged around the first one. This one was easy and fun even though I got caught on a rock right at the cusp of it. The second waterfall was much more moving and when we went over it we both got splashed and our cockpits took on some water. I did the second one so quickly and effortlessly Kathy didn’t think twice about it when she approached it. Actually, I had little choice about it. She got through it fine but her heart was pounding. It was right at the end of the trip any way. It was like a log flume where the whole thing is mellow till the two big dips at the end with the big splash as a finale.
Kathy had been fearing the take-out, since it was moving rapidly at that point, all day long and after the exhilaration of the 2 waterfalls it came up quickly upon us. I overshot it a hustled to get back to it. No big deal and I got on the concrete ramp and out of the kayak with no problem. As Kathy was drifting by she threw me her painter rope, which I missed but I was able to grab her and drag her up the ramp no problem. The rest was the hell of shuttling back and forth but we had made it. 12:30 – 6:00pm on the river and feeling good about it.
I went down this river yesterday, and it is un-passable! for the first 7 miles at the current moment. I recommend staying away from the top half of this course unless you like sinking in mud, dragging your boat, and possibly lugging a chain saw with you to cut up the blockages.
There are so many trees down that the top half of the course is actually very dangerous. The only time I would recommend going is if we have had a ton of rain. 2 weeks ago I went after the big tropical storm and it was wonderful. But, 2 weeks later it was a considerable nightmare.
And I’ll be honest if it hadn’t been for all the survival training I’ve had I’d probably been in big, big trouble.
River is currently not for a novis! Stay away unless you’re going to bring a chain saw with you!
I live on the Passaic River in New Providence and have always wondered if anyone ever paddled that river, this is great! I’ve been pondering replacing the rowboat I have now with a kayak for just this purpose.