What to do down the shore...

[kwalker]

I haven't had anything worth posting as far as digging goes; it's actually been pretty mediocre to say the least. After recently getting back from a trip to Sea Isle City for a few weeks I took some photos I thought someone may be interested in seeing. I'm an avid kayaker and when I'm not scavenging the beaches for glass, I'm snapping pictures or causing some other kind of mischief. The only glass I managed to find was a Clorox jar. I ended up giving it to a boatload of senior-folk who needed some help retrieving their lost fishing rod.

I had quite a few adventures those few weeks...one of them a little hooptie boat that sounded like a leaf blower underwater. I was cruising along when I noticed smoke pouring from the engine of it. When I rolled up the three New Yawkas (thats how they sounded anyway [8D]) told me the engine caught fire somehow...so I told them I'd head back into the harbor and see who I could get to help. So I got to paddle back into town and get a Sea Tow boat to come rescue them. I made 20 bucks and a bottle of Coke that day...

Another day the tide was dead low; probably two feet below normal low tide. The bay that usually is up to ten feet deep was less than a foot deep. So I got a really great opportunity to paddle in some shallow water and see some of the under-sea life I didn't always get to look at. Before long I had fish swimming along side of my kayak as I was going along. I wish I could have caught some photos of that.

I also got to go visit the old railroad bridge again; nothing much has changed there...still nothing to find, and the old concrete bridges are still laying there. Reminds me of a shipwreck...

Some of the local wildlife....them and Greenheads [&:]

Most evenings I made an effort to get out at least an hour or three before the sun went completely down. Aside from having to roll my kayak a half mile to and from the launch the tide was always really high. Which was great because I could slide over some islands covered over by water. Again it was an awesome time to get some views not normally seen. Plus you always have at least a few nice boaters out (mixed in with a hundred other jerks) the same time you are. It's always a great time no matter what []

 

[epackage]

Awesome pic's, I spent so much time on Barnegat Bay in Manahawkin as a kid I still smell like salt. Nothing worse than greenheads when crabbing, thanx again for the pic's....Jim

 

[towhead]

Fun!! -Julie

 

[peejrey]

That looks like a good place to go snorkeling..
Great pictures!
_Preston

 

[ktbi]

Great pictures and story. Are mosquitos a problem?

 

[Stardust]

nice []

 

[kwalker]

Around here I bet it would be great for snorkling; a lot of bridges were built over the small channels in the late 1800s and were replaced in the 1950s with higher bridges for boat traffic. Most of them were built right over top of the old foundations of the first ones including railroad bridges.

Mosquitos aren't too much of a problem here ironically. There's always a stiff breeze keeping most critters away easily. Every now and then though you'll find a bite somewhere you'd least expect it. For me, it was on my ankle bone. Pesky little things to say the least []

I've got tons more photos of kayaking and the surrounding areas; I just flipped through and picked a few out I liked the best. I've took a journey up to Ocean City via the waterways to the former railroad there with much of the trackage and bridges in tact. It's always a fun experiance nonetheless. I've got a neat picture of a bridge spanning a thorofare with the supports washed out from under it. It's only the rails holding onto the ties it's a pretty risky venture getting across. My squirrel senses were tingling that day...

 

[kwalker]

Here it is. Would've been easy to get across until you get to that knot in the middle...almost got wet there [] I looked for insulators along the tracks; most of the poles were still up or the stumps were still around. However the area was ransacked by others before I could get there.

 

[cyberdigger]

I like this thread! I grew up on the Shrewsbury river, fishing, crabbing, sailing, waterskiing, jet skiing, ice skating, ice sailing, eel fishing, clam digging, exploring, camping, and of course digging bottles.. I kinda miss it, but when I go back to the old spots that used to be all mine, it's so completely built up now you can't even get near the water.. []

 

[kwalker]

You and me both cyb! I love the water; grew up a water baby and it's been with me ever since [] especially the shore. Ocean City was my original locale but Sea Isle quickly became my favorite. You can tell urban encroachment has begun to turn both into tourist traps. Sea Isle and Strathmere were so interesting back in their infancy. I have a book showing every picture taken in Sea Isle available and it's stunning to see what it was then and what it is now. Occasionally I'll snoop around on some Sanborns and take a look at what used to be there (there wasn't much...)

I'd have to say urban sprawl is my biggest fear down the shore. One by one 1800s-early 1900s homes are being bought up, torn down and three story homes are being built in their place. I guess it's all about the 5 balconies, stainless steel appliances and obnoxious neon yellow, blue and white siding instead of what used to be...But at least they're not taking away my wetlands [&o]