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Jimmy's Paddling Site

Here's a site I made about the backcountry and about paddling in the backcountry.

These items are very important to bring with you to the water.

FOLDING TOOL
 		Leatherman tools have the great pliers, but Swiss army knives have all those little useful gadgets.
 
 
FIRE STARTER
 		Fire is what will keep you alive in an emergency on a cold night. Use a regular disposable cigarette lighter and carry at least one extra with you in case of malfunction. Also carry a small magnesium block just in case.
 
 
STOVE
 		The reigning champion of back packing stoves is the Trailstove. It's so primitive and so simple, and that's what makes it so great. It's a wood burning stove that weighs less than a pound, way less than any stove on the market if you include the weight of fuel. Its only drawback is the slower cooking speed, you have to spend an extra minute or two to get your water to boil but so what?
 
 
FIRST AID
 		Anyone going out alone into the woods without a first aid kit is crazy.
 
 
RUBBING ALCOHOL
 		Rubbing alcohol is great for everything. Get it at your local supermarket or drugstore. Disinfect an open wound. Start a fire real quick. Make sure you get 97% or higher concentration. You can usually get 70% concentration at a bargain price but it's not worth the savings.
 
 
SLEEPING PAD
 		Make sure you bring something to shield you thermally from the ground, comfort is a plus too.
 
 

HOW TO MAKE EMERGENCY SNOWSHOES

1. FIND BRANCHES. Cut down two thickly vegetative branches 2-3 ft long (60-90 cm) from a fir or similar tree.

2. TIE STRING. Tie a string about 2 ft long (60 cm) around the base of the branch at a branching near the cut off end, in the branch.

3. TIE STRING AGAIN. Tie string again around the base but on the opposite side of the branching. This ensures that the string is fixed in any direction.

4. ATTACH TO SHOE. Tie string to the front of your shoe. Make sure it goes through the front shoe lace threading holes. Make sure all ends and sides of the branch are pointing up away from the ground.

5. ANGLE. Your shoe should be able to flip up to an angle of around 30 degrees. This is very important, the snowshoes must pivot around your toes and drag in the back. If the snow shoes don't pivot the front ends will go into the snow and you can't move forwards.

6. WALK. If you have done everything right you will be able to walk on the snow with your emergency snowshoes.

New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail Route

Newport, NJ

The New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail Route was established in 1988 "to provide for public appreciation, education, understanding, and enjoyment" of significant natural and cultural sites associated with the coastal area of the State of New Jersey. The Coastal Heritage Trail is divided into five regions linked by the common heritage of life on the Jersey Shore and Raritan and Delaware bays. Five themes define different aspects of coastal life: Maritime History, Coastal Habitats, Wildlife Migration, Historic Settlements, and Relaxation and Inspiration. The Maritime History, Coastal Habitats, and Wildlife Migration theme Trails are open to the public. The Historic Settlements and Relaxation & Inspiration themes are still under development.

The trail is intended primarily for vehicular tourism. It is a partnership project by the National Park Service in cooperation with the State of New Jersey and many other public and private organizations working to preserve the state's natural and cultural heritage. The Trail extends along coastal New Jersey, from Perth Amboy to Cape May on the Atlantic coast, and west along the Delaware Bay from Cape May to the Delaware Memorial Bridge at Deepwater, New Jersey.

   

CONTACTS

Email - NEJE_Interpretation@nps.gov

Fax- 856.447.0108

Write to
389 Fortescue Road
PO Box 568
Newport, NJ 08345-0568

Phone
Headquarters - 856.447.0103

TRAVEL BASICS

Operating Hours, Seasons
All of the trail destinations and welcome centers are operated by other organizations that maintain a variety of public hours. Specific information is available by contacting the trail headquarters, welcome centers, and individual destinations.

Getting There
PLANE - Nearest airports serving the NJ Coastal Heritage Trail include: Philadelphia International, Newark International, and the Atlantic City Regional.

CAR - Trail welcome centers are located at Fort Mott State Park (off State Route 49 between Salem and Pennsville in Salem County near the Delaware Memorial Bridge) and at the Ocean View Tourist Information Center (Milepost 18.3 on the Garden State Parkway in Cape May County north of Cape May).

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION - NJ Transit - bus and rail service at telephone:

Northern NJ - 800.772.2222 Out of state - 800.762.5100

Southern NJ - 800.582.5946 Out of state - 800.569.3752

Weather & Climate
Summers (June-September) are generally warm and humid; wear comfortable sportswear and walking shoes. Biting insects (flies, mosquitoes, and ticks)abound in season particularly in wooded and grassy field areas. Late fall and winter months (October-April) are usually cool and wet.

Accessibility
Many trail destinations are at least partially wheelchair accessible. Exact accessibility and accommodations vary from destination to destination. See the additional information web pages for a listing of each destination and contact telephone numbers.

Getting Around
The Coastal Heritage Trail is designed primarily as a vehicular tourism route in which interpretive themes link destinations throughout the trail area. Availability of public transportation varies to and/or from destination to destination.

FEES, COSTS, RATES: Most trail destinations do not have admission fees. Some have seasonal parking fees. Visitors should contact individual destinations for more information.

CAMPING

New Jersey State Parks
Open All Year
See the Trail's additional information web page for individual regional listings and telephone numbers.
For More Information on this campground please call 609.292.2797

NJ Campground Owners Association
Open All Year
Clean, wholesome camping environments where families and friends can relax and share the fascinations of nature and relive life's experiences while sitting around the campfire.
For More Information on this campground please call 609.465.8444

LODGING

Numerous lodging facilities.
Open All Year
None are operated by the Coastal Heritage Trail. A variety of commercial hotels, motels, and RV camping sites are available throughout the trail area. See the Trail's InDepth web page for listings and phone numbers. NJ state travel and tourism office will also provide guides for lodging throughout the state. Telephone number: 800.VISITNJ ext. 0411.

FACILITIES

Visitor Centers
CAPE MAY REGION WELCOME CENTER
Open All Year 9:00am - 4:30pm
Phone - (609) 624-0918
Location - Directions: The welcome center is located at the Ocean View Service Area of the Garden State Parkway at milepost 18.3.
Closures - The information center operates daily from 9:00am to 4:30pm. It is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.
Special Programs - This is a full service center operated by the New Jersey Division of Travel and Tourism. It is fully accessible and includes the Cape May County Chamber of Commerce with information about area lodging and points of interest.
Exhibits - New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail Route exhibits, an audiovisual orientation program, information, and brochures about the Trail are available. The exhibits focus on the Trail's Relaxation & Inspiration interpretive theme.
Available Facilities - Restrooms, travel information, resturants, full service fuel and service station, special exhibits about the region, informational brochures, AV alcove with Trail orientation video.

DELSEA REGION WELCOME CENTER
Open All Year Vary throughout the year.
Phone - (856) 935-3218
Location - Directions: Heading east on state road 49, take county road 630 (Fort Mott Road); heading west on SR49, take CR632 (Lighthouse Road), and follow the Fort Mott State Park signs.
Closures - Call the park for holiday closures.
Special Programs - On weekends only, beginning with the last weekend in April through mid-June, Wednesday through Sunday from mid-June through Labor Day, and again on weekends only from Labor Day through the last weekend in September, visitors can travel back in time on the Delaware River and Bay Authority's three forts ferry crossing. This ferry service connects Delaware City, Delaware, Fort Delaware on Pea Patch Island, and Fort Mott.
Exhibits - Built for the federal government's post Civil War coastal defense plan of defending Delaware River ports, Fort Mott was part of a three-fort coastal defense system which also included Fort Delaware on Pea Patch Island and Fort DuPont in Delaware City, Delaware. Its big 10 and 12 inch guns were mounted on disappearing carriages with an effective range of eight to ten miles, sufficient to match or out-range the guns of contemporary naval vessels. Welcome Center exhibits on the Trail's maritime history theme and Trail information are available.
Available Facilities - Guided interpretive walks along the sea wall during the busy summer season. Restrooms, AV theatre with Trail orientation videos, picnic grounds, and nearby Hancock House State Historic Site.

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