New Jersey Boating

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Mark42

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Thought I would start a thread for all the members who boat in and around NJ so they can share their boating experiences on the local waters.

I have been to Lake Hopatcong, and it is very busy on the weekends. Best to go on week days. The Hopatcong State Park as a nice launch, not busy, and is half the price of other launches in the area.

Budd Lake is very small and shallow. Wikipedia lists it as half a square mile in size, and 7-12 feet deep. I read a NJ DEP report that lists the average depth as 4 feet. Regardless, it is shallow, and the water is brown.

Cranberry lake is even smaller than budd lake, but much cleaner. Launch is rough.

Anyone been on the Hackensack river? Use the Snake Hill launch site?
 

sasto

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Re: New Jersey Boating

Cape May for sporfishing. What a great little town!

We have friends at Mystic Island, what a great time. We traveled by boat to the Viking Yachts facility and took a tour. Then a trip to Trump Marina in Atlantic City. Returned back to their place and floated in the canal with a cooler of beverages.



Good friends and a good time!
 

gtochris

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Re: New Jersey Boating

I'm on Hopatcong and like it but could make due with a few thousand less boaters:D I'm hoping to trailer down to the Absecan Bay/ Atlantic City Area later in the summer.
 

Mark42

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Re: New Jersey Boating

I need to check out the NJ shore areas, such as Barnegat Bay. I understand that is very shallow in places. So shallow that boats often run aground. Any suggestions for good launch sites for Barnegat Bay?
 

TBarCYa

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Re: New Jersey Boating

I'm either launching in Gloucester, NJ and boating the Delaware River or launching in Cape May, NJ and boating the Delaware Bay, ocean or intercoastal. There's a great spot in Hereford's Inlet with a sand bar that gets pretty busy on weekends and can be lots of fun. The inlet isn't maintained tho, so getting in and out from the ocean at anything but high tide can be sketchy.
 

zopperman

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Re: New Jersey Boating

Mark, I posted this is a different thread that I think you were in, but the snake hill launch is GREAT! It can be a little shallow in areas, and it's desolate so I always like to go with another boater in case anything happens. It's a relatively easy launch, never a problem with the tides. The Newark bay is great. There's a marina in secaucus too that you pass by if you head north on the river. PM me if you want to go boating there some time this summer. I'm hoping to splash my project there some time in the next 2 weeks!
 

fusc1

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Re: New Jersey Boating

I live in Mystic and just started boating here too. The water depths fluctuate ALOT, you can go from 20' to kickin up mud really fast. If you are going into Barnegat Bay be careful where you go in from, there is a big problem with Nettles in the northern bay area from what the papers are saying.
 

N1NE1

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Re: New Jersey Boating

i keep my boat in mystic island, lotsss of low water, definetly reccommend a navionics chart on your gps. good place to cruise around,few places to stop,atlantic city for one and if you wat to hit some brackish or cedar water head up the mullica river
 

Philster

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Re: New Jersey Boating

I'm either launching in Gloucester, NJ and boating the Delaware River or launching in Cape May, NJ and boating the Delaware Bay, ocean or intercoastal. There's a great spot in Hereford's Inlet with a sand bar that gets pretty busy on weekends and can be lots of fun. The inlet isn't maintained tho, so getting in and out from the ocean at anything but high tide can be sketchy.

Do this: Launch in Cape May and don't use Hereford Inlet without intimate knowledge of it. First, you need to know the shoals well, and if you guess wrong, you're going to be taking breakers over your boat. There is no need to use it when Cape May has the deep ocean inlet and the deep Delaware bay inlet at the ferry.

I know the area inside out right down to the nuances of every navigation marker, and they can be off by ten feet and ruin your entire day. Give me a shout if you decide to boat down there.
 

Chris1956

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Re: New Jersey Boating

Mark, The northern part of Barnegat Bay is real shallow in most places. The channels are fairlynarrow, but you must stay in them. You can be a mile from shore, and in ankle deep water, if out of the channel.

The Bay south of the Seaside Bridge (to the Barn Inlet) is much more forgiving. The channels are much wider, and as long as you are 100 yds off the shore, you should have enough water.

There are some good launches at marinas, and some free ones too. I use the one off Sloop Creek Road, in Bayville. It is free and pretty good. These is another free one at the base of the Seaside Bridge on the Seaside side, as well.
 

Neted

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Re: New Jersey Boating

I boat on lk Hopatcong, I find it safer to stay north of the Bradey Bridge on weekends. Weeknights are the best hardly any boats out and calm waters. We are planning to trailer to Toms River next weekend and relax in Tices Shoal just north of Barnaget inlet. great place to put your anchor out and swim or walk over to the beach on island beach state park.
 

Chris1956

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Re: New Jersey Boating

Neted, Three weeks ago a radio station held a free concert at Tices Shoal. There were 10,000 people in attendance.

I was there 2 weeks ago (no concert, just usual crowd). I estimated that 5 new boats arrived each minute. It is getting so crowded that people are anchoring south of TS, just to get away from the crowds.
 

alandchris

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Re: New Jersey Boating

for barnegat bay - look up the charts on www.noaa.gov or check on www.earthnc.com
this will give you an idea of the water depths.. however, there are updates to these charts listed as well
it gives you a guideline - so use them at your own risk... i was just on the bay the other day- launched from the surf city public area (20 bucks) - followed the channel out to the 42 marker - and that's in the middle of some wide open area to boat. tices shoal is not to far, even went up to the 37G marker and due west of that is a lunch spot called martells - park your boat and they have a water taxi to bring you in.
 

gtochris

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Re: New Jersey Boating

I boat on lk Hopatcong, I find it safer to stay north of the Bradey Bridge on weekends. Weeknights are the best hardly any boats out and calm waters. We are planning to trailer to Toms River next weekend and relax in Tices Shoal just north of Barnaget inlet. great place to put your anchor out and swim or walk over to the beach on island beach state park.

Nice to meet another fellow Lake Hopatcong Boater!

I picked up a chart recently of New Jersey as I was planning to visit the Absecon Bay but I'm more then alittle concerned as many of the depths seemed very shallow (3ft), even the bay itself! Granted, my boat is small, but I dont want to get stuck! Any tips for navigating?
 

Chris1956

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Re: New Jersey Boating

Absecon bay is very shallow. I have only been on it once.
The trip thru the backwaters of Atlantic City was interesting, from Ansecon Inlst to Absecon Bay. The channels and waterways west of Brigentine Island are pretty cool.
 

Neted

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Nice to meet another fellow Lake Hopatcong Boater!

I picked up a chart recently of New Jersey as I was planning to visit the Absecon Bay but I'm more then alittle concerned as many of the depths seemed very shallow (3ft), even the bay itself! Granted, my boat is small, but I dont want to get stuck! Any tips for navigating?

Chris, did you get down to Absecon? I also boat extensively down in the Cape May area but have never been to Absecon.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 

dennis461

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Aug 11, 2011
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Re: New Jersey Boating

Looks like I'm done for the year.
Was going to test new raw water impeller this weekend, but it's snowing now!

Last time out was on the upper Mullica River.
Tried calling the phone number on the side of the RTE 563 drawbridge, no luck.
 

rube740

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Re: New Jersey Boating

This thread is great! Im planning a trip from Hudson river to Atlantic city next summer using mostly the ICW. I want to get books and study the routes, I am a rookie at this. I have a 1990 regal 265. Single engine 7.4 merc. I wanna do the trip during my vacation week so I'm planning 1 day boating 1 day Atlantic city and 1 day back. I'm hearing great things about the new golden nugget( formally the trump) casino whom now runs the Marina. Can't wait to do it!
 

sasto

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Re: New Jersey Boating

This thread is great! Im planning a trip from Hudson river to Atlantic city next summer using mostly the ICW. I want to get books and study the routes, I am a rookie at this. I have a 1990 regal 265. Single engine 7.4 merc. I wanna do the trip during my vacation week so I'm planning 1 day boating 1 day Atlantic city and 1 day back. I'm hearing great things about the new golden nugget( formally the trump) casino whom now runs the Marina. Can't wait to do it!

Hey rude....start a thread on your planned adventure.

I would like to participate.....as others:cool:.
 
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