Sept. 15, 2024

134. Kayak the Hackensack River near New York City

Show Notes
Transcript

Kayaking in the Meadowlands??? Yeah, and it's awesome, and tehre's still time left in the season to go!

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Callaroga Shark Media.

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Hey there, fellow travelers, this is Journey Joe Mitchell, and

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you're listening to Traveler is back today. I want to

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squeeze in one more September adventure before things get cold

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in the Northeast. We're diving into an exciting adventure right

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in the heart of New Jersey, kayaking on the Hackensack River.

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So grab your paddles and let's get ready to make

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a splash. To give you a sense of geography, we're

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in the swamps of Jersey, as Bruce Springsteen calls it,

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not too far from New York City and not far

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at all from where the jets and giants play in

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the meadowlands. Now you might be thinking, Joe, the Hackensack

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River really, And let me tell you, folks, you're in

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for a treat. I went there on Saturday and it

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was a nice sunny day in the high seventies. This

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hidden gem has been making a comeback, and it's time

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we give it the spotlight it deserves. Let's start with

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a bit of history. The Hackensack River has been a

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vital waterway for centuries, from the Native American Lenape tribe

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to the early European settlers. It's seen its fair share

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of ups and downs, but in recent years there's been

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a major push to clean up and revitalize this beautiful river,

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and let me tell you, the results are spectacular. Our

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adventure begins at Laurel Hill Park in Secaucus. Your Maps

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app on the phone will take you right there. And

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if you get confused that you find yourself at the

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gates of an industrial park like I did, turn your

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head to the right and you'll see the park. This

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little oasis is a perfect launching point for our kayaking expedition.

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We were able to walk up with no reservations in

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our case, but you might want to check on that

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in advance. We did a solo tour, but they also

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offer scheduled guided tour if that floats your boat or

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in this case, kayak. Now, let's talk about the star

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of the show, the kayaking experience. The best time to

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go is during the summer months from June to September.

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The weather's warm, the water's inviting, and the wildlife is

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in full swing. Speaking of wildlife, keep your eyes peeled

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for herons egrets, and if you're lucky, you might even

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spot a bald Eagle. As for when they shut down

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for the summer, the guy told us when the air

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temperature and water temperature combine total less than one hundred

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and twenty degrees. For all you beginners out there, don't worry.

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The Hackensack River is generally calm and perfect for novice paddlers.

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We followed the map and paid attention to the warnings

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about the low tide mudflats. If your paddle starts touching bottom,

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you might want to turn back. But hey, if you're

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an experienced kayaker, you'll still find plenty to enjoy. The

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river offers a mix of open water and narrow passages,

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giving you a chance to practice your maneuvering skills. As

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you paddle along, you'll be treated to a unique perspective

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of the New Jersey meadowlands. On one side, you've got

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the lush greenery of the wetlands teeming with life. On

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the other, you'll catch glimpses of the New York City

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skyline in the distance. It's a surreal experience, folks, nature

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and urban life existing side by side. Now let's talk gear.

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If you're bringing your own kayak, great, you can go

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right in off the public boat launch but if not,

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don't sweat it. There are several rental options nearby. In

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our case, we rented a tandem kayak for sixty dollars,

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But fellas, I think maybe two separate kayaks might be

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the way to go, unless you and your partner are

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really in paddling sync. Otherwise kayaking isn't the best thing

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for the relationship, if you know what I mean. Anyway,

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once you've sorted all that, make sure you've got a

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life jacket that's non negotiable, and don't forget to bring

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a waterproof bag for your phone. Trust me, you'll want

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to snap some pictures of this beautiful scenery After your

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kayaking adventure. Why not make a day of it. Laurel

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Hill Park has some great hiking trails and picnic areas,

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and if you're up for more, the nearby Meadowlands Environment

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Center offers some fascinating exhibits on the local ecosystem. So

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there you have it, folks, Kayaking on the Hackensack River

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a perfect blend of nature, history and adventure, all just

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a stone's throw from the Big Apple. It's experiences like

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these that remind us why we love to travel and explore.

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This is one of those local gems that makes me

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think this is right by my house. But if I

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had discovered it in another city, I'd be raving about

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it and thinking what a cool place to live. But

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this one right by New York. Well, sometimes you need

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to just appreciate what's around you. Before we wrap up,

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I've got a little tip for all you dedicated listeners

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out there. If you'd like to receive these episodes without commercials,

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head over to Calaroga dot com slash plus. There's a

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link in the show notes. Trust me, it's worth it.

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I dropped this episode early in case you're discovering it

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in mid September twenty twenty four. The weather is nice

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out there. Maybe go give the Hackensack River a paddle.

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Until then, This is journey Joe Mitchell, reminding you that

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every journey begins with a single step, or in this case,

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a single paddle stroke. Happy travels, everyone,

134. Kayak the Hackensack River near New York City

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