22nd State: New Jersey (Oct. 27, 2010)

New Jersey was a disappointment to me as far as getting in a good paddle.  I put in on Sandy Hook, near Fort Hancock, with the intent to paddle across the Sandy Hook Bay to Atlantic Highlands, and maybe have a snack there and return.  I thought I had taken some photos there, but the winds were really rough and the waves pretty high, so I didn’t???   I turned back before getting half way across… all that water and I couldn’t get in a good paddle.  But, you have to know your limitations.

Twin Lights of the Navesink,
a New Jersey State Historic Site

Below are other photos I took while exploring the area.

Now there is a first… mushrooms on the beach!

I wish I had been as brave as these guys, with their NON-sit-on-top kayaks.

Now below is another strange thing… could someone please tell me what it is??? A cemetery???

Did get to meet another member of Vandwellers…

I had a lovely visit, with Mike (Hillwizard), his wife and son.  He made me a  bead from a bullet he had cast.  Cool!  He would like to be mobile but life situations prevent it at this time.

Once in awhile you see something strange… as Mike and I were sitting beside the trailer chatting, I looked across the street and noticed this duplex.  I never thought about it before, but if you own 1/2 a house, you might not want it to look the same as  your neighbor’s half.  Just struck me funny.

20th and 21st States–Rhode Island & Connecticut (Oct. 25, 2010)

Night before… red skies at night, sailors delight!?

I’m not sure if it is cheating or not… but WAIT, it’s my game and I am making the rules… so, it’s NOT cheating.  I kayaked both states at the same time.

I put in in Westerly, Rhode Island and paddled back and forth from RI to CT down the waterway to the mouth of the Little Narragansett Bay.

See Map.

Now… here was the most interesting thing about this paddle… white geese.

However, it was over a four mile paddle to get to the mouth of the Bay and by then I was too tired to explore the more interesting areas.   Eight miles was a long paddle at that point in time.   I wish I could have found a place closer to put in, but so much of that land is private and it’s hard to get to the water or find a place to park.  It was a real struggle for me to get back to the boat ramp.  So sad.

But I enjoyed exploring the beach areas I could get to and was looking forward to moving on and kayaking NJ, DE, MD, etc..

The fall colors were near perfect and I never tire of old stone walls.