THE POSTCARD MAY 2002 1

MOHAWK CANOE CLUB “Good Fellowship”

From the Lead Canoe: A reminder – We have only 8 more months till 2003 to prepare for what should be a memorable 100 year anniversary celebration of year long events and activities. I urge the committees appointed almost 2 years ago to finalize their plans. Also, I urge everyone to submit any ideas and suggestions on how to make this a huge success. Time is growing short! After months of low, sometimes impassable waterways, some rivers are now running pretty full as we get periodic rains. Less experienced paddlers need to approach high water levels with caution. A stream that rises 1 ft to 2 ft doesn’t just double in volume and current speed – often it’s a progression of 5 times or more. A stream that lazily flows at 2 – 3 mph at one ft can be a raging torrent of 7 – 9 mph at 3 – 4 ft. An unprepared boater could experience difficulty avoiding obstacles such as trees in the water and find it also difficult to easily stop along the shore. Certainly, do not go out alone. This June, as done every year, Mohawk CC will be conducting its 4-day River Training Program for canoeists and kayakers under the leadership of Ken Heaphy, Training and Instruction Chairperson. Learning proper paddling strokes, techniques, rescue and self-rescue procedures will vastly improve your confidence and your paddling ability as well as contributing to the overall safety and enjoyment of our sport. See page 4 for dates and more information. Applications are available on the website. There are a number of good paddling trips ahead for the month of May & June. Try to attend some of them. Check into the various sojourns taking place in June. You can go just for 1 or 2 days even if you can’t do the entire trip. Until next month, stay in the current and keep pointed downstream! Welcome to our new members: Peter Bach, Louis Beke, Marion Berger, Norman Blumenstein, Patrick Ford, George Grant, the Grechu Family, Steven Obst, the Otis Family, Tony Ott, Robert Rock & Family, Barbara Shanko, Lisa Stephen and Mark Stimler. Chris Nielsen, Commodore

Program Night - Wednesday, May 15, 7:30 PM – Hunterdon County Library THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES OF THE PINELANDS by the Pinelands Preservation Alliance The Pinelands rivers are some of our favorite paddling destinations. We have close to 3 dozen trips scheduled this year on Pinelands rivers. We are fortunate in hosting the Pinelands Preservation Alliance for an entertaining and informative slide presentation on the Threatened and Endangered Species of the Pinelands. The show includes an introduction to the legal protections that are in effect for these plants and animals and their habitats, tips on identifying them, and suggestions on the many ways we can help protect and restore their populations. By protecting them, we help protect our Pinelands rivers. Please join us in enjoying this program and showing our support for the PPA. Refreshments will be served. Kevin McCarthy, Program Chairman Directions to Hunterdon County Library The Hunterdon County Library is on Route 12, one mile west of the Route 12 circle, west of Flemington. Go through all three Flemington Circles as follows. Travel on Route 31/202 to the 202/31 circle in Flemington. Follow Route 12 out of this circle and continue on Route 12 out of the next little circle (the Flemington Main St. circle). Follow Route 12 toward Frenchtown out of the Route 12 circle west of Flemington. The Hunterdon County Complex is one mile on the left. Turn left into the complex and follow the signs. The Library meeting room side entrance ramp faces the parking lot.

THE POSTCARD MAY 2002 2

MEMORIAL DAY TRIP ON CLARION RIVER: You don't want to miss the Memorial Day weekend trip on the Clarion River in northwest Pennsylvania. The Clarion River originates in Elk County, PA and flows ninety miles where it meets the Allegheny River in Clarion County. We will be paddling portions of the 55-mile upper stretch of the Clarion. In his highly acclaimed book, Keystone Canoeing, 1988 Second Edition (The Seneca Press, Silver Spring, MD) Edward Gertler provides the following description of the Clarion River: "Cradled in a stately wooded gorge, peace and quiet are the Clarion's trademark. This is a generally smooth but swift river, broken mostly by gentle and straightforward riffles formed by a cobble bottom . . . . there is little unnatural noise, as most nearby roads, where there are any roads at all, are lightly traveled. The railroad forsakes the Clarion . . . the gorge is absolute primitive." The dates are May 24, 25, 26 and 27, 2002. Base camping will be at the primitive (hand pump for water, and pit toilets; showers available nearby) organized group-tenting campground (no campers) at Cook State Forrest. The camping fee will be less than $20 per person for all three nights depending on the number of individuals; there is a limit of 20 individuals at the group camp so contact me, Howard Davis, ASAP. Cook Forest State Park encompasses 7,182 acres in northwestern Pennsylvania. Bordered by the picturesque Clarion River, the park is most known for old growth white pine and hemlock timber stands. Classified as a National Natural Landmark by the National Park Service, Cook Forest State Park is often referred to as the "Black Forest of Pennsylvania". This is one of the largest stands of old growth timber in the Pennsylvania. One of the best ways to see and enjoy the priceless beauty of Cook Forest is to hike the 30-mile trail network. For compete information on Cook Forest State Parks go to www.dncr.state.pa.us/stateparks/parks/cookforest.htm. For more information on the 2002 Memorial Day trip, contact Howard Davis at canoetrip@aol.com or 609/291-1877.

ATTENTION PADDLERS!! May will be the last opportunity to add any contributions to our BOOK CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF MOHAWK CANOE CLUB!! If you have any written material of history, memoirs, funny stories or anything else relevant--now is the time to SEND IT IN. JUNE 1 IS TOO LATE! That includes titles for the book and any pictures. Thank you. Send it to: Jeanne Epstein, 10 Sarazen Ct, Florham Park, NJ 07932.

ROUND VALLEY ROUNDUP: CANOE RACE: At the Annual Roundup of the Delaware Valley Division of the ACA there will be a four-person canoe race on May 18, Saturday afternoon. Canoes and paddles will be supplied by the DVD. Paddlers can be tall or short, male or female. Mohawk CC would like to enter a team. At this time we have one member. If you would like to be part of the team please call or write for time and directions. All you have to bring is a desire to have fun and a PFD. Contact me at (973) 762-6263 or ABARTL@MOHAWKCC.COM Al Bartl, Team Coordinator

Hello from Florida: Hi all! The Mad River M E w/air bags and thigh strap sold 4-6-02. I was sorry to see it go, but there’s no whitewater here in Florida. Since moving to FL from NJ last year, I now paddle a flatwater canoe over the Intercoastal waterway to enjoy a secluded beach on the Atlantic shore. Sailing my l6' Hobie Cat on the Indian River Lagoon is also great fun. I would enjoy corresponding with fellow Mohawkers. My new e-mail is Clearbluefl@aol.com

Ned Wade, Hobe Sound, Florida

THE POSTCARD MAY 2002 3

Waterway Help Needed: Project River Bright - Saturday, May 18 This clean-up covers our most often paddled sections of the Delaware in six sections: from Phillipsburg to Yardley. The organizers need: 1) leaders for each of the 6 sections, and 2) two additional strong paddlers or safety boaters for each section. These boaters would not be collecting garbage. Although this is DVD/ACA Round Valley weekend, some of you may be interested in volunteering on Saturday. Please contact the organizer directly: Carrie Martin, (215) 766-7717, cdreamer@voicenet.com; or, through Mohawk, contact Linda Straus, (908) 782-8677, frosted@blast.net. The clean-up is directed primarily toward youth groups – to get them involved in the river environment! There is a “party” afterward (food, live music, etc.) at the Upper Black Eddy property of Bucks County River Country).

D&R Greenway – Monday, May 20 Experienced paddlers needed to accompany a D&R Greenway group on a Crosswicks Creek Hamilton/Trenton Marsh trip. For details contact Tom Wilkins at twilkins@mohawkcc.com

The Paddler’s River Cleanup - Saturday, June 1 The Musconetcong Watershed Association and the South Branch Watershed Association are teaming up with Hunterdon County to sponsor a canoe-based river cleanup on Saturday, June 1 from 9 AM -12 PM. Hunterdon County has agreed to provide trash pickup. All we need are volunteers to show up with their boats and willingness to pitch-in. Cleanup supplies and refreshments will be provided. Please come out and help us cleanup the rivers! We are absolutely dependant on paddlers from the Mohawk Canoe Club and other canoe clubs to help out. There are no plans to put folks from the general public out in livery canoes. As Mohawkers we enjoy paddling these rivers year round, so if you "use" one of these rivers here is an opportunity to give back. For information and registration for the cleanup events contact me, John Brunner at Musconetcong Watershed Association (908-537-7060), or Tara Mak at the South Branch Watershed Association (908-782-0422).

Upcoming Events: Fifth Annual Round Valley Roundup at Round Valley Reservoir - May 18 & 19 The Delaware Valley Division of the ACA is sponsoring this event, which will be a festival of canoes and kayaks. The Roundup is designed as a networking and social event for skilled water paddlers and an informational and learning event for beginners or for attendees who are interested in enjoying the beauty of our area waterways in a canoe or kayak. For information check www.dvdaca.com 2002 South Jersey Canoe & Kayak Classic — Saturday, June 1 This fun event is sponsored by the Ocean County Parks & Recreation from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Rain or Shine! Ocean County Park is located on Route 88, Lakewood, NJ. FREE admission to the show. Unlimited test paddling - $2 per person. The day is devoted to the canoe and kayak enthusiast, from the most experienced to the one that hasn’t tried it yet! Over 100+ models of canoes and kayaks will be available to test paddle on the lake. Many exhibitors, manufacturers and canoe clubs will be there. Hemlock Canoe Works will be at the Classic again this year with their solo and tandem canoe models, including, Mohawk member, Harold Deal's designs.

Contact Ruth Gibson rgibson@mohawkcc.com or 609-586-0588 if you’d like to help at MCC’s booth.

THE POSTCARD MAY 2002 4

Mohawk River Training Course – June 8 - 9 & June 15 – 16 Improve your canoe and kayak paddling skills with Ken Heaphy’s four-day Mohawk River Training Course offered on June 8-9 and June 15 -16. The course is a sequence of paddling instruction designed to take the participant from an Introductory level to a Class II level of paddling. Even if you have taken the course before, we recommend taking it again. The program covers Safety, Rescue, Equipment, River Features, Basic and Advanced Strokes, Eddy Turns, Peel Outs, Front and Back Ferries, aSurfing standing waves in rivers. Appliare in Forms on the MCC website.

nd cations

or further information contact Ken at kheaphy@mohawkcc.com or 908-526-4626. F

embership Directory Updates:

ew Members

M N

eter H Bach, 616 MT Vernon AVE, Haddonfield NJ 08033, 856-354-1629, peter.bach@zurichna.com P L ouis Beke, 6 Scobey CT, Hamilton NJ 08690, 609-586-3028, loubeke@aol.com M arion Berger, 5325 Ayers RD, Easton PA 18040, 610-253-8024, dssheepy@aol.com

tN orman Blumenstein, 23 Wellington CT, Sayerville NJ 08872, normanb@bellatlantic.ne aol.comPatrick Ford, 257 Kearney AVE, Seaside Heights NJ 08751-1822, 732-793-8667, p803@

eorge Grant, 258C Laurel PL Unit C, Whiting NJ 08759, 732-350-3963, gegrant@aol.com G M ichael, Mira & Tony Grechu, 96 Lexington AVE, Westwood NJ 07675, 201-594-1972, mmaloletkin@msn.com S teven Obst, 56 Elkton AVE, Hamilton NJ 08619, 609-586-7885, pdobst@aol.com P aul, Jennifer, Taylor & Chloe Otis, 28 Paisley RD, Richboro PA 18954, 215-953-1678, ptotis@erols.com T ony Ott, 985 Grand AVE, Mays Landing NJ 08330, 609-646-0579, amojmo1@bellatlantic.net R obert Rock & Family, 3666 River RD, Lumberville PA 18933, 215-297-9095, paheart@aol.com B arbara Shanko, 213 Seneca ST, Lester PA 19029, 610-521-3847, ouray24@hotmail.com L isa Stephen, 1 Delaware RD, Riegelsville PA 18077, 610-749-2543, lisa@swimusa.com Mark Stimler, 121 E Market ST, West Chester PA 19382-3152, 610-696-3645, mstimler@aol.com

irectory Changes D

0, Lambertville NJ 08530

on Griffin, PO BOX 10D

lassified Section: C

OR SALE: 1st month) F

ayak – Blue Dagger DeK lta 12’: 2 years old, rear hatch, expedition model has dry bulkhead and hatch. List price

34 or lfluck@mohawkcc.com

$619. Asking $400 or best offer. Contact Bill Mallack 732-382-9041.

lease let me know if or when your equipment sells. Leona Fluck 609-259-37P

THE POSTCARD MAY 2002 5 Trip Reports: Delaware River – Sunday, April 21, 2002 (11 miles)

Four of us paddled the Delaware from the canal park south of Riegelsville to Frenchtown on Sunday April 21. The water level was very high and fast. It was about 45 degrees (20-25 degrees cooler than on Saturday). So we were all bundled up. We stopped for lunch just north of the Upper Black Eddy-Milford Bridge. We saw a few fishermen who were also out early to beat the rain. It started to rain at 2:15 while we were running the shuttle. It poured about an hour later. Even though we saw little wildlife, some sun shinned through & we saw buds, leaves and flowering trees. Paddling were: Mike Geruche, Mila Geruche, Paul Hassler and yours truly. Michael Paul, trip leader Mercer Lake “Earth Day” Paddle & Picnic – Sunday, April 21, 2002 (6 miles) This “Trip of the Month” was our 2nd “annual” Earth Day paddle on Mercer Lake/Assunpink Creek. Earlier in the week we cleaned out a few new blockages across the creek. We welcomed Susan Bradshaw on her first trip with the club. This is a pleasant area to paddle in the spring and has an abundance of wildlife including turtles, kingfishers and nesting geese with their mates on guard. The group picked up the usual cans, bottles, Styrofoam and even a fire extinguisher. We enjoyed a dip w/chips, grilled hot dogs, sauerkraut, potato salad, macaroni salad, cookies and a fruit salad for lunch. The sun warmed us in the morning before the predicted cool weather; clouds and rain came through as we took out at 3. Leona and George Fluck, trip leaders Pine Creek – Sat/Sun, April 20 - 21, 2002 (28 miles) Lack of rainfall for the past year caused concern about doing Pine Creek this year, especially a canoe camping trip with all our gear in the boats. Minimum level at the Cedar Run gauge is 2.1 ft. (this equals the gauge paired on the bridge at Blackwell at just under 1 ft.). On 4/11 the level was just over 2.0 but on 4/14, after heavy rains it went up to 4.1 or better – then declined slightly during the week to about 3 ft. on 4/19. It held its water nicely for us all weekend – great level, in fact. Fast current, good-sized waves, most rocks covered and a fun ride thru the Owasee stretch. We did this trip one week earlier than our usual annual trip and saw fewer people on the river – still a fair number of boaters and campers tho. We had 7 boats, 2 tandem canoes, 4 solo open canoes and one kayak. It’s amazing how “Bear” Martin can pack a slalom kayak with all his canoe camping gear – most of us looked like bag ladies with overburdened shopping carts. Pine Creek (there are several in PA) – this one flows southerly thru the Grand Canyon of PA from Ansonia, PA after a somewhat bland stretch easterly along Rt. 6 from Galeton to Ansonia. The scenery is awesome with steep cliffs rising straight up to better than 800-900 ft., endlessly unfolding vistas of mountain slopes and dense forest. For the 17 miles to Blackwell there are no roads and only a scattering of small dwellings (summer homes, or fishing/hunting camps). The gradient is almost a uniform 16 ft. per mile (about 3 times steeper than the Upper Delaware) and the river has long cobble & gravel riffles & easy rapids. Spring had not fully arrived to this area yet though early signs of it became more pronounced as we progressed to lower elevations downstream. The two day trip to Slate Run is 28 plus miles and we camped sort of halfway, on river left, about 1 ½ miles below Tiadaghton called Falling Springs – it was opposite a beautiful sheer cliff with a spectacular small waterfall. It’s a large area, maybe 5 or 6 football fields in size, heavily wooded (new growth) and fairly level – makes for great camping. No one else around. The weather was turning chilly after a brief morning rain, so a warm fire & good food supplied by Dave & Jane Simon really was nice.

On Sunday we left the campground early & paddled down to Slate Run – still great scenery & fast water, but more wind than Saturday. It was a lot colder, too. We had several stops, including lunch, & still took out before 1:30. It

THE POSTCARD MAY 2002 6

took about an hour & a half to get to Blackwell so I estimate that was about 6 or 7 miles and then 11 more miles to Slate Run. Separately, organized by Marcia Borden & assisted by Dave Prugh, nine boats ran a one-day trip on Pine Creek from Ansonia to Blackwell and everyone had a great time. In fact they can’t wait to get back there. All but 2 or 3 of the nine boats were on Pine Creek for the first time. This is such a great stream that one has to wonder why we can’t get more boaters on the trip. Sad to say it’s their loss. Chris Nielsen, trip leader Morgan's Creek – Saturday, April 20, 2002 (10 / 12 miles) The low water levels struck twice. First I cancelled my scheduled Black River trip, and then after intending to merge with Dave Roszel on the Mullica, received word that the Mullica was dry too. Bill Mallack offered to guide on Morgan's Creek, so we headed to the reliable tidal waters. In addition to Bill, Mary Ann Gordon, Michael Paul, Norm Woerner and Jim Faughnan joined me. Departing from Morgan, we headed South to explore a new area. We had the salt marsh to ourselves, with no other boat traffic and only a slight breeze. We stopped to observe a pair of ospreys building their nest with grasses and reeds. We returned to the put-in as the rain started and had lunch. A pair of completely uninhibited, shameless horseshoe crabs, doing what they have been doing for millions of years provided entertainment. In addition to ensuring survival of the species, the resulting eggs will provide valuable food for migrating shorebirds. These living fossils are not eaten today by man. Years ago, however, Indians did eat the lump of meat in the abdomen that moves the tail. They also used the shells to bail water out of their canoes, and the tails as spear tips. After lunch, we headed West under cloudy skies towards Cheesequake Park. We saw several varieties of shorebirds, but without binoculars and a field guide, they remain unidentified. Perhaps they were already gathering for the horseshoe egg feast! Norm, Mary Ann and I returned after completing a ten-mile trip, while Bill led the others for an additional two miles. I hope you all get the chance to paddle Morgan's Creek this year. Kevin McCarthy, trip leader Cedar Creek – Tuesday, April 16, 2002 (10 miles) It's hard to believe that less than two weeks ago, I was scraping frost off the windshield. Today we paddled Cedar Creek with the temperature approaching 90 degrees. The water temperature was 69 degrees. Sixteen of us met to enjoy this beautiful day with an old friend, the Cedar Creek. Not a bad turnout for a weekday in April. Sharing this incredible day were George & Leona Fluck, George & Ginny Carty, and Lawrence Streid and Cynthia Caruso (guests) paddling tandem in canoes. Alan Duckett, John Krais, Howard Molisee, Howard Davis, Dick Van Enige (guest), and George Grant paddled in solo canoes, while Steve Obst, Patrick Ford, Thomas Kuliczkowski, and I traveled in kayaks. We all welcomed new members Patrick Ford and George Grant! FYI: in the upper section, below Dover Forge and above the Girl Scout Site, there is a fork in the river. In the past, neither section was a "good" choice. George and Leona Fluck worked on the right fork. John Krais and I attacked the left with bow saws and lopping shears. Both sides are now much easier to pass through, and much more enjoyable. We also removed the strainers just below the railroad trestle. This involved sawing through some large trees while wading through water, at times, up to our chests. You really appreciate the warmer water when you are "immersed" in it. Dick Van Enige took the cedar strip canoe he built on its maiden voyage. It is a beautiful boat, modeled after the Wee Lassie, a 10'6'' Rushton design from the 1800's, a perfect craft for the Pine Barrens.

THE POSTCARD MAY 2002 7

There is plenty of room left on Cedar Creek for another boat or two, if you would like to join us. Bob LeDuc, trip leader Catawissa Creek – Sat/Sun, April 13 & 14, 2002 Unfortunately, waiting till the last minute to see if rain would bring the Catawissa Creek up to a level to paddle did not see that occur. I switched to two different day trips. 4/13/02 – I joined with John Consoler and the Ahwaga Canoe Club to canoe the Otselic Creek, one I have wanted to do for over 15 years. It parallels the Tioughnioga, to the east, in central NY, and flows southerly into the reservoir at Whitney Point, NY. John’s trip was on the upper stretch – starting north of Pitcher, NY and ending at Willet, NY. We had 10 boats, 12 people & a mix of open & closed boats (some were touring kayaks). This stretch of 17 plus miles is narrow, swift, twisty and plagued with numerous clogged sections, sort of the worst of the Toms and the Flat Brook. It flows thru a wide pastoral valley, pretty much away from roads & buildings, although they are often seen in the distance – beautiful hill country surrounds it. The day was overcast, somewhat cool & rainy near trip’s end. We had several upsets in tight places – they were tight for me in my Mad River ME with its superb mobility – must have been a real challenge for the touring kayaks. Another great stream!! 4/14/02 – Again, I switched from the Catawissa to the Upper Delaware where water was plentiful – almost 4 ft. at the Damascus gauge (a new one you’ve got to see!). We had only 4 boats but a delightful trip – clear blue sky, bright sunlight, no wind and no one else on the river! We paddled from Callicoon, NY to Narrowsburg, lunched at the Skinners Falls Access, saw eagles and other wildlife. Of the 4 boats I was the only one who had previously gone thru Skinners Falls, so we scouted it and then ran the right side to the great delight of those doing it for the first time. Strong current and no winds really make for a perfect trip. We had long chats with Ranger Cliff Daniels at Skinners and with Ranger Bill about 2 miles above our take out – both have been extremely helpful to us for many years. This trip is about 15 miles and is so extremely scenic. No one dumped. All enjoyed! Chris Nielsen, Commodore South Branch Raritan River – Saturday, April 13, 2002 (12 miles) Five of us paddled from the Sewerage Treatment plant south of Clinton to the Lipton Tea factory near Flemington. It rained a little, of course after lunch. The water level was the lowest that I have ever paddled on this river. Well, we could have started a little upstream by the cul- de- sac and strolled to the treatment plant. Some of us walked anyway. Me, I just grumbled ”now and then”. There were oodles of fisherman on the river as it was opening day of fishing season. All were friendly. I saw a fat young muskrat that was bigger than any fish that were caught. We also saw some patches of trout lilies, spring beauties, as well as, two kinds of daffodils. We saw a kingfisher, painted turtles, red bellies and yellow eared turtles. We also saw a kingfisher. Paddling were: Mike Mallack, Bill Mallack, Kevin Adkin, Paul Hassler and yours truly.

Michael Paul, trip leader

THE POSTCARD MAY 2002 8

Wading River – Sunday, April 7, 2002 (9 miles)

Originally scheduled for the Oswego we were forced to switch over to the Wading because of low water. Nine boats put in at Hawkin Bridge on a day that was perfectly meant for paddling. Guests George Grant and Frank Freestone teamed with Al Borges to give us our lead. George and Leona Fluck along with John Londres covered the sweep as Bob Leduc, Tom Kuliczkowski, Steve Obst and Ursula Roy, all in kayaks, concluded our parade. This was Ursula’s first trip on the Wading. Welcome to Steve Obst, a new member, who enjoyed his first paddling trip with the club.

During lunch we were surprised by a visit from two wild turkeys that were within 50 feet of our spot. The concrete dam was flowing strong with about a 12" to 14" drop. We all made it over and some went back to do it again. The early spring blossoms, warming waters and sunny blue skies gave us a day we will not soon forget as the take out at Beaver Branch came up too soon. John Londres, trip leader Wading River – Saturday, April 6, 2002 (5.2 miles) “Paddlers in search of a puddle” With doubt shoving hope but still willing to try, I checked the Oswego for water but on reports of extreme difficulty earlier in the week and the return of a flotilla of Boy Scouts I opted to try the Wading from Hawkin Bridge to Evans Bridge instead. We were 7 solos and 3/4 of a tandem: The 3/4 tandem being Brianna Kupper who is becoming a full partner in the bow with her proud dad, Lee Kupper. We were joined at Hawkin Bridge by several liveries of Scouts and other refugees from the Oswego whose boats, we hoped, would raise the water level. It must have helped because we floated down the Tulpehocken with only a few minor gravel scrapes and then had enough water from there on to keep us in our boats. The day ranged from bluster with fluffs of flurries to pretty decent sun. Cranberries are thicker than I ever remember and the leather-leaf was in full bloom. We chose a sunny, sandy beach, out of the wind for the lunch stop and then floated easily from there over one "blow-down" and the wooden dam with only a push and a bit of "body English". A nice day came to an end at Evans Bridge with hugs all around for new Mohawker Peter Bach and the rest of the crew who were: Tom Wilkins, Sandy Lovell (Tom’s guest), Lee and Brianna Kupper, Howard Molisee, Ann Hood, Frank Smith and the Happy Trip Leader, Ruth Gibson. Thanks to all for keeping the faith-We found water and we did have FUN. Ruth Gibson, trip leader Upper Lehigh River – Saturday, March 30, 2002 We didn't paddle the Ken Lockwood Gorge, due to lack of water. However, I did paddle a trip on the Upper Lehigh from White Haven to Rockport. We had three open boats and a kayaker we met who needed a shuttle. It was a beautiful day with warm temperatures and sunny skies. The water was releasing at 500 cfs, but was up to about 850 cfs by Rockport due to tributary runoff. There were no other boats or rafts on the river. We did a lot of playing and surfing with no incidents. Chris Daul, trip leader

THE POSTCARD MAY 2002 9

Vermont Easter Trip - March 28 – 31, 2002 We’ve been going to Vermont over Easter weekend for many years now. Since Easter falls at different time periods each year we’ve had a variety of weather conditions. This year Easter occurred fairly early on the calendar, so we expected wintry conditions. So did the weather forecasters. Predictions sounded dismal – rain and snow showers, cold temperatures at night, wind, etc. Actually, driving to Vermont on Thursday the 28th was extremely delightful – clear blue skies, bright sunshine and incredible scenery – I went by way of Troy and Arlington, Vermont in order to check the water level on the Battenkill (always a good indicator of other streams as well) and found plenty of water. The Craigmeur Ski Lodge where we stay in West Rutland, VT, is owned and operated by some 30 shareowners who all belong (or have in the past) to the Craigmeur Ski Club of Rockaway, NJ. The Lodge sleeps 52 people comfortably, and on weekends where we have 20 or more guests we have an incredible cook, Phil, who serves both breakfasts and diner. It’s a real neat place to stay – like a big family group, and very affordable. We had about 35 for the weekend, but only 7of us from the canoe clubs, and two of those chose to ski. The other 5 of us enjoyed some wonderful canoeing. March 29 - Since only two of us who planned to canoe arrived early, we decided to take our boats and cross-country skis and see what looked best for us the first day. Skiing was our first choice. The Rutland area had only patchy ground cover, but the eastern slopes of the Green Mountains and valleys to the east usually catch better snow. So it was this weekend. We decided to try the Woodstock Ski Touring Center (at Woodstock, VT), and on arriving there were disappointed to find that despite about a foot of good snow cover, they had closed for the season. We decided to ski through Gifford Woods State Park, north on Route 100, just north of Killington. We had over a foot of snow and really nice scenery. Later that day we drove up to Stockbridge and Hancock to check the White River. I had never seen it so low this early in the year – completely impassible, even though the fields and hillsides were covered with snow. Fortunately, that changed Friday night with some heavy rains. March 30 (Sat.) - We decided to try canoeing on the lower White River, someplace below Bethel, or even Royalton – the river usually has more water there and offers very nice canoeing stretches – we do these every year over the July 4th weekend. However, since the Upper White was on our way we checked it out and found it had come up over a foot due to a combination of rain and melting snow. We left my van at the take out (Stockbridge) and drove up to the bridge below Hancock, across from the National Forest Ranger Station. This is usually a good put in with plenty of good parking, but we had to park on the road because of the deep snow, and slide our canoes and kayaks down the embankment and across the snow-covered parking area to the river. The put in itself was usable, so we began our trip. We had 5 boats – all solo – consisting of 3 open canoes and 2 kayaks. The White River in this stretch flows almost due south, although no section is straight for more than 200-300 yards. It has numerous twists and turns, flows over many gravelly shoals and has two Class 2 sections. It is an awesome stretch to do, especially on a day like Friday the 29th – deep blue sky, bright sun, clear, clear water and a river bed that is continually lined with multi-colored stones. No mud! In its deeper pools the water takes on a greenish cast (reflections of the many hemlock groves on its steep hillsides). The water is so clear that often it looks as if the boats are suspended in the air. Also, the clarity causes it to look shallower than it is. In the more shallow areas we had at least 15-18 inches of flow – and the stream bed gradient averages a constant drop of about 11’ per mile – well over twice the gradient of rivers like the Tioughnioga (NY) or the South Branch of the Raritan (NJ). On top of the fast flow we also had a moderate tail wind – ideal conditions! It isn’t easy to describe the joy we all felt in being on the river that day – the swift current, the deep blue sky with occasional fluffy or striated wispy clouds, the crystal clear water and the multi-colored rocky stream bed – add to that the snow covered fields and steeply wooded hillsides -- and add to that the continuous unwinding of superior views of hills and slopes and nearby mountains – and you will find some happy boaters. The bright warm sunshine soon caused us to peel off some layers of clothing – the temperatures reached into the high 50’s or low 60’s. I guess we all felt like Sybil Reid, on this river for the first time, who said it was probably the most beautiful and enjoyable trip she’s ever taken, and she has canoed and kayaked many pretty rivers. We did about 12 miles, and it took us less than 4 hours, including lunch and several other stops. We truly felt sorry for those who were not with us. Sunday, March 30 – Easter Sunday started out just as beautiful and warm as the day before. It actually began at the lodge with an Easter egg hunt for several of the children of families from the Ski Club. Eggs were hidden in numerous places outside the lodge – including places like the tail pipe on my van, the grab loop on Marcia’s kayak and on the tires of Paul’s SUV! We drove south to the Battenkill, a lovely ride on Route 7 through Manchester to Arlington where we unloaded at the bridge in town on Route 313. The run to the takeout is about 10 miles; the gradient is about 14’ per mile for the first half of the trip and then 11’ per mile the rest of the way – swift, especially with the 2’ or more water. One must be ever vigilant for strainers on a stream as small and twisty and as swift as this. In most places the water was right at tree root level or higher. The water in this stream is more turbid than the White River, but it is stocked and heavily fished once trout season opens, so it’s always good to get on it early.

THE POSTCARD MAY 2002 10

It also has great scenery – not as spectacular as the White, and of course the snow was gone in Southern Vermont except for on some higher north-facing hillsides. Again, we had 5 boats – 3 open solo canoes and 2 kayaks. I didn’t clock it exactly, but the trip took about 3-1/2 hours. It did become overcast near the end of the trip and the ride back home was cloudy. Another great Vermont Weekend. Vermont is truly a special place to visit, and canoe. Chris Nielsen, trip leader Delaware River, Frenchtown to Bulls Island - March 24, 2002 (9.1miles) This was originally scheduled as a trip on the Upper Tohickon, but that release was cancelled because of the drought conditions. Actually, the date was wrong in the schedule; it should have been the previous weekend! Still and all, a few diehards met in Frenchtown that morning for a little breakfast at the Bridge Café` (which is smaller than it used to be…). Surprisingly, the water level was higher than expected – there must have been a lot of rain in upstate New York. It was about 4.5 feet on the Riegelsville gage. We ran the shuttle down to Bulls Island and looked to have the whole launch to ourselves. We got on the water into a brisk wind, enough to make some of the boats weathercock. Staying close to shore helped reduce this. Instead of the usual route via the broken dam by Stover’s Mill, we opted to stay left on the river and take advantage of the higher levels to explore some of the channels among the islands where the scout camps are located. We once again found the old handpowered railroad and the freight cart that ran along it in one of those channels. Lunch came at the usual place though there was less beach than usual. We could see below us where the Hot Dog Man moored his boat over the winter and where he’ll be setting up once Memorial Day comes around. After lunch we opted to stay left to take advantage of the upper ledges below the Devil’s TeaTable, but it was still pretty windy. For the most part we stayed close to the islands. At these water levels there wasn’t much playable at the Tumble Falls ledges and the wind remained a problem. We took the inner channel at the bottom to take a good look at the rapids coming in from the right. They looked runnable but complicated at this level – still could have been fun, though. We watched a newly-arrived Osprey working over the river, and he got a fish at one point. There were some fishing boats here and there as well. Drought conditions and a warm winter meant that Shad have arrived earlier than usual. We also saw Wood Ducks, Common Mergansers and Tree Swallows along the river. Near Point Pleasant there was a tree festooned with Black Vultures. We passed by Bucks County River Country, which is not yet open, and saw where he’d placed the TV camera. If you look at their website later in the year you should be able to view river conditions just upstream of Point Pleasant. It turned out that we did do part of Tohickon Creek anyway. There was enough water in the Delaware for us to paddle up the creek fairly close to the new Aqueduct carrying the Delaware Canal across Tohickon Creek. It was a bit difficult to find the center of the wing dam at these levels, but as with the falls above, the center wavetrain was pretty well washed out. The return shuttle was easy and it was a good day for paddling after all. Joe Pylka, trip leader

Mohawk Canoe Club 2002 Membership Directory:

The 2002 Mohawk Canoe Club membership directory is included with this month’s Postcard. The directory is for your personal use. Please review your membership information for accuracy, especially your e-mail address. Family memberships have an “F” indicator posted in the right column. If there are any changes or corrections they will be included in the next Postcard.

THE POSTCARD MAY 2002 11

ACTIVITIES SCHEDULE (note changes) May 3, thru June 20, 2002

* Denotes Trip of the Month

“ Count the day lost, whose low descending sun sees no fall leaped, no foamy rapids run ”

Fri 5/3 Cedar Creek, NJ 1 Ann Hood 908-874-7857

* Sat 5/4 Sun 5/5 Upper Delaware, NY – DVD/ACA Canoe & Camp. Free for ACA members, small fee for non-members.

Chris Nielsen 908-876-3454

Sat 5/4 Toms River, NJ 1 George & Ginny Carty 732-286-5116

Sun 5/5 Paulins Kill, NJ 1,2 Dave Prugh 732-951-9239

Tue 5/7 Metedeconk River, NJ 1 Bob LeDuc 732-929-0047

Fri 5/10 Raritan River - New Brunswick to Perth Amboy 1 George & Leona Fluck 609-259-3734

* Sat 5/11 D&R Canal "Dinner Cruise" 1 Ruth Gibson 609-586-0588

Sat 5/11 Little Schuylkill River, PA 1 Michael Paul 609-333-8640

Sat 5/11 NCSP/LDC - On Water Boating Skills Day 1 Ken Heaphy 908-526-0943

Sun 5/12 West Branch Delaware River, NY 1 Chris Nielsen 908-876-3454

Sun 5/12 Mother's Day Paddle, Mercer Lake, NJ George & Leona Fluck 609-259-3734

Sat 5/18 Lower Delaware River 1 Michael Paul 609-333-8640

Sat 5/18 Sun 5/19 DVD/ACA - 5th Annual Round Valley Roundup Marcia Borden 607-748-0696

Sat 5/18 River Bright - Delaware River cleanup event Ruth Gibson 609-586-0588

Sun 5/19 Musconetcong River, NJ 1,2 Denis Albisser 908-537-2501

Tue 5/21 Mullica River, NJ 1 John Londres 732-350-6737

Wed 5/22 Grice Middle School Trip Day 1 - Oswego River, NJ 1 Tom Wilkins 609-585-6233

Thu 5/23 Moonlight Trip, NJ 1 Chris Nielsen 908-876-3454

* Fri 5/24 Mon 5/27 Clarion River, PA - Camping Weekend 1 Howard Davis 609-291-1877

Fri 5/24 Grice Middle School Trip Day 2 - Oswego River, NJ 1 Tom Wilkins 609-585-6233

Sat 5/25 D&R Canal and Delaware River - no shuttle 1 George & Leona Fluck 609-259-3734

Sun 5/26 Shrewsbury River, NJ 1 Bill Mallack 732-382-9041

Fri 5/31 Sat 6/8 Delaware River Sojourn 1,2 Chris Nielsen 908-876-3454

Fri 5/31 Lackawaxen River, PA 2 Fred Cohane 845-352-0204

Sat 6/1 Sun 6/2 Esopus Creek, NY 2,3 TBA

Sat 6/1 Ocean County Canoe Classic - boat demos, etc. Ruth Gibson 609-586-0588

Sat 6/1 River Cleanup (canoe-based) - South Branch Raritan & Musconetcong Rivers

John Brunner 610-847-3621

Sat 6/1 Fri 6/7 Schuylkill River Sojourn, PA Chris Nielsen 908-876-3454

Sun 6/2 Batsto River, NJ 1 Kevin McCarthy 908-879-4158

Sun 6/2 MCC River Training Graduates Refresher Program Ken Heaphy 908-526-0943

Thu 6/6 Cedar Creek, NJ 1 Al Borges 609-242-6460

* Sat 6/8 Batsto River, NJ 1 Barbara McNutt 215-723-5448

Sat 6/8 Sun 6/9 Lehigh River Release 3 Chris Daul 908-782-9731

Sat 6/8 Sun 6/9 Mohawk River Training Day 1 & 2 Ken Heaphy 908-526-0943

Sun 6/9 Cedar Creek, NJ 1 George & Ginny Carty 732-286-5116

Sun 6/9 Tue 6/18 Susquehanna River Sojourn - N. Branch, starting at Cooperstown, NY and ending at Binghamton, NY.

Chris Nielsen 908-876-3454

Fri 6/14 Lackawaxen River, PA 2 Fred Cohane 845-352-0204

* Sat 6/15 Cedar Creek, NJ 1 Jack & Rose Marie Schieber

215-357-3720

Sat 6/15 Fri 6/21 Delaware River Sojourn - ww.state.nj.us/drbc/sojourn.htm 1,2 Chris Nielsen 908-876-3454

Sat 6/15 Sun 6/16 Mohawk River Training Day 3 & 4 Ken Heaphy 908-526-0943

Thu 6/20 Moonlight Trip 1 Chris Nielsen 908-876-3454

THE POSTCARD MAY 2002 12

MOHAWK CANOE CLUB c/o Leona Z. Fluck 229 Sharon Road Robbinsville NJ 08691-2314 Exp. Date (m-yy) Dec-99 . MOHAWK CANOE CLUB ELECTRONIC DELIVERED POSTCARD ADOBE PDF VERSION 00000-0000

Vol. 99●No.5●(20)

YEAR 2002 MOHAWK CANOE CLUB

COMMODORE Chris Nielsen 908-876-3454 cnielsen@mohawkcc.com VICE COMMODORE Joe Pylka 609-466-3675 pylka@castle.net TREASURER Al Bartl 973-762-6263 abartl@mohawkcc.com RECORDING SECRETARY Linda Straus 908-782-8677 frosted@blast.net CORRESPONDING SECRETARY Ruth Gibson 609-586-0588 rgibson@mohawkcc.com ACTIVITIES COORDINATOR Chris Nielsen 908-876-3454 cnielsen@mohawkcc.com CRUISER CHAIR Jeanne Epstein 973-377-7475 jaalms@aol.com HISTORIAN Dorothy Dreas 609-586-0588 ddreas@mohawkcc.com POSTCARD Leona Fluck 609-259-3734 lfluck@mohawkcc.com WEBSITE George Fluck 609-259-3734 gfluck@mohawkcc.com

Visit our Website at: www.mohawkcc.com