Hike #305 9/2/7
9/2/7 Sandy Hook with Cathy Fisher, Skyler Jermyn, Peter Fox, Jack Lowry, Graham Copeland, Dave "Captain Soup" Campbell, Shelly Fehr, Yon Lee, "Naaron" Young, "Amish Paul" and Wyatt Hassler
Group shot on Sandy Hook
My next trip would be yet another beach hike, bringing us back to the Sandy Hook Region because I had wanted to finish scouting out some things in the vicinity, including reaching the far end of the hook. We met in the morning at the Hartshorne Woods parking area off Portland Road in Highlands NJ. Joining me this time were my girlfriend, Cathy Fisher, "Amish Paul" and Wyatt Hassler, Skyler Jermyn, Peter Fox, Jack Lowry, Dave "Captain Soup" Campbell, "Naaron" Young (who had shaved his stubbly face leading me to call him "Naaron", citing he looked like he had naired his face), and newcomers Graham Copeland and Shelly Fehr. Shelly claimed she had hiked with me before, but I knew she was mistaken.
A bunker in Hartshorne Woods
Bunker in Hartshorne Woods
Hartshorne Woods preserve
Bunker Hartshorne Woods
Dock at Hartshorne Woods
Dock at Hartshorne Woods
Dock at Hartshorne Woods
Dock at Hartshorne Woods
Dock at Hartshorne Woodson the Shrewsbury River
View in Hartshorne Woods
In the Atlantic Highlands
View from the Twin Lights area
View of Highlands NJ from near the lights
View of old Rt 36 bridge
Twin Lights
Twin Lights
Twin Lights
View from Twin Lights
Twin Lights
View from Twin Lights
At Twin Lights
Twin Lights
Twin Lights
View from Twin Lights
View from Twin Lights
View from Twin Lights
View from Twin Lights
View from Twin Lights of Spermacetti Cove, Sandy Hook
View from Twin Lights
View from Twin Lights
View from Twin Lights
In the light house
Sandy Hook and Spermacetti Cove from Rt 36 bridge
On the beach, Sandy Hook
Sandy Hook
Sandy Hook
Sandy Hook
Sandy Hook
Sandy Hook
Sandy Hook
Sandy Hook
Sandy Hook
Sandy Hook
Sandy Hook
Sandy Hook
Sandy Hook
Sandy Hook
Sandy Hook
Sandy Hook
This tidal pool is as warm as bath water as it flows back to the ocean at the north end of Sandy Hook
Sandy Hook
Sandy Hook
We found a bumper at the north tip of Sandy Hook
Sandy Hook
Sandy Hook
Sandy Hook
Beacon on the end of Sandy Hook
Sandy Hook
Sandy Hook
Sandy Hook near Fort Hancock
Sandy Hook
Sandy Hook
Sandy Hook
Sandy Hook
Ruins at Sandy Hook
Ruins at Sandy Hook
Ruins at Sandy Hook
Sandy Hook
Sandy Hook
Trail on Sandy Hook
Amish Paul got lost and ruined his clothes, so had to wear Wyatt's
Skyler in back of Amish Paul's car
Sandy Hook
Off the Hook Restaurant, Highlands NJ
Off the Hook Restaurant, Highlands NJ
Off the Hook Restaurant, Highlands NJ
Off the Hook Restaurant, Highlands NJ
Off the Hook Restaurant, Highlands NJ
Off the Hook Restaurant, Highlands NJ
Off the Hook Restaurant, Highlands NJ
Off the Hook Restaurant, Highlands NJ
Off the Hook Restaurant, Highlands NJ. Amish Paul displays his pants which he ripped whilst trying to navigate shore thorns.
We began along a wide trail, a former road, passing under an old military bunker in an open area. We continued across a field on a paved trail then cut out to the left on a mowed path where we could see out to the ocean. We skirted the edge of the hillside on the paved trail, passing by some sort of other bunker, soon reaching a roadway down hill. A ranger in a vehicle was going by and I asked him if that was the way to the dock we had visited on the previous trip to Hartshorne Woods, and he told me it was. We headed down hill and soon reached that dock, and Wyatt and I jump flipped off into the Navesink River and Shrewsbury River Confluence area with a nice view of Rumson. We did'nt stay here long before we were off again along a trail we had taken the last time. We reached the next paved trail and went left heading back to where we parked. We walked up a road from here that led to an apartment complex, and we looked around to see if we could find our way toward the famous Twin Lights overlooking the bays, ocean, and city. When we reached the end of the apartment area, we opted to cut along the side of one of the buildings to the end, and found a path to a gate that led out to the Twin Lights. We walked around the front, with incredible views of the Shrewsbury River and the ocean, and all the way up Sandy Hook and beyond to New York City. It was fantastic. We walked around and found that there was no fee to get in the twin lights, and we all climbed to the top of the one. We hung out here for a bit, checked out the museum, then were on our way along the road back down to Highlands. We soon reached Rt 36 and dashed across the road, and crossed the bridge over the Shrewsbury River. The water was low enough that we could see the piers to the old bridge below us protruding from the water. We crossed the road on the other side and then made our way over the sea wall out to the beach and headed north. It being Labor Day Weekend, it was very packed on the beach, but we made our way around everyone fine. We made a quick stop at the first concession stand, then headed north, taking a swim near the second one. Cathy, Captain Soup, and Skyler went to the stand while the rest of us went for a swim. They soon joined us, and I was rather surprised with myself when I realized I had swam out farther than anyone there, something I'd never done before. We played catch with some driftwood for a while, then moved on. We soon began walking through Gunnison Beach, the nude beach section, where we met up with Yon Lee, who had planned on meeting us earlier but the Sea Streak ferryboat came in late, so she met up with us here. We gave Yon time to get ready, then we were all on our way north. As we reached the northern part of the hook, there were a lot less people. We stopped for another swim break where water was flowing into the ocean at the very top of the hook. It was shallow for a distance out, and we all swam pretty far out and back. We also layed in the water that flowed into the ocean which was warm as bathwater because it had been sun heated for most the day. We soon continued on along to top of the hook and reached a beacon on the tip that faced west. As we began heading south along the hook, two Coast Guard guys came out and told us we had to turn around. We tried talking him into letting us go on through as we were almost to the docks for the Sea Streak, but he said no. He told us to stay out of the woods because there was razor wire, intintionally planted Poison Ivy, and unexploded munitions. That did'nt bother me as much as the fact that we had to go back around. We continued back to where the next beach access and headed back inland. Wyatt and I ran up onto one of the old bunker areas and then ran back to catch up with the rest of the group. We walked down to the water where the next Sea Streak ferry was leaving, and Yon ran to catch it. When she had gotten there, we turned south and followed the bike path and the road heading down to the visitor's center and beyond. Amish Paul showed up in his car to help pick up stragglers and those of us who were hurting, so he took Cathy, Pete (who had some knee trouble from a serious injury) and Skyler back with him. The rest of us continued walking and found Cathy in my car at the last parking area heading down the hook. Major Tom Conroy was out looking for us on the hook, and called me several times to meet up, but did'nt do so until we stopped for dinner at "Off the Hook" in Highlands as we did last time. I did'nt get to explore the interior bay as I had wanted to, but we still had a great trip.
Photography
Here's descriptions of all the pics followed by their link in photobucket:
1.) The group passing beneath one of the old bunkers in Hartshorne Woods2.) An old bunker at Hartshorne Woods Preserve3.) Lovely scene down a trail toward the Atlantic Ocean4.) Wyatt, Graham, Skyler, and Pete near one of the old bunkers5.) The dock on the Navesink River looking across to Rumson from Hartshorne Woods6.) Me jumping off the dock7.) Wyatt ready to jump off8.) Wyatt jumping off9.) Wyatt walking on water like Jesus! He jumped off kicking his feet!10.) View of Navesink NJ from Hartshorne Woods11.) At the Hartshorne parking area at the end of Portland Road12.) View of the Rt 36 bridge from an apartment complex on the Atlantic Highlands13.) Another view of the bridge from the hillside14.) Yet another view of the bridge15.) One of the twin lights16.) Another shot of the twin lights17.) Wyatt in front of the Twin Lights building18.) View of Sandy Hook from next to the Twin Lights19.) The group at the Twin Lights20.) More of the group up by the lights21-23.) Historic Markers at the Twin Lights24.) Another great view of Sandy Hook and New York City25.) The bridge over the Shrewsbury River26.) View from the top of one of the lights, with the city and Sandy Hook's Spermacetti Cove in view27.) View west into the Raritan Bay and Highlands NJ28.) Highlands NJ and Sandy Hook29-30.) Sandy Hook with terrific views into NYC31.) A view of the other twin light32.) Wyatt on the staircase up the light33.) View out along the hook from the bridge on Rt 3634.) Some sort of weird sand castle? On the lower end of Sandy Hook35.) Cathy and Skyler crossing some rocks on Sandy Hook36.) Taking a break at the first concession stand on the hook37.) The group hikin' up the hook!38.) Captain Soup in black and white testing the water39.) More of Captain Soup on the hook40.) Still walking up the hook41.) I sign being towed by a plane along the hook42.) View from the hook of the Verrazanno Narrows Bridge and NYC43.) A view north into the city44.) Graham, Yon, and Pete on the north end of the hook45.) Shelly and Jack on the north end of the hook46.) On the north end of the hook with the Verrazanno Narrows in view47.) Yon and Graham on the north end of the hook48.) The group at the north end...me, Graham, Yon, Shelly, Jack, Wyatt, Skyler, Naaron, Cathy, Captain Soup, and Pete49.) Almost the same shot only I'm sort of in the front on this one50.) Naaron, Skyler, and Wyatt laying in the warm waters of a tidal pool outlet51.) Walking out to the end of the hook52.) Continueing along to the west end of the hook53.) Skyler and Wyatt ramming around with a car bumper they found54.) Captain Soup on a tree stump!55.) The group along the hook heading towards the end56.) Crossing some rocks in the Coast Guard part of the hook...trespassing...ooh...57.) A beacon on the coast guard land at the west tip of the hook58.) Skyler along the west end of the hook59.) Captain Soup heading for the Coast Guard base60.) At the coast guard place...61.) Here we had to turn back because we were technically trespassing...the Atlantic Highlands of NJ is in view62.) Making our way along a beach road back inland63.) Making our way toward Fort Hancock64.) Taking a break at the beach access65.) Wyatt at one of the abandoned Fort Hancock Buildings66.) More at the abandoned building67.) The group from on top of the abandoned building68.) Wyatt on top69.) Heading south along the abandoned part of Fort Hancock70.) Walking the bike trail at Fort Hancock71.) Paul had torn up all his clothes really bad while venturing off on his own, and had to wear Wyatt's clothes which were far too small! HAHAHAHAHAH!72.) Skyler cutting out in the back of Paul's car73.) Water break along the west side of the hook on our way back74-81.) After the hike at "Off the Hook" in Highlands where we were joined by Major Tom for dinner82.) Amish Paul proudly shows off his terribly ripped up pants from his adventure
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