Hike #223 6/25/6
Hike 223
Another landmark hike...the first hike for our good friend Joe Tag! Great memories to look back on!
The group in Keyport I believe!
6/25/6
Once again, I would hike the furthest continueously connecting section to the east. Mynext Raritan Bay series hike would take us for a loop between Matawan and Keanesburg,heading out on the beach and back on the former Central Railroad of NJ’s BayshoreBranch, most of which is now the Henry Hudson Trail.
Matawan train station
Crossing the street in Keyport NJ
Beach at Keyport NJ
Keyport NJ
Beach in Keyport NJ
Chingarara Creek outlet
Chingarara Creek entering the Raritan Bay
Chingarara Creek
Looking up Chingarara Creek
Conoskonk Point
View from Conoskonk Point
The rest of the group crossed Flat Creek on a bridge rather than wade it with me.
Union Beach area
Raritan Bay
We met at the Matawan Train station, which had a great deal more parking available thanI thought we’d find, so I was worried how we’d find everyone, but somehow it workedout. Joining this time were Major Tom, Dave Finton, Jim Delotto, and Joe Millionairerecently back home from college, as well as one newcomer, Joe Tag, who fit in with uswell. We hung out at the station for some time trying to find everyone. We sat around in plainsight at a sign that looked like a giant piece of professionally done graffiti. Joe was the lastone we found, having parked to the south of the station in one of the many lots. It seemedevery time we had everyone together, more people would disappear. Joe Millionaireheaded to a nearby 7-11 for a drink or something, Dave disappeared to answer nature’scall, but we eventually got everyone together. Joe immediately complained that there wereno girls. We had to walk the streets from the station, so we took Rt 516 from Matawan intoKeyport where we found a liquor store. Joe Millionaire and I bought a bottle ofPeppermint Schnopps since it went over so well the last time we hiked together theprevious Summer. We then headed down to the coastline on a side street. At first, there were a lot of docks.We walked along them as best we could, and even walked through some kind of boat yardwhere we probably should’nt have been. We made our way out to another walkway alongthe coastline with grassy parkland. There were a few anchors setting within sight of thewater. We were soon able to get down to the beach. We walked along the shore line, which was beautiful to Conaskonk Point. On the way, we had to wade across the Chingarara Creek. Most everyone took their shoes off to do it, but it was evident that Joe Millionaire had hiked with me many times before, as he walked right across in his shoes! There was a a great view over the Raritan Bay from thepoint. On the way out to Union Beach, there were beautiful beach sections. We soon reached the Flat Creek, where Union Ave paralleled the beach. Everyone but Joe Millionair and I (as I recall, I could be wrong) walked out to the road to cross the creek. I found it better to walk through. We walked across some incredible looking tufts of grassy little knolls as we continued on the shore line. I recall calling Dave Finton on his cell phone to be sure we could get back together when he and the others were on the road. We came across some incredible views of the Verrazano Narrows Bridge which seemed to lift out of the fog, reminding me of the Golden Gate in San Fransisco.
Along the Raritan Bay
Raritan Bay
Noah's Arc? Along Raritan Bay
Raritan Bay
Raritan Bay just west of Keanesburg
Raritan Bay near Keanesburg
Boardwalk along the Raritan Bay in Keanesburg
Keanesburg NJ
Waackaack Creek, Keanesburg
Waackaack Creek bridge
Henry Hudson Trail
Swamp land view from Henry Hudson Trail
Former CNJ Bayshore Branch crossing the Garden State Parkway
Former CNJ Bayshore Branch crossing Garden State Parkway
Former CNJ Bayshore Branch near Matawan
We walked along a secluded area before we reached the Waackaack Creek, the largest stream we came across this trip. I, along with Joe Millionaire thought we could cross relatively easily, though it would have been over our heads (well, maybe not Dave's, he's so tall). I walked as far into it as I could with my feet touching, and no one else wanted to cross. There was a large concrete wall thing along our side of the creek, with a fence built into it. Joe Millionaire climbed up and swung around the fence to the other side. He seemed to see a way he would be able to get around and signaled us to come up and follow. Just as he was yelling "C'mon, c'mon" while behind a fence clearly stating "No Trespassing" and "State Property", a guy walked up on a walkway above and behind him. We kind of motioned to Joe Millionaire that the guy was there, and when he got the message, he turned around and muttered "Oh shit.". The guy was cool though, which makes it very funny in retrospect, and he let us go through and use the access road to get out. Delotto, Dave, and Fred I believe decided to go back and around torejoin us. This proved to be a problem because the vegetation between us was very thick.I headed back through to find the best route, then guided them back to where we were. Our reassembled group headed out along the road, and then cut through weeds to the formerBayshore Branch of the Central Railroad of NJ, now the Henry Hudson Trail, and followed itto Keanesburg, where we took to the streets on the way back to the shore line. Using therailroad bed gave us a bridge to use to get over the Waackaack Creek. When we reached the shore, we headed up onto a section of boardwalk which was very nice, but it took us back to near where we started. So, we followed the streets out through anarea with amusement parks and lots of boardwalk style stores. Unfortunitely, so many of them appeared to be closed down. We stopped in at a small eatery to get some food, and I began going off yelling Monty Python quotes, and telling ridicules stories about Jesus. Theeatery owner was getting pretty mad and said if I wanted to tell jokes like that I couldget out of his store. I just laughed, dismissing him completely as just a control freak or apompous ass. A lot of us ate some food before moving on. We followed what I believe was main street south until we reached the railroad right of way again. This was now part of theHenry Hudson Trail, a paved rail trail following the CNJ Bayshore Branch. It was very easy to follow and nice, though the paved surface was certainly not the mostpleasant. When we got back to the Waackaack Creek crossing, it was surprising to see that the flow of the stream was now heading inland, amazingly due to the tide! Along the wayback there were some lovely views of the coastal marsh lands. We also talked to a few peopleincluding a couple girls whom we asked how far it was back to Keanesburg. They, as well asmany other walkers told us the trail ended at the next road, and another trail took us tothe next place. It was strange to hear that they considered them to be different trails between each road rather than one single trail. Joe, Dave and Fred went far ahead of us for a while, and when we caught up, Joe chimed inwith "Hiking f***ing sucks", fitting in with us perfectly as Delotto, Joe Millionaire, andI made our mockery of Rich Nielson who started the "This sucks/this is bullshit" rant yearsago by repeating it humorously. We continued back into Keyport where the rail trail ended at a road crossing. We continuedstraight on the right of way across another road and into woods. It was easy enough to follow. We soon came out to a bridge over the Garden State Parkway, with ties still in placegoing across. We hurriedly got across, then had to swing around a chain link fence to the next piece ofthe railroad's abandonment. It was pretty clear now, and we followed it out to the activeNJ Transit main line back to the Matawan Station...quite a great hike!
Former CNJ Bayshore Branch in Matawan
Photography by Mike Helbing and James DeLotto (JD)
Unfortunitely, the original digital copies of the first part of this hike were lost. The digital copies of some of these were scanned from the few prints I made during this hike.
Here's a link to all of the pictures followed by descriptions of them...
http://s132.photobucket.com/albums/q13/sneezehorse/hike223%206-25-6/
1.) At the Matawan Train Station, Major Tom is seated, Joe Millionaire and I are looking around for others that may be looking for our group (JD)
2.) Crossing the street in Keyport, making our way to the beach (JD)
3.) Along the shore, Dave Finton, Major Tom, Joe Millionaire, Delotto, and Joe Tag in Keyport NJ
4.) Dave examining an anchor in Keyport area
5.) Dave checking out another anchor
6.) On the beach along the Raritan Bay heading east from Keyport
7.) Joe Millionaire where the Chingarara Creek enters the bay
8.) Crossing the Chingarara Creek! (JD)
9.) Delotto and Major Tom in the Chingarara Creek
10.) Chingarara Creek looking south
11.) I think this one is near Conoskonk Point
12.) A great view of the Verrazano Narrows Bridge seemingly lifing out of the fog!
13.) Dave, Delotto, and I'm not sure who else decided to walk out to the road rather than wading across the Flat Creek with me! You can see them crossing the bridge.
14.) Making our way across the wet beach just east of the Flat Creek
15.) A lovely section of little grassy knolls along the shore line (JD)
16.) Major Tom, Joe Millionaire, and I on the grassy coastline of the Raritan Bay (JD)
17.) Looking over the Raritan Bay (JD)
18.) Noah's Arc? No, but still an interesting old boat with Dave, Delotto, and Joe pictured!
19.) Verrazanno Narrows Bridge seems to lift out from the fog over the bay
20-21.) Major Tom, Joe Millionaire, and I on the beach west of Keanesburg
22.) On a lovely section of boardwalk in Keanesburg NJ
23.) Delotto at the water park in Keanesburg
24.) View from Henry Hudson Trail, former Bayshore Branch of the CNJ bridge, over the Waackaack Creek just west of Keanesburg
25.) Delotto and Joe Millionaire on the Waackaack Creek Bridge
26.) Delotto and Joe Millionaire on the Henry Hudson Trail/Railroad bed in the vicinity of Natco
27.) I think this is called Fast Creek, as seen from the railbed...
28.) Dave about to cross the old railroad bridge over the Garden State Parkway
29.) Crossing the abandoned CNJ bridge over the parkway north of Matawan
30.) Just over the north side of the Parkway railroad bridge
31.) Joe Millionaire just north of the bridge over the parkway
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