August 19th 2016
Barnegat Bay, NJ
I’m so thankful that Jen found Sharon and Kevin to host me last night. Not only are they great people, but also Kevin was able to give me a lot of tips for my travels ahead. After breakfast, Sharon helped me load up her (Kevin’s) truck with my gear and then drove me to the public launch next to the marina that would not let me stay overnight last night. I haven’t loaded and unloaded the kayak as much as I’ve done in the last 10 days and I’m hoping I won’t for a while now.
As I was loading up the kayak, we met two gentlemen, Joe and Nolan who were launching their two boats. I saw a message from them later on the blog. Welcome aboard Joe and Nolan. After saying Good Bye to Sharon, I paddled off with a Easterly wind at my side. Getting out of the backwater, I immediately encountered some nice swells coming over my side due to the wind, but Lex-T-Sea handled them well and I paddled on enjoying the water helping to cool me off in the hot sun.
Like yesterday, I saw many new sea walls and piers along with many new or renovated homes and then there’d be one or two boarded up next to it. This area still has not recovered from Hurricane Sandy and I wonder if it ever will. I had my own struggles too that I’m battling with.
Since landing on Sandy Hook, I’ve lost my drive. At first I figured it was because of the struggle to get through NYC Harbor without being run over. Then battling the Atlantic, then the beach regulations. Now being on the Bay side, the water is easier to deal with and the people are nice, but I still don’t have my drive and desire. I’m spending all day wondering what I’m doing. Should I push on or should I throw in the towel?
I’ve thought of the outcome of the book if I were to quit now. I’ve even come up with some names for it: Quitting isn’t easy. Failure is an option. Then I think about why I’m out here. Have I found what it was I am searching for? No. Am I just craving an easier trip? Hell Yeah! I think about the guy who paddled from Texas to the Statue of Liberty. He had an RV following him and waiting for him. Since I hit Poughkeepsie, NY, I had Arlene following me and waiting for me.
Perhaps that was it. I’ve spent too much time on easy street and I don’t want to go back to roughing it. It is quite nice to have a nice shower, good meal and A/C to fall asleep to. Soon, I won’t be thinking of A/C but heat so maybe I just need to push on a little further. I’m not ready to quit now, but it’s on my mind most all of the day and then I meet people like Sharon, Kevin, Martha and Steve and I remember that meeting people is why I wanted to do this. I’m searching for my life after Lexie’s death and I’m not going to find that hiding in a house. I will admit that the loneliness on the water is getting to me. When Lexie was by my side, I could always talk to her and she would turn her little head in response and then give me a kiss on the nose.
As I was paddling along, I spotted a small beachfront park with a spot I could land on so I took the opportunity to pull in and grab a nice lunch under the gazebo in the shade. Walking up to the gazebo I spotted a sign by the water. It was a memorial to a fallen hero from the area. One can only think that he loved this water or this view. I noticed how personalized it was and took a moment to fix one of the flags that had fallen over.
After lunch, I shoved off and headed south. It was around 3pm when I got an alert that there was a storm within 10 miles of me. Sure enough, a small cell was coming in out of the North West, but the Easterly wind pushed it just south of me. By 4pm I was in Barnegat Bay. Thanks to Kevin, I knew that once I got past this area, I’d enter a Wildlife Refuge. Camping there may be possible, but not permitted. If I stopped soon, I could get through there in one leg tomorrow, but if I continued on now, I’d end up in the middle of it so I began looking for a place to stop for the night.
This area is full of these little canals with homes all around them. The canals are like the roadway and all the boats are parked in front of the homes. I looked for one with a marina in it and I paddled in. I stopped at a couple of the homes and asked if I could camp, but got two No’s. The second person was sure I would have luck at the marina and they were right. I paddled up to the Jersey Shore Watercraft Marine Center and stopped at the boat launch.
Inside, Bob greeted me and I told him what I was doing. He immediately said I could keep the kayak there, but camping would be the issue as there just wasn’t anyplace to set up a tent. I looked around and told him how I camped on the dock in Kingston. He made a call to his partner and a few minutes later I was given permission to stay the night. It was then I got to meet. Anthony and his girlfriend Taylor. After they closed up, I set to making some dinner and then waited for the sun to set before setting up the tent. As I was waiting, Anthone and Taylor came by again. They were playing with the baitfish and checking the fish traps in the water. Taylor found a baby crab and named him Larry. When I asked what she was going to do with the tiny crab, she said Let him go and with that, threw him in the water. It made me smile. It made her smile too.
Once the sun set, I set up the tent on the dock and that’s where I am now. Hopefully, the humidity will dissipate soon so I can go to sleep. Its hard to sleep when its very humid out.
I also want to say that I know I’ve been hard on New Jersey, but I have to say that although I have run into some difficulties here, I’ve been helped by more than have hindered. It was two Jerseyites who gave us a place to stay in Point Pleasant. Three more helped me yesterday and today I’ve met even more who have been very accommodating. I knew I’d find the true soul of New Jersey once I got into the Bay.
Day 49 Done
