Cattus Island

Map(s)

Northern Barnegat Bay (1083x843), 286K size.

Scenery

Aside from Cattus Island Park, this area of Barnegat Bay is boring. In 5 trips, I have yet to visit the bays & coves north of Silver Bay, and Silver Bay itself is mostly expensive houses ... nice, but not for the nature lover. These houses occupy the northern & SW part of the bay. There are some marshes to explore in the NW part of the bay, and in the western section of the larger housing development.

To see nature, look to Cattus Island Park in the SE section of the bay, as well to the south of Silver Bay (along the western shore of Barnegat Bay); marsh trails in abundance! The park has foxes that may be visable by boat; ospreys abound.

Fees

None.

Directions

Take route 195 east, to exit 16B (outlet mall, north of Great Adventure).  Head north on route 537, just past the route 195 intersection, and make a right onto Anderson Road.  Take it to the end, which is route 571.  Make a right onto route 571.

Take route 571 south to the route 547 intersection. (The Ridgeway Liquor store will be on the right.)  Turn right, and take route 547 past the naval base to the route 70 intersection.  Turn left onto route 70, then go right at the circle (which will be seconds away after turning onto route 70).  This is route 37.

Take route 37 to the Fischer Blvd jug handle.  Cross route 37, heading north on Fischer Blvd.

Go 2.7 mi & make a right onto Yellow Bank Rd.  (Before you reach Yellow Bank Rd, you will see Cattus Island Blvd on your right ... ignore it.  If your vehicle has a compass, it should have changed from N to NW, about 1/2 mi north of route 37.)

After turning onto Yellowbank Rd, cruise this 25 mph neighborhood, until you see a sign on your left for Bandon Rd; take it, following the road to the park entrance.  From there, drive until you see water.  Parking will be in sight of the boat ramp.  (Keep your eyes peeled in the park, because Thumper, Bambi, and the rest of their crew abound.)

Parking

Not big enough for a large group, but this launch location does not attrack many boaters. Some of the parking is shaded.

Distance to the Launch Area

Boat ramp is chained off, so carry your boat over those uneven cobblestones, lifting it over the rusty chain onto the sandy launch area,
There is a tiny, sandy trail beyond the port-a-john, to a sandy launch area. Either carry your boat with a buddy, or cart it to this beach area, just beyond the boat ramp, or
Slap the kayak on the cart & tow it to the beach on Silver Bay, at the end of the boat launch area.

Restrooms

Port-a-john.

Status of Launch Area

NICE soft sand. Since the launch area faces north AND sits in Silver Bay, it is relatively protected. Even if the winds were to come out of the N-NE, the boat launch area would do a good job of shielding you.

Wind Conditions

Once you leave the launch area, and enter Silver Bay, you are at the mercy of the wind gods, and they frequently demonstrate their powers. Silver Bay can be bumpy, but Barnegat Bay is worse. After crossing past Cattus Point, Barnegat Bay gets nasty.

If the winds are NW to SW, Silver Bay will be the tiger, while Barnegat Bay will be the pussy cat.

One refuge: The housing development on the northern edge of Silver Bay is huge.

Power Boats

The sky is the limit. Power boats & jet skis abound. Stay out of the channels, indicated by red & green markers. If ever there was a place to go out in groups, this it; multiple kayaks have greater visibility than lone ones.

Also, watch the shoreline area, to the north of the lip of Silver Bay. Stay about 200 feet away from the piers, because the rebounding waves are rough. Go any further out, and you enter the powerboat & sailboat lanes.

Foliage

Do not know. I have not been here in the fall. But given that this is the shore, do not expect much.

Rolling Practice?

Barnegat Bay is huge, and includes a lot of boat traffic. Some of the coves may be okay.