Lake Lenape

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Map(s)

Lake Lenape.jpgRoad map (714x712).  119K size.

Scenery Pictures of Lake Lenape

Excellent.  This is the Pine Barrens.  Expect to see bald eagles (equal to Merrill Creek), ducks, turtles, frogs, and other water fowl.  The shoreline is heavily-lined with trees on the west & north sides.  The boat ramp is in the southwest and there is a camp site north of that.  Houses abound on the southern end, east of the dam.  The dam itself appears to be used for power generation.  There are 2 beaches on the east side, and north of those are some very nice houses.

In the southern most section, near the brick buildings, is the dam.  Be careful!  After heavy rains, the current is strong enough to pull you over, and it is a very steep drop.

Things get interesting in the north, as there are a lot of islands in the north and also a number of shallow areas.  As you follow the Great Egg Harbor River, north, you might get confused by all of the small little water ways.  At no other paddling location in NJ, or PA, is a GPS with fresh batteries more important.

Greenland paddle users: If you have a euro paddle, switch to it.  Euro paddle users: If you have both narrow & wide blades, switch to the later.  When you dealing with the river obstacles, the wide euro paddles gives you better acceration and the high paddling angle reduces your effective kayak width.  (What good is your 21 ½" width sea kayak, when your Greenland paddle extends far out to each side?)

When the river narrows at N39° 29' 54.0" W74° 44' 56.8", stay to the right to avoid the submerged log, then go left-right-left to take the correct forks.  There is a river that enters from the right, called Big Ditch.  It opens into a lake, which is loaded with Painted Turtles.  This area has minimal current & is a great place to poke around in.  It is not without its hazards: Submerged logs and stumps.  The one at N39° 29' 22.5" W74° 45' 10.6" is especially nasty!

Past the first boat dock, after the intersection, had my first fox siting here on Sat, 19-Jun-2010.  About 0.3 mi up river, there is a conifer tree that blocks most of the river, but you can pass under it.  (Located at N39° 29' 31.2" W74° 45' 32.3")  Keep going up river, and you will see Camp Acagisca (4.4 miles upstream from the beach south of the boat ramp), formerly a Girl Scout camp, on the west side.  Beyond that is another fallen tree that totally blocked me in mid-Sep 2005.  And beyond that, I'm not sure.

21-Aug-2010 update: The Girl Scout camp is again reachable with sea kayaks ... some person (or persons) were kind enough to cut paths through the fallen trees.  After clearing the Big Ditch intersection, expect to run into blockages where there is only one point in the width of the river to go upstream or downstream.  There are a minimum of 4 of these, and probably more, but rec boaters & cautious sea kayakers will have no problem.

Why are these obstacles easy to deal with?  One positive aspect of the Summer of 2010 drought, is a slow river current.  Faster current makes it difficult make upstream movement & river crossings difficult, and increases the chances of getting pinned when going downstream.  (Sea kayakers: Your biggest problems will be with obstacles on opposite sides of the river, space close together.  Could find yourself having to go perpendicular to the current, then quickly straighten out in time deal with the next obstacle.)

Fees

None.  However, you must sign in (provide your name, an emergency contact name, and the emergency contact's phone number) & sign out.  No boats over 20 feet and no inflatables.

Directions

Take route 295 south past exit 26.  This is route 42 east.  (Stay to the left, when exiting route 295)  Eventually, route 42 splits, with the Atlantic City Expressway being on the left.  Stay to the left to pick up the Expressway.  Take exit 28, paying 50 cents; this is the Hammonton - Vineland exit (route 54).  Take route 54 south to the first traffic light (Mays Landing Road), and make a left.  Take Mays Landing Road to route 322 & make a left.

After going onto route 322, take the 2nd right into route 559.  At this time, you are parallel to Lake Lenape on your left.  At the stop sign, make a left, then a fraction of a mile later, turn left into Lake Lenape Park.  (At the start of the July 4th weekend, consider a different venu; there is a skating race that blocks off Mays Landing.)

Take the road into the park, until you see the park office on the right.  Ignore the little gatehouse on your left.  Register with the ranger.  Unload your boat near the ramp, just beyond the park office, then park to the west of the office.

Alternate Route:   Take route 206 south to route 30.  Take route 30 East, to route 640 (a.k.a. Weymouth Road).  Eventually route 640 turns into route 559.  Take route 559 south past route 322, then pick up the above directions.

Parking

There is a gravely parking lot, west of the park office.

Distance to the Launch Area

It is a 1 to 2 min walk from the parking area, passing by the restrooms.

Restrooms

When it opened, the park office had THE nicest restrooms of ANY park that I EVER visited.  They have gone down hill, but are still above average.  And due to attempts at vandalism, they lock the restrooms at night.

Status of Launch Area

To the left of the boat ramp, there is a sandy area.  Like the restrooms, this is the best of all of those that are documented.

Wind Conditions

Only in the extreme northern and southern parts of the lake, is there any wind.  Watch it; for such a small lake, the winds can get nasty.

Power Boats

Boats that of 10 hp or more require a permit and at least $500,000 of marine liability insurance.

Foliage

Excellent.  This is THE prettiest lake that I have visited during the fall.  And the drive along the AC Expressway is almost as spectacular.

Rolling Practice?

If you do not mind getting your clothes brown from the cedar in the water, it's not bad.