Ramapo River
Mahwah to Oakland
by Harris Reinstein

Saturday, April 6, 2019

The weather report promised a beautiful day and that is exactly what we had. The temperature was in the 60’s and 70’s with lots of sun. There was plenty of water since we had rain the night before and the river is usually good in late March and early April. Although there were fisherman along the way as we paddled down the river, they all seemed to pull in their lines as we approached. We told them that we were pushing the fish toward them. We were pleasant and conversational and so were they. The river is clear of down trees and most other obstacles. So, overall, it was a wonderful paddle. We saw plenty of ducks and geese as well as blue heron and the occasional turtle sunning on a rock or log. We did not see any dinosaurs or pterodactyls. We did see the usual signs of the mongos but it did not present a problem. The hill side in Oakland that had been sliding into the river was fixed a few years ago and now has grass and trees growing. The two dams are well marked with signs and easy to go around. Since there was only two of us, we moved rather quickly to the take out at the Oakland ball field, which is now a nice sandy cleared area. . The rocks that were there in previous years were moved. The Ramapo River continues to be one of my favorite rivers, not only because of the interesting terrain but also since it is so close and does not require a long drive to get there.

Harris