South Branch of the Raritan River
Sunnyside Picnic Area of the South Branch Reservation to a spot at the junction of Case Blvd and River Rd near Flemington
by Bob Rancan
May 25, 2024
We had a very nice Memorial Day weekend trip down a section of the South Branch of the Raritan River, from the Sunnyside Picnic Area of the South Branch Reservation to a spot at the junction of Case Blvd and River Rd near Flemington. A pleasant weather day with an adequate flow of 2.85, 181cfs at the Stanton gauge, the only problem encountered was when the shuttle cars were taken to the take-out it was discovered that a contractor working nearby had parked his truck and trailer at the small-fishing access...the best laid plans. We managed to leave a few cars on the side of the busy road, two at the intended spot and the last one a couple of hundred yards upriver, where we could shuttle the driver back to his car at paddle's end.
The statistics:
12 paddlers, 5 women, 7 men; 5 canoes, 7 kayaks; two ospreys; many Great Blue herons, mergansers and cormorants; two Belted Kingfishers; a mature Bald Eagle; many Yellow Irises in bloom and, too many polliwogs to count in a small pool by our lunch spot.
Bob