| The Nissequoque River |
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Gary Nickerson This past weekend, Carol, Ted and I took a day trip to kayak the Nissequoque River on Long Island. The Nissequoque is one of four rivers on Long Island, about an hour and 15 minutes drive from Manhattan. It runs from the Long Island Sound south to Smithtown, where the navigable part of the River ends at two old mill dams. It is interesting because it travels through three ecosystems, with a tidal marsh in the north and woodlands in the south. Some years ago the river was not very pleasant, but through grassroots and county efforts, it has been cleaned up considerably and is now a designated fishing river. The northernmost section is bordered by housing – sparsely on the east and more densely on the west sides. However, much of the river runs through more sparsely populated lands and protected woodlands. The Long Island Green Belt trail, running from the Long Island Sound to the South Shore starts along the Nissequoque.
With cold weather lasting almost up to the day we hit the water, peeling off our fleeces and long sleeved shirts and putting on suntan lotion made spring real. It was clear, from the large number of boats still on the trailers that we were going to be lucky in having few boats on the river . . . and this proved true through We put in at the Bluff, a high spot near the confluence of the Nissequoque and the Long Island Sound, a little after noon and traveled south with the incoming tide. The Nissequoque, at this point, is wide and, with the tide still low, small islets were visible along the way. We could see clams and oysters just above the low water line. The gathering of birds on some islets made us think of this as sushi bars for birds. In this part of the river, we saw mostly Canada geese and some cormorants. One group of about a dozen cormorants took off in a rather spectacular show of wing-flapping as we approached. The geese seemed much more blasé about our presence. As we made our way further south we saw mallard ducks, swans, some red-winged blackbirds and other birds I didn’t recognize. There was virtually no breeze and the water was almost glass smooth. The incoming tide gave us a real boost, though it was only noticeable when we stopped paddling. I think Ted, who had never been in a kayak, was a little skeptical at first, but not very far down the river he was talking about buying one. As we moved south, we glided through an area with more wooded shores but with many islets in the river itself. Going around one we went aground and had to circle back to go another way. Ted saw a large turtle, about 1 ½ feet in length that Carol and I were not quick enough to glimpse. There is a municipal park along the way that makes a good stopping point for lunch if you leave from the Bluff between 10:30 and 11:00 AM, but we skipped it and continued south. At the southern end, we went past the If you go: This is a trip for any age group. The 5 ½ mile trip took us less than 3 hours, which is ideal for younger kayakers. For a high school group, consider a round trip, with a lunch stop in the middle. Older youth, generally, those 12-14 and up (and even some 10-11 year olds), should be able to handle kayaks by themselves. You will want to put younger and smaller kids in double kayaks, each with an adult. You can go either north from Smithtown or south from the Bluff. Your direction will depend primarily on which way the tide is running. In any case, plan to get to the put-in point in enough time to get some basic kayaking instructions before you start out. The trip to the put-in points will take about 1 hour 15 minutes from midtown Manhattan. How to get there: There are two put-in locations, the Bluff, near the Long Island Sound in Kings Park, and another in Smithtown. You will go to one or the other, depending on the tides. You will normally take out at the opposite end unless you make a round trip. To get to the Bluff take the Long Island Expressway toExit 53 and go north on Sunken Meadow Parkway. Just past a railroad overpass, exit to East Northport Road going east. East Northport Road will turn into Old Dock Road when you cross Main Street. Continue on Old Dock Road until the end, which is the bluff at the entrance of the Nissequoque on the Long Island Sound. Cars can park on the right of the road nearthe Bluff. Check with Linda (see below) about bus parking. To get to the Smithtown put in, take the Long Island Expressway to Exit 53 and go north on Sunken Meadow Parkway. Take Exit 3 to Jericho Turnpike, Route 25, going east. Take Jericho Turnpike about 4 miles, under a railroad overpass, where it joins Route 25A, Main Street. Just as you join 25A, you will cross the Nissequoque River and see a park area with a parking lot to your right. Turn into it the parking lot. Safety: Every place on the river is easliy access to land that is accessible to roads. You can call 911 for emergency and medical help. Remember to bring a dry bag and put your cell phone in it. For canoe and kayak rentals and other questions, call Linda at Nissequoque River Canoe & Kayak Rentals at 631 979-8244 or visit http://www.canoerentals.com. Linda will tell you when to be at your put-in based on the tides and, in general, you will find her very helpful. Mention that you are part of the NYC Sierra Club ICO program. Other Resources: Hayes,John and Alex Wilson, Quiet Water Canoe Guide New York 2nd Edition (Boston, MA: Appalachian Mountain Club Books, 2007), pp. 25-28. New York NEMO (Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officials) Program, “The Nissequoque River: A River of Special Significance,” http://www.seagrant.sunysb.edu/nemo/pubs/NEMONissequogueRiver.pdf Photography credits: Carol Hillson,2007.
Scouting Report: Nissequoque River
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The river itself flows north from below Smithtown, where it is fed by fresh water ponds and springs. At this end, the river is in a red maple-black gum swamp, then through a freshwater tidal marsh, a brackish tidal marsh, and finally ends in salt water at the Sound end. It supports a wide range of aquatic life, including several kinds of clams, oysters, and turtles, and is the nursery or feeding ground for trout, stripped bass, bluefish, winter flounder, black fish and other fish. Bird life includes Canada geese, American black ducks, swans, mallard ducks, for which it is the wintering ground,and, in the summer, osprey. It is also a stopover point for a variety of migrating birds in the spring and fall.
out the day.
take-out point to a broken mill dam, a natural stopping point. Beyond it, the river runs down to a large pond in Caleb Smith State Park. We found that if we did not paddle, we were dead in the water – the incoming tide just balancing the flow of water from the dam. After enjoying this and a nearby mill pond, we returned to the take-out point and sadly returned our kayaks.