Facts about the Sandy Hook Lighthouse The Sandy Hook Lighthouse is the oldest operating lighthouse in the nation. It was built in 1764. The Lighthouse has survived war and storms, but perhaps the greatest change has been to the Sandy Hook peninsula itself. Ocean currents continuously move sand up the coast, extending the tip of Sandy Hook further north. When it was built in 1764, the Lighthouse stood just 500 feet from the sea. By 1864, it was 4,000 feet from the tip. Today, the Lighthouse stands about one and a half miles from the northern end of Sandy Hook. |
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Updates on two April events by Ro Mason Black Run Preserve Poker Run - Walk or Bike On April 18th 14 walkers and 6 bikers came out to support the Black Run Preserve Poker Fundraising Event. OCSJ member Brian Coker won the top prize of a $200 gift card to Wegmann’s with a Full House. Nine other club participants won prizes. We are one lucky group! The Black Run Preserve is one of the favorite places for club members to hike and bike and several of our members are volunteers with the Friends of the Black Run Preserve such as Sue Pettijohn who registered participants.
The event leaders were Diane Mason and Ro Mason along with Mike Engel. |
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Drawing In Nature Workshop On April 16th OCSJ members, Allen and Susan Crawford, facilitated the Drawing in Nature Workshop for 20 club members at the Pinelands Alliance Barn. The Crawfords are award winning graphic illustrators and were very giving of their time for our club . Attendees were given direction and gentle constructive criticism on their works. A fun and educational time was had by all! The Crawfords are members of the OCSJ trail crew. Ro and Diane Mason hosted the event along with Allen and Susan Thank you to Debi Mento who provided art materials for the attendees. |
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Fayes Favorite Place Faye Bray |
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White's bogs is my favorite place. I have been going there about 51 years. I lead many cranberry salsa hikes in there. Most of it is easy walking on hard packed wide sand roads. There are woods, bogs and reservoirs. There are two trails through the very old blueberry fields or you can stick to the roads. In the spring there is a plethora of things to see. From baby turtles, to baby frogs and on rare occasion snakes. All the migrating birds are back and there are plenty of red-wing blackbirds singing, along with many different plants, including orchids. The General Store has many goodies from Jersey Devil t-shirts, handmade hats from one of our locals, to blueberry jam and cranberry mustard. It's a wonderful place with the historic buildings to visit.
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I have been asked on several occasions to explain our guest policy. For those of you who do not know it, it is very simple. OCSJ paid members may bring guests, with the leader’s approval, once on one of each type of activity. This will give the guest the opportunity to experience the activity they are involved in and can then make a decision as to whether or not to join the club.This policy is on our website under the Policies/Forms tab and then under the Participation Policies sub-tab. We always encourage our members to bring guests, whether they live in the area and are looking to join a club like ours or live in another area and would like to join the members on an activity.
On another note, if you are interested in joining our Volunteer Committee, please contact me at president@ocsj.org. We would love to have you participate, bring your ideas to us, and help us organize an event.
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Mother Nature huffed and puffed and blew the woods down during the Blizzard of ‘26. The OCSJ trail crew has been cleaning up these blowdowns on a weekly basis and are almost finished. We also clipped and reblazed approximately 5 miles of the Batona Trail. Thank you trail crew for making our hiking trails safe and enjoyable! |
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TICKS ARE ALREADY OUT HERE ARE THE TOP THREE TO AVOID |
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The following are the top three to avoid
1-Lone Star Tick It prefers dry forested areas with shrub undergrowth along rivers or streams near animal resting sites. It can transmit many diseases such as Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, it can transmit Alpha-gal, which is a meat allergy. The tick transmits the allergy while feeding on the person, which causes the person to have a delayed response after eating meat or meat products, which can cause anaphylaxis.
2-American Dog Tick (Wood Tick)
It prefers dogs as host. The American Dog Tick has been known to transmit Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever to humans,
3-Eastern Blacklegged Tick “Deer Tick”
It is the primary Lyme Disease carrier in New Jersey.
They are extremely slow feeders and usually feed for three to five days at a time. If a tick is infected with a disease, on average, it takes 24-48 hours before it transmits the disease to the host. However it has been shown to only be 16 hours in some cases. So, the bottom line is that the longer the tick is attached and feeds, the greater the risk.
Step-by-Step Tick Removal
Use fine tipped tweezers to remove ticks promptly
and safely, avoiding squeezing or twisting the tick.
Grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible. Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Do not twist or jerk the tick, as this can leave mouthparts embedded or force pathogens into your bloodstream. Avoid squeezing the tick’s body, which can increase the risk of infection.
If the tick’s mouthparts remain try to remove them with tweezers.
If removal is difficult, leave them alone; your skin will naturally expel the remnants over time. Wash the bite site and your hands thoroughly with soap and water or rubbing alcohol.
Click here for more information
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Our club has an incredible variety of hikes-- from the Atlantic ocean to the Delaware river, from a few miles to many, from Pine Barrens treks, to local parks, to urban and suburban jaunts, from easy pace to moderate/brisk/fast; and at various time of the day – morning into moonlight. There is something for everyone. Since we have such a variety, it’s important for each hiker to match a hike with their abilities. Each hike description will include the length and pace of the hike, and a description of the terrain. If you need more information, get in touch with the leader through the Meet Up invitation. (scroll down to the comments section). We will all have the best experience if the hike we choose matches our abilities.
We’re coming to a very pretty time of year to hike. The woods are green, the flowers are budding, the weather is moderate, it stays light later.
Also… the pollen is up, the ticks and chiggers are out. The same advice every year – use insect repellent, check yourself for ticks and chiggers. Avoid grassy areas where chiggers like to hide. Always carry water. Use sunscreen.
And…. Take time to look for new flowers and ferns…….
See you on the trail! |
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BACKPACKING/CAMPING NEWS Backpacking/Camping Chair Kevin Drevik Kdrevik@aol.com
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Kevin is taking this month off.
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We have a couple of great events happening in May and all of our members are invited to attend. First on May 20th, the Annual Ride of Silence will be taking place in Marlton, hosted by our friends and fellow bike riders from Team Evesham. See below for the information on this important ride to promote safety and publicize the rights of bike riders to use all public roads. Please consider joining the ride that evening. The more riders who participate, the better our chances are of spreading the word to motorists to be mindful of bike riders and to respect the rights of all of us to use our public roadways. |
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The second event will feature our annual Memorial Day All Paces Rides with our friends from Team Evesham, TNT Cycling and Cynergy Cycling. We will once again be starting on Monday, May 25th (Memorial Day) at 8:15am from Laurel Acres Park in Mount Laurel. Rides will be available at all levels, A, B, C+, C and D. Keep an eye on Meetup for further information where you will be able to sign up for the ride and sign the online waiver. This event is always a lot of fun and gives us a chance to meet and ride with fellow bike riders from different clubs. I hope to see a large turnout again this year as we have done in the past. |
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Barbara is taking this month off. |
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KAYAKING/CANOEING NEWS
Kayaking/Canoeing Chair
Frank Pearce
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Paddle season in the Pinelands can be delayed for various reasons.
Cold weather is always an issue, more recently, the lack of rain has been keeping stream levels low.
Added this year was a brief snowstorm that brought down an unusual number of trees.
As mentioned by Trail Maintenance in last month’s Newsletter, over two hundred trees had fallen on hiking trails at Double Trouble State Park. Cedar Creek runs through the park and was not spared.
Crews from various groups are working to make the streams safe to paddle.
In addition to all these delays caused by nature, there are human issues.
Because of an incident at the Dam for Lake Oswego, the use of the portage is not allowed. Paddling on the Oswego will be limited to up and back until the issues are resolved.
Hopefully by the time you read this, we will all be out paddling. |
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Finally, spring! After that long, cold and icy winter, it’s time for paddlers to get out their kayaks and canoes and get out on the water.
OCSJ paddling leader Joe Logan spent most of his life in service to his country. Now, he’s busy in service to the club, leading canoe and kayak trips.
After retiring from the Army (he was a paratrooper, jumping into Vietnam), Joe continued his enthusiasm for risky physical challenges for many years. Then a tragedy: his wife of more than four decades died.
Luckily, Joe met a woman who shared his love of the outdoors and paddling, so much so that they got married on the water. If you’re curious about how to have a wedding on water, OCSJ paddle chair Frank Pearce made a video of the event.
“It is out there on You Tube: Joe and Judy's wedding,” Joe said. “The bridal party paddled down to the dam where we met the group that my son had guided from Double Trouble State Park. Skip Arey, a former Army chaplain, did the service.”
Here’s Joe’s story: Q. Tell us about yourself.
JOE: I was born in New York City, grew up on Long Island and joined the Army right out of high school. After retiring from the Army, I then worked for the Army as a civilian. I retired in April 2005 and in July of 2005 my wife of 44 years had a heart attack and died. So, what do you do? You join the Outdoor Club.
I first learned to canoe in the Boy Scouts, and I started with a 78-pound Grumman, then a 58-pound Old Town. Now we have a 36-pound Swift. So as my age went up, the weight of the canoe we use went down. The "We" is my wife, Judy Champion. Once you get a good bow partner the thing to do is marry her. And we did on Cedar Creek in 2015.
Q. What benefits do you feel you’ve gained by belonging to OCSJ?
JOE: One of the benefits of being in the Outdoor Club is learning where to paddle and sharing the enjoyment with like-minded people. When I joined the club in 2006, I tried to assist with the shuttle and being the sweep and to learn the locations. Then in 2007 I started leading trips on the Toms River. I picked the Toms because no one else was running trips there. I had been in the Toms River Races, so I know the stream. So far over the years I have run 135 trips on the Toms. By now it is getting too hard to be jumping up and down. The Toms, if you have not run it, is very swift and turning. On a good number of trips, I ended up in the water. Q. Do you paddle year around?
JOE: We don't paddle all year round. For the most part it is April to October, safety being the reason that restricts winter activities. Q. Do you limit the number of participants on the paddling trips you lead?
JOE: When I list my trips, the limit is 15. But, in practice, I don't limit the number. I just deal with it. I do that because another trip leader used the term "Trip Full" to block people they did not like from attending. On one trip I had 45 sign up. We split into three groups and I assigned group leaders. Q. What kind of equipment do you recommend for a successful paddle?
JOE: On safety issues: it is your PFD that is very important. One that fits and that you can be comfortable in for long hours. In the paddling sport, a kayak is what most people have, but like golf where you don't use just one club, you need a short kayak for most Pines streams and a long one for open water. In my comments I never talked about kayaks. We have them but use a canoe 95 percent of the time. My advice on buying a kayak is to rent one first to find out if you like it before spending the money. Then, it depends on how much you want to spend: REI and L.L. Bean for high end or Dicks and Tractor Supply for low end. That is only the start. You then need a PFD, dry bag, water shoes and so on. Q. Do you take active vacations?
JOE: For vacations we like going to the Adirondacks and with the canoe there are lots of paddling locations. Besides being a member of the Outdoor Club, we also belong to the Adirondack Mountain Club where every summer we spend time at Paul Smith College leading canoe and kayak trips.
Q. Any places on your bucket list?
JOE: I am working on the reverse bucket list. Those are things I am not doing again, i.e. parachuting, mountain climbing and horse back riding. One of the things we have enjoyed in the past was wilderness canoe camping: load everything into the canoe and take off. We have been to the Boundary Waters twice, Algonquin Park in Canada twice and the Buffalo River in Arkansas. When we travel we have taken the canoe to a wedding, high school graduation, reunions and one funeral. Also took the canoe when we visited Yellow Stone. It's a big country with lots of places to paddle.
Q. What’s something about yourself that might surprise others to know?
JOE: Something that might surprise others is I like to pick up trash. We live next door to Brendan Byrne State Forest, and we troll the roads picking up beer cans. Miller Lite seems to be the favorite. We also clean the area where the club holds the annual picnic. I guess it is something I learned in the Army. |
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Joanne is taking this month off. |
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Our volunteer leaders spend a lot of time thinking of new places to go and finding interesting things for our members to do. As you know, these events are all easily found on our Meetup event calendars.
There are two ways to search for scheduled activities. After clicking on the “events” icon, you have a choice of two views; each has their own tab. There is the default “list” view, which lets you leisurely scroll down to see what’s coming up. Then there is the “calendar” view, which lets you check for something to do on a specific day. In calendar view, clicking on a date shows what is scheduled that day. You may have to expand the day’s list to see every event.
No matter which way you choose to search, you are sure to find great places to go and an experienced leader to get you there. |
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OFFICIAL OCSJ LOGO TSHIRTS |
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The Outdoor Club of South Jersey is happy to announce the availability of club T-Shirts through Print Shop Shirts. Ordering will be ongoing, submitted regularly when there is a quantity sufficient to place the order.
We have 13 different styles to choose from ranging from simple ring spun cotton shirts, moisture management/antimicrobial performance fabric, to moisture wicking to UPF sun protection. Short sleeve and long sleeve with many different colors to choose from. Choose from full back printing only, or front left breast printing only, or both front & back printing.
The ordering process from Print Shop Shirts is simple:
Go to OCSJ Store |
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If you know of an OCSJ member who would benefit from receiving a card of congratulations for a milestone birthday, life event or a note of condolence, contact the Corresponding Secretary and a card will be sent on behalf of the club. |
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Want to submit a "Shout Out"? Have you experienced a leader on an event that exceeded your expectations? Has a particular person gone above and beyond in their capacity as a leader or a participating member of OCSJ and you want to let everyone know? Email the Corresponding Secretary about your experience and it will be published in our next Newsletter. |
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A new year means setting new goals. How about hiking 1,000 miles?
The Grand Mile Club (GMC) is for members who love a challenge! The rules are simple, but it takes grit and determination to finish. Each outing, be it walking, running, hiking, or treadmill, must be a minimum of 2 miles. To reach the lofty 1,000 miles in a year, you will need to be logging 84 miles per month. There is a little more to it, so if you are interested in joining the elite GMC, contact Jenny Buffington at jbuffington924@gmail.com for more details. Registration closes at the end of January. I'm looking forward to hearing from you! 500/750 Club
If you are not quite up to 1,000 miles, then consider aiming for 500/750 miles. The rules are the same as the 1,000 club, except there is a minimum of 1 mile per outing. At the end of each month, I'll email a reminder to send in your miles and then update and send you a spreadsheet showing each member’s total to date. If interested in joining, contact Ann Palaitis at palaitis@verizon.net for more details.
Paddling
The OCSJ Canoe/Kayak Mileage Club is for paddlers who like to set personal goals. Any canoe/kayak trip counts with any group or individual. For details go to Paddling Mileage Club. Contact Frank Pearce, Paddle Chair, at hornet71@verizon.net for more details. |
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"THE OCSJ MARKET PLACE" the place to BUY-SELL-GIVE-BORROW |
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The OCSJ Market Place
Rules for posting items for sale INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: - Description of item for sale (Outdoor related)
- Asking price
- 1 or 2 pictures of items
- Contact information: seller's name, phone# and/or email
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Your club is made up entirely of volunteers. You will get more out of it, if you put more into it! There are many opportunities to help behind the scenes and on activities. Ask your leader about it on your next event. Let them know if you have any time or talents you would like to share with the club.
Board of Trustees - The OCSJ Board meets on the 2nd Thursday of each month at 7 pm. This month's meeting is May 14th. Currently, our meetings are on ZOOM. To attend the meetings, contact the OCSJ President Barbara Berman, at president@ocsj.org.
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Outdoor Club of South Jersey (OCSJ) Membership Information
There are several convenient ways to join or renew your OCSJ membership:
Online
- Visit ocsj.org or download the Wild Apricot mobile app.
- Click the “Join OCSJ Here” button and follow the on-screen instructions.
By Mail
- Mail a check payable to Outdoor Club of South Jersey to:
Outdoor Club of South Jersey
PO Box 74
Oceanville, NJ 08231
Membership Levels
- Family Membership – $25.00
One-year subscription; no automatic renewal
- Family Membership (Auto-Renewal) – $25.00
One-year subscription; automatic annual renewal
- Single Membership – $20.00
One-year subscription; no automatic renewal
- Single Membership (Auto-Renewal) – $20.00
One-year subscription; automatic annual renewal
For membership-related questions, please contact us at membership@ocsj.org.
Renewal Information
OCSJ memberships are valid for one year. Renewal reminders will be sent to the email address on file 30 days prior, 15 days prior, and on your renewal date.
If your membership is not renewed by your anniversary date, Wild Apricot, our membership management system, will automatically lapse and archive your account, and you will be removed from the club’s Meetup pages shortly thereafter.
To ensure uninterrupted access to club activities, please renew promptly. We also recommend checking your spam or junk folders, as renewal notices may occasionally be filtered there.
If you need to update your account information—especially your email address—please log in to your Wild Apricot account to make the necessary changes. You may also email updates or questions to membership@ocsj.org.
Renewal by Check
- Make checks payable to Outdoor Club of South Jersey
- Mail to:
OCSJ Membership Secretary
PO Box 74
Oceanville, NJ 08231
Please note that mailed checks may take up to two weeks to be received and deposited. Online renewals are processed much faster.
Thank you for renewing your membership promptly and for being part of our vibrant community of outdoor enthusiasts.
Rosemarie (Ro) Mason
Membership Secretary
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CALLING ALL CLUB MEMBERS!!
Do you have a favorite place that you have hiked, but maybe it isn’t in New Jersey? Or maybe you have taken a bike ride holiday at some distant locale that you were in awe of because of its beauty or serenity. Perhaps an amazing kayaking adventure, backpack trip or cross country skiing trip is something you have been lucky enough to partake in. If so, the Club newsletter is looking for short articles from our members to share their experiences with our readers.
If you would like to share some of your experiences, just send a short article to our newsletter editor, Markie Kaczorowski by email to newsletter@ocsj.org, preferably no more than 250 words explaining the “what, where, and when” the trip took place and what made it special. You can also send me any interesting photos from events in the area. Thank you Faye for your article this month. |
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I "borrowed" this from Jenny Buffington's March GMC reminder email. It pretty much describes me hiking. |
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