Paddling the Hackensack Meadowleands

Today I hosted Mrs. Alisa Englehard and one of her classes at Eastern Christian High School for a paddle on the Hackensack River & Meadowlands. The students are studying earlier settlers in the New York Metro area and why they settled around the rivers. We put in at the River Barge Park "Paddling Center" of the NJ Meadowlands Commission. This is named after a former river barge restaurant that was here.  I began with a small devotion from Psalm 46:4 "There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, God is in the midst of her."  All of our cities are here because of the rivers that God created for food, water, transportation and all of the wildlife they support.

 Since it had been a full moon the tides were higher than usual with high tide at about 6 1/2 feet when we put in.  We paddled north and then across the river to Mill Creek Point Park.

 Everyone did great paddling and the river was exceptionally calm.

 The marshes around Mill Creek Point are beautiful and full of bird and fish life. We saw snowy egrets, ospreys, double crested cormorants, and lots of little "killies" (small fish). Enjoy the pictures of our day.

See the Freedom Tower in the background

This is amazing paddling in an Urban Wilderness with the Empire State Building in the background

 After paddling awhile we had lunch at Mill Creek Point Park and then enjoyed a leisurely paddle
back across the river. Mrs. E. was teaching lessons all the way. What a great classroom God's creation is.