Paddling Pompton Lake

Saturday we went up to Pompton Lake. This is the first time we have paddled there as a group. There is a beautiful public launch right at the end of the street where Colin and Pam Barrett live. Colin and Pam joined us for this paddle.

Its a beautiful paddle north through the lake and then into the channel of the end of the Ramapo River. Basically the Ramapo River ends in Pompton Lake and below the Pompton Lake Dam/Falls the Pompton River begins. This falls now has flood control gates installed and operated by the Army Corp of Engineers. They are now able to release water from the lake that prevents flooding along the Ramapo River but creates flooding downstream, including in Paterson. When we encroach on the rivers flood plain the water still needs someplace to go. 

A Swan family.

 When we got to the small lake below a 1 ft. Dam on the Ramapo river the boys enjoyed a swim on a very hot day. We then portaged over the Dam and paddled up the lower Ramapo River almost up to the old Skyline Drive Bridge.  As we can to a riffle below a railroad bridge we tried to paddle upstream through the rapids. Its amazing once you have momentum and with fast paddling what you can go through. But this riffle was still a little to fast but everyone had fun trying

Colin and Eric trying to get through the rapids

As we turned around we paused for a time of thanksgiving for the gifts of God we had experienced on the water. We stopped to pray and give God glory for the beauty of His creation for us to take care of and enjoy.