#45 4022 52-Hike Challenge: Sandy Hook National Park/National Recreation Area / 8 mi.
A long drive to the Jersey Shore led us to the furthest northern point of the Mid-Atlantic Coast. Defined largely as a chain of barrier islands, the longest chain in the world, from Sandy Hook, NJ, to southern most islands of the Outer Banks, NC, I have long wanted to explore the extent of Mid-Atlantic shore from tip to tip as a walking project to inspire some writing. But (and there's always a but...), I cannot tolerate the shore in summer months so I've made this a winter project. No biting insects, fewer human crowds, and a more intimate experience with the coastal environment.
 |
| MUP southern terminus with a NYC skyline view |
This being Amos' first time to the ocean, he wasn't very impressed with the surf but loved the sand. We largely kept to the Multi-Use Path (MUP) and walked straight up the long skinny island to its terminus at the Fort Hancock artillery base (also a part of the NRA) and looped back on the MUP with some sandy inner dune trails added for an 8-mile circuit hike. With the wind and cold there were no bicyclists on the paved trail and very few walkers anywhere. We basically had the place to ourselves! Yay, winter!
We started our trek from South Beach (C Lot) and walked through an extensive maritime forest dense with mature American Holly trees, some of them quite old, but it was so cold that I didn't stop to measure. We passed an old decommissioned Cold War missile site and looked at some real Nike missiles on display. The barrier islands have always served as a defense against both storms and human-made threats. They guard New York Harbor, the mouth of the Delaware, and the Chesapeake. Barrier islands rim the entrances to the great Eastern coastal rivers and protect the mainlands and marshes further inshore. From New Jersey to Virginia they contain military bases, Coast Guard stations and life saving posts, all with their relic coastal defenses from past wars.
 |
| Battery Potter |
The MUP heading north joined the park road system on the Hancock base and we passed all manner of coastal defense structures. This area still shows signs of Superstorm Sandy (2012) and in some places flood debris still littered dark recesses and abandoned spaces. The entire multi-site Gateway National Park was closed for over 6 months as over 1000 NPS and emergency contractors worked day and night to reclaim the ravaged islands. Historic buildings took on major damage, but nothing like what was experienced in nearby coastal towns north and south of here. It was a sobering bit of ground to cover.
 |
| Mortar Battery |
We explored an interior pit of the large mortar battery and found high water marks from the 2012 storm. We wandered around the old proving grounds and played hide and seek around the concrete blast walls where salt water had scoured foundations. Hurricane Sandy pushed a record fifteen feet of water over the peninsula. The storm surge took out entire dune systems and buried roads under six feet of sand. But the island survived and over the years has been restored with the help of 1,700 volunteers who helped rebuild and replant dunes with native grasses, rebuilt trail systems, and removed over 80 tons of debris from the maritime forests.
 |
| Sandy Hook Lighthouse |
We explored as far as we could go towards the New York Harbor and watched huge tanker and container ships plow their way into a strong northerly headwind. Coming back through the military base we stopped at the Sandy Hook Lighthouse, the oldest continuously operating light in the nation (since 1764) and talked to two very nice rangers there. While the light keepers house did suffer damage, they told me, the light itself never failed and stood resolutely through the entire storm. Hearing first hand witness stories made me appreciate even more the resiliency of barrier islands.
 |
| Officer's Club |
 |
| Storm debris |
Watching the harsh cold wind whip across parking lots and roads it was amazing to see how blowing sands quickly piled up against my boots when I stood too long. Drifts of sand swept off curbs into streets and around the corners of buildings. In a constantly shifting landscape, even the sandy trails on the way back to the truck seemed ready to change the entire direction of the path under my feet.
 |
| Sandy Hook Fire and EMS (!) |
 |
| Osprey nest on a storm damaged home |
 |
| Officers housing |
 |
| Multi-Use Trail (MUT) heading south |
We said goodbye to our new ranger friends and began our trek south on the MUP but now spending much time admiring (and braving) the rough Sandy Hook Bay. Beyond the bay towards the mainland rose the Highlands, a bold rise of headlands. We walked past the remains of old hooks now miles from the terminus of the island today, where small woodlands grow and sand spits connect sheltered coves and marshes to the back dunes. One prominent spit holds the remains of Battery Arrowsmith and of course we had to check that out, too.
 |
| Sandy Hook Bay BBRRR! |
 |
| Sand path in the back dune |
 |
| Battery Arrowsmith on Sandy Hook Bay |
 |
| Sandspit connecting an old hook to the backdunes through mudflats |
It was almost sunset as we crossed the main road from a sand trail to where the truck (and its promise of snacks and water) was parked. I took Amos one more time out to the ocean beach where a young family asked permission to come meet him. He loved the attention but did not like getting his toes wet when a surge of foamy water invaded their play. Nope, ocean!
As we walked back to the treat wagon (truck) through the renovated main dunes, I could see the buried tops of trees that once stood in this area as maritime forest. Replanted sea oats and grasses anchored the main dune and we struggled to climb over a large mound of sand piled at the entrance to the access path to keep winter washouts from occurring. I really wanted to check out the Lifesaving Station but Amos p-u-l-l-e-d me back to the truck so he could put up his sandy feet and dive into his bag of jerky treats. Guess I'll have to do that another time!
 |
| A young family comes to visit Amos |
Notes:
Sandy Hook in one unit of the large
Gateway National Recreation Area complex that includes former military installations, wild marshes, and barrier islands, all of which served to protect New York Harbor from natural and wartime threats.
No comments:
Post a Comment