The Location: Conaskonk Point, literally translated as "place of tall grass", just off of Union Beach is a favorite among Birders for the diverse species of bay & estuary birds that can be sighted here. Besides the common Pipers, Terns & Gulls you'll see Egrets, Herons, Plovers, Skimmers, Oystercatchers and Osprey. Keep an eye out for turtles & fiddler crabs watching you from the banks or with their heads just out of the water. Most importantly, keep an eye on the tide...
The Cache: You'll be paddling just a quarter mile into the tidal marsh.This will be tough during low-tides. Not enough water, you see. Of course, if you are approaching by land that's just what you'll be hoping to find! Once at GZ (and really, this cache is about the journey not the destination) a successful hunt will net you a small (hopefully) waterproof container containing the log-book and a few trinkets. Sign in then enjoy the sights and sounds. I startled a Snowy Egret as on the way in. Near GZ, I strayed too close to a (nesting?) pair of plovers that proceeded to pipe, swoop & menace me for the next 10 minutes until I paddled out of sight. On the way back I let the current carry me and turtles and fish were popping up around the boat. If you enjoy nature (and can accept that smelly mud is a part of it) this is a great spot to find it!
What might have been: Developers had big plans for Conaskonk Point in the 20th century. At various times it nearly had a light house, a bridge to Staten Island (rejected by the Port Authority), an airfield big enough to rival Newark (Union beach wouldn't sell to the Aeromarine company), and a nuclear power plant (plans ultimately rejected by JCP&L). Keep this in mind as you enjoy the marsh!
Local photo-artist Bob Devlin has taken a fantastic series of avian shots on Conaskonk. They helped me identify the birds I saw when I placed the cache.
This cache is certified Central Jersey!
