Navesink River
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The Navesink River is an estuary, approximately 8 mi (12 km) long in Monmouth County, New Jersey in the United States.
[edit] History
Known officially as the North Shrewsbury River and upstream of Red Bank as the Swimming River, it is formed southwest of Red Bank by the confluence of the Swimming River with several smaller streams. It extends ENE along the north side of Red Bank, connecting to the Shrewsbury River estuary at Rumson, approximately 1 mi (1.6 km) south of the entrance of the Shrewsbury River into Sandy Hook Bay near Highlands. Originally populated by the Lenni Lenape Indians, the area along the Navesink banks is one of the most affluent in New Jersey.
The Navesink River is bounded by the communities of Middletown, Red Bank, Fair Haven and Rumson.
The estuary is navigable (up to about 6 feet draft) up to Red Bank, where it provides marina facilities. Historically the river was important for transportation from the Navesink river communities to New York City and was serviced by side wheeler steam boats until the 1930s.
Today the river is a major recreational resource for powerboating, crabbing, fishing, sailing, ice sailing & ice skating when the river freezes in the colder winters, canoeing, kayaking, bird watching, swimming and rowing.
The river serves as an important model for water quality improvements. Extensive efforts at water quality improvements since the 1970s have resulted in major advances. Commercial clamming has made a significant come back, and present efforts at oyster bed restorations are underway.
As a tidal estuary flowing to the Shrewbury River at Sea Bright, continuing into Sandy Hook Bay and ultimately the Atlantic Ocean, the Navesink provides excellent fishing for species such as bluefish (snappers), striped bass and fluke. Crabbing is particularly popular in the upstream Swimming river section.
The Navesink River was the home to a pod of up to 15 Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins from June 2008 into the winter of that year. They are thought to have followed a school of baitfish from the Sandy Hook Bay.
New Jersey punk band The Gaslight Anthem have a song titled "The Navesink Banks" from their debut album, Sink or Swim.
Navesink River Rowing is an organization of almost 200 masters and youth scullers based in the area.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Navesink River is at coordinates 40°22′48″N 73°59′22″W / 40.379898°N 73.989401°WCoordinates: 40°22′48″N 73°59′22″W / 40.379898°N 73.989401°W
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