This Month I shall stray from an "original" story and tell you about the Mighty Delaware and one of her secrets. I have lived on this River for 40 yrs and now a mystery unfolds. I knew that Herring and Shad came up river to spawn but what I learned I did want to share.
There was a time when large ocean vessels came up River from the Philadelphia port with loads of materials needed at the Fairless Steel Mill..watching them was awesome as the kids today say. those hugh ocean going vessels took up the entire river from New Jersey to Penna. or so it seemed. The Burlington Bristol Bridge would raise and the ship would come up. Amazing.( More on that bridge later)
The headwaters of the Delaware begin in New York State ,comes through Pennsylvania and New Jersey and then become the Mighty Delaware Bay , which empties into the Atlantic Ocean. Along this river you find villages, towns and cities, shipping, boat building the city of Philadelphia, and every now and then a cruise ship dock's , amazing. The old Navy Yard is now a ship building area for an over seas firm. But I am drifting from my story so lets go to New York and start there.
As a part of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River stretches 73.4 miles (118.3 km) along the New York-Pennsylvania border. The longest free-flowing river in the Northeast, it includes riffles and Class I and II rapids between placid pools and eddies.
Public fishing and boating accesses are provided, although most land along the river is privately owned. Wintering bald eagles are among the wildlife that may be seen here. This unit of the National Park Service is also home to John Roebling's Delaware Aqueduct and In its 330 miles, the Delaware River runs through six distinct geologic regions; some of its tributaries run through as many as four. For Riverkeeper's purposes we divide the Delaware watershed into three regions -- the Uplands, Piedmont and Estuary
The main stem of the Delaware, 331 miles from Hancock, NY, to its mouth at Cape May Point, NJ, is the longest free-flowing river in Eastern United States. Although it drains only 1% of the nation's land mass (13,000 sq. miles), the river supplies water to 10% of the American population: 700 million gallons of water every day for over 20 million people. While the human population in the river basin is larger than that of 40 states, the Delaware supports an astounding array of wildlife and supports the largest winter populations of bald and golden eagles in the East. Floating on this river is lots of fun.
Herring are an ocean fish that migrate up the Delaware in early May to spawn. I'm not really sure how far up the Delaware they migrate but I believe it is around Easton Pa. They are fun to catch and the only thing you need is some small shiny spinners or hooks. Similar to the way you fish for Shad but on a smaller scale. Prehaps the best think about herring is the Strippers follow them up the river and feed off them.
Herring, common name for several fishes characterized by a single short dorsal fin in the middle of the upper margin of the body and by an anal fin similarly located below. The head is scaleless, and the slender body is covered with thin, cycloid scales in which rings of organic material, rich in guanine, are laid down each season. By counting these rings scientists can determine the age of the fish, which may live up to 20 years..
Several Shad festivals are held along the Delaware River in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania during April and May. Visitors can enjoy smoked shad, local shad specialties and the premier shad delicacy, shad roe.
22 Acres of Bucks County Open Space Protected
Land Along Delaware River Spared From Commercial Development.
The tract, along the east branch of Hough's Creek in Upper Makefield Township between the Delaware Canal Sate Park and Washington Crossing Historic Park in a rapidly growing area northeast of Philadelphia, had been slated for shopping center development. The property, entirely within the 100-year floodplain of the Delaware River, protects wetland habitat for red-bellied turtles. It is also adjacent to the area where General George Washington made his historic crossing of the Delaware River on Christmas Eve. Ultimately the property will be transferred to the state park system..
Now in the area where Washington crossed the Delaware ( remember History Class?) their is a small village,called Lambertville,New Jersey.There you can join the shad festival and have shad treats of all kind. The only commercial fishery on the Delaware is owned and operated by a gentleman called Fred Lewis, the shad are caught by net..yes net. Shad a large herring, is one of the best freshwater fighting fish.Shad spawn in the Delaware in spring and in autumn migrate downriver to the ocean where they live most of their lives. After five years at sea during which they may travel 12,000 miles ( excuse me while I rest) they return to the river of their birth to reproduce. The only spring run of shad in 1778 may have save Washington and The Continental Army from starvation after a very harsh winter!
In the 1960's shad had vanished because of pollution. Following governmental cleanup programs the shad returned!
(Courtesy of the Bucks County Herald)
The Delaware has many more secrets it holds, it was a fishing area for Indians, On Burlington Island there was once an amusement park, then it became a summer camp area.It is said that some wild horses still run there. I live in a tidewater area and it is interesting, more things to see and do in that area than you can expect! The Delaware was also chosen by William Penn to build his beautiful home on, and he would go to Philadelphia in a boat. It is now a historic area and openend to the public.
Most of my grandchildren and children got their feet wet in that river and watched the plesure boats go flying up and down , it was a great place to go in the evenings for a breeze on a hot summers day.
The water front in Bristol Boro, has developed and is fantastic with the restaurants and monuments to different nationalities.
Ya never know what is in your back yard..gotta get out there more and when I do I shall take photos and you'll of course find another story here.