One of the most unique places in the United States is Assateague Island. Located in both Maryland & Virginia the barrier island is home to hundreds of feral horses. It all began in January 2017 when in a conversation with Joe Hosler about doing a Kayak Fishing Excursion there. Not knowing the area it was tough to pick a date but we picked what worked out best for the two of us. I then figured it would be nice to extend it to fellow kayak anglers. A post on facebook and an enormous amount of interest followed. The date was set for June 9 – 12 as still in the spring the hope was for a less buggy experience.

Assateague is said to have the second highest mosquito populations just under the Everglades in Florida. Insect repellent with deet is highly recommended. The camp is set up for tenting camper or RV but has no hookups. It’s amenities include an out house with cold showers but its a  great trade off for the outdoor beauty the park provides.

Assateague Island National Seashore Park Kayak Fishing Camp

This was the first run while personally never visiting the park had no idea what to expect. For this reason the car camping was our best bet. There are many factors while wilderness camping that can make it a good trip or a tough one weather conditions being a main one. Rain can be one of the worst. Even in the summer things will not dry in humid places making the adventure cold and risky. “Backcountry Camping” at Assateague the closest camp in Maryland varies from 2 1/2 to 13 miles away from the ranger station.  No fresh water is available at the back-country sites so paddling in water would be a must.

Car camping as opposed to wilderness camping is much easier while weather is still a factor it can be overcome easily. The amount of gear you have with you is not limited to what you can take in your kayak. So for those reasons car camping was the way to go on the first run at Assateague. Campsite reservations fill up quickly at the park so planning out dates happened well in advance. I booked 2 sites in January which can hold up to 6 campers 2 tents and 2 cars.

Friday:

Assateague Island National Park is located in Maryland about an hour south of my home. Ricky took the drive from Philly and crashed at my place the night before. I was waiting on a special delivery from Torqeedo of a Sunshade 50 solar panel for charging the Torqeedo battery. It was amazing as it arrived at the moment we are hitting the road!

The Road to Camp:

Fortunately the camp is only an hour from my house so we were there in no time. We stopped at Buckys bait and tackle shop for bait and also got a flounder sandwich for lunch.  Ed and Noriel were already there and set up by the time Ricky and I arrived. Dee and Kelly were also already there so we set up our camp. We needed firewood as the park states you cannot bring firewood from out of state.

Its pretty neat as the Assateague road in there are about 20 different places that sell firewood both honor boxes and salesman. After loading up on wood we and then hit the water. In search of flounder and set up with crapping handlines we fished and crabbed until the evening. Suddenly Ricky had a fish on. It was a small striper. Who knew. Some time went by and I started catching them on the buck tail and gulp.

One after another 14 in all which was followed by an amazing sunset.

Right after the sun past the horizon horses crossed the water from sod banks which they were grazing on the salty grass during the day. The full moon raised above the trees at that exact time.

We did a bit of grilling back at camp. Some sausages that Noriel brought. It was late due to the long days and no one really felt like cooking. We then all went and crashed out only to be awoken at 2:30 am by other campers setting up and being very inconsiderate. Ricky said something to them and they didn’t care. We figured in the morning since they packed up quite early that they were not supposed to be camping there to begin with.

Saturday:

Waking up around 5:30 to await Jeff Little’s arrival and to cook up some breakfast.  The mosquitoes that were caught between the screen dome and the rain fly of my tent were still trying to eat me alive. The dash to unzip the door and run to the concrete or become breakfast to the blood suckers. Well I made it. The other guys were just getting up also. I started cooking bacon and eggs for everyone. Jeff arrived and ate with us. We filmed a short video on the Torqeedo Sunfold 50 Solar Charging Panel.

Convoyed up we drove off the island to South Point which lies on the west side of Sinepuxent Bay. Launching at a boat ramp we learned the water was colder than that closer to the island. It was funny because it probrably took us about 20 minutes to drive to the boat ramp while it was only 1.8 miles from the Assateague Island Drop in.  Water was deeper in this are a reason we went there but couldn’t find a fish the whole day. Resorted to crabbing and caught mainly females which is illegal to keep for dinner in Maryland.

Jeff was able to get in a bunch of footage for the Torqeedo video. I covered how to use the Torqeedo motor while flounder fishing. Making new drifts wind tide etc. It does save from a lot of paddling throughout the day. Then went onto hand lining from a kayak for crabs. Technique bait, and how to anchor. All great information which I will post up on my blog when I get around to it! Everyone ended up giving up around 2 PM and headed back to camp for dinner. Becky, Ricky’s wife had prepared  chicken and veggies for grilling! Good thing I brought the Camp Chef cook op and grill top.

We did manage to get out again in the evening for the bass again. Wasn’t as productive as the evening prior but did catch a few.

Sunday:

The attempt to sleep in was impossible due to the fact the sun was beating on my tent. The heat was becoming intense. Ricky was leaving soon and so were Kelly and Dee. Jay Sav had to leave Saturday unfortunately due to a family emergency. Ed Noriel and myself decided to fish where we did the evening before and try some crabbing there also.  Crabbing was very slow and almost uneventful. Only a strange thing happened. I had a small bunker on one of my crab stringers. Suddenly it was pulled really hard and the bait was gone. What could have that been…

Couldnt say anything for the fishing. Didn’t even have a hit but next time i will throw a bunker on and let it sit on the bottom. We all were bored and decided to head back to camp around 1 PM. I was able to set up the Torqeedo Sunfold 50 to get a gauge on how much battery it would charge in a certain time. Realistically its 50 watts of charging so it will charge a full battery over the time of 2 full days of sunlight.

We had leftover chicken sandwiches for lunch and I cooked the steak for dinner. We were all sort of beat and didn’t go out fishing on the last evening. A heard of horses came through camp in the late afternoon.  They just walked through feeding on the tall grass not minding ours or other campers presence. Then they rummaged through a neighboring campers trash. Its bad to leave trash or food out at the camp. Horses are not built to consume human or other animals food. They eat grass.

I went down to the beach for a clear sunset. We had our last campfire and the wind in that campsite again saved us from the mosquitoes.

Monday:

Well it was an early wake up again. This time to pack up and head home. This was a very enjoyable few days of doing what we love best. Camping, Fishing, and hanging out with good friends. This will most likely become an annual trip for us. All are welcome to join. Please do! Hope to see you all next year.

Many people have gone wilderness camping & fishing for a weekend with whatever supplies they could pack on their kayak. This was my first adventure Wilderness Camping a weekend from the Kayak and man was it a great time!

Preparing to have a good time and eat well at the same time. The venue is Round Valley Reservoir State Park in New Jersey. This place is a unique clear lake where you can see the bottom at about 30 feet of depth. The reservoir also reaches depths of 160 feet in the center. IT is known as the Bermuda Triangle of New Jersey as people have disappeared on the reservoir and many have drowned.

The wilderness camping at the State Park is either a 6.5 mile hike to the camp sites or a 1.5 – 3 mile paddle. As a kayak angler the choice of sticking to the paddle is the only option. The campgrounds are completely primitive with only hand pump well water and latrines. A majority of the sites are right on the water which makes it a must camp at this location!! Its a good idea to reserve online early as once the weather outlook looks good the water sites fill up fast. You are allowed 6 people per camp site reservation. The cost is only $17 per night or $119 per week plus administration fees and taxes of course.

Joining two good friends from the kayak fishing scene and including the company of 3 other friends that are not avid kayakers this trip was going to be exiting. We all love camping and being in the outdoors. The only thing we were missing on this trip was ample beer to enjoy but it is wilderness. It is hard to bring the normal gear you would use in car camping although I wasn’t too worried as the Jackson Kayaks have a ton of storage space. My friends were to paddle the Jackson Kraken and Cuda 14 and the other gal has her own kayak that she was taking on her maiden voyage but meeting up with us on Saturday. I was to take over the Jackson Big Rig!

We met up Friday August 28th at the camping parking lot within the State Park. There were many other people whom were setting out for the same voyage to enjoy a few nights in the wilderness. Dennis and I unloaded the kayaks and gear. We loaded up the 3 boats consisting of a Jackson Big Rig, Cuda 14, and Karaken. Al arrived soon after we did and unloaded his sailing kayak, canoe, gear, and kids. The canoe was the key here enabling us to bring more gear across the reservoir including the 65 quart Orion cooler which unfortunately will not fit well in the tank well of a kayak but was needed to keep our food cold and ice over the weekend.  I rigged up a tow line on the Big Rig and utilizing the power of the Torqeedo Ultralight 403 planned to tow the canoe across the almost 3 miles to our reserved campsites.

My list of gear that all fit into kayaks besides a crate of cooking and cleaning utensils and the Orion Cooler which were stowed on the canoe:

1. Jackson Big Rig, Jackson Kraken, Jackson Cuda 14
2. (2) Tents
3. (3) Sleeping Bags
4. (2) Queen Air Mattress
5. Ax & Hatchet
6. Propane Lantern, Head Light
7. Orion Cooler w/ food, ice, and water
8. Jet Boil
9. Coffee w/ French Press
10. Dutch Oven and Skillet
11. Plates & Utensils
12. Fishing tackle rods and gear
13. Clothing backpacks for 3 people
14. Bug Spray, Sun Screen
15. DSLR Camera & GoPro’s

The 3 kayaks really stow a ton of gear with still being incredibly paddle able and not too heavy where they list or are unstable. We were able to take advantage of the vast amount of inner hull access and storage space inside they kayaks along with the bungee to tie down packs of gear in the tank wells. Out of all of that gear forgetting the Jet Boil and Trash bags. No worries Al brought his entire house with him packed on the Canoe! He had a stove with pots to boil clean water for coffee! He even had a bag toilet!

I had rigged up the Big Rig with a Rope and pulley for towing the canoe the 3.5 miles to the camp site. Al added a float to keep the rope floating and not interfere with the propeller of the Torqeedo. Ready and setup Dennis’s Wife Danielle was soon to arrive to join us. Once she arrived we made the paddle across the reservoir to the campsite. It is easily a 40 – 45 min paddle across.  Al went ahead full sail to locate our campsites then radioed to me on the VHF once he located the correct campsites.

We were site 69 and Al and Matt were site 66. Both were water sites located next to each other by about 50 yards. We unloaded all of our gear by this time Matt’s call that he was en-route to the park. I was to motor back across the reservoir to the launch area with the canoe to load it up with firewood he was bringing for the weekend. Good thing he had fire wood as it was scarce looking around the area. By the rules of the park we are not to cut down anything that had not fallen or was alive. Late in the summer anything that was downed int he winter had been burned by other campers.  The trek across and back motoring about 3 miles an hour not to use too much battery life on the Torqeedo took well over 2 hours including loading up the firewood.

The sun went down when we were half way across back to camp as the full moon was rising. A magnificent sight! Before long made it to shore at camp and unloaded the fire wood. Snapped a few photos of the Big Rig at dusk’s light. Dennis and Danielle had set up my brand new tent which was awesome! Unpacking and pitching a brand new tent in the dark was not my idea of fun! Thanks to Dennis and Danielle  camp was completely set up and now time for dinner! Bratwurst was on the menu for the first night. Found a stick to cook a bratwurst on that turned out to be a complete fail with the fire consuming it. A grilling grate was there which we cooked the remaining 5 sausages and enjoyed dinner along with a beverage. Relishing the fire under the bright full moon light spending time with friends was what it was all about. The night was cool but not cold. Perfect sleeping weather!

Saturday morning came pretty quick the air mattress was key in avoiding the rock laden forest floor. Made a comfortable sleep in the cool 60’s. Arising around 7:30 am it was time to cook up some bacon and eggs and get ready for a day of lounging paddling and swimming. Built a fire for the sole purpose of cooking. A camp hatchet is a necessity for making kindling from the split logs we brought over the evening before. The fire was hot and the bacon was soon sizzling in the cast iron skillet with eggs to follow. Once we finished breakfast and the coffee making hassle due to me forgetting the jet boil for hot water we took a walk to get water for cleaning and filled a shower bag. We then hung out and eventually took a swim in the lake. It was around 80 degrees. Very warm. Dennis and Danielle tried out Matt’s Stand Up Paddle Boards for a while. Paddling around taking a few photos of them having fun balancing and paddling.

Everyone was getting hungry for lunch so we walked back up to the campsite and ate brats. As we finished up lunch and walked back down to the waterfront, Aliz our 4th companion for a night arrived via kayak late afternoon. She ended up paddling around the entire shore line which is about 6 miles of paddling. Luckily she is a marathon runner who is always training because that’s a long paddle for a novice in a 9 foot sit in kayak. I gave her props for going that far. She joined us paddling and paddle boarding. Then went on a hike with Danielle to find a trail they hiked in the past. While they were gone Dennis and I prepared dinner. It was dutch oven cooking time! We had about 5 pounds of chicken thighs which i had planned to cook in the oven over the fire for a few hours until the meat was just about falling off the bone. I did forge key seasonings but the organic chicken broth I managed to pack made up for most of the missing seasonings along with the natural flavors of the onions mushrooms celery and carrots we added. About 2 hours after simmering over the fires flames we took the chicken out and added 2 cups of rice which actually turned out perfect as it soaked up and cooked in all of the juices. The rice came out perfect and did not burn.

Wish a photo was captured of the food but right at dinner time the sun was about to set. So we all went to the rocky waterfront and enjoyed the food while watching the sunset. I brought my camera down and took a few shots of an amazing sundown. Should have brought my tripod to get into a photo or two. It was a big red sunset over the water! After dinner we enjoyed some great company around the fire at site 66 with Matt Al and their kids. They popped popcorn roasted marshmallows. Good times just sitting around a campfire!

Sunday morning unfortunately was time to pack up and go. Aliz had left at 7:30 am to paddle back and go straight to work at REI. Dennis and I arose soon after and we cooked up the rest of the bacon and eggs along with potatoes we cooked in the fire the night before. Al and Matt were leaving early also so we loaded the Orion Cooler in the canoe and Al sailed it back to the launch with his kayak. I missed Matt and his kids leave. We packed our gear back into and on the kayaks and we all paddled back. I didn’t use the Torqeedo on the way back because i wanted to capture the whole experience by paddling home!

Didn’t really get to fish much due to the enjoyment of hanging out and taking it easy plus the other guys didn’t even bring a fishing rod. In all it was a Great Weekend! I would recommend wilderness camping to anyone who can disconnect from their phone or ipad for a weekend. Enjoy what nature provides and the quietness of the wilderness for some relaxation and peace.  I look forward to doing this again soon possibly in a different venue. Possibly a river setting.