14 rescued from the Batsto River — I’ve paddled those waters

It was cold and rainy on Saturday when fourteen people — ten of them teenagers — needed rescuing from the Batsto River in Wharton State Forest. in Shamong, Burlington County.

The group became stranded after encountering obstructions along the river that prevented them from continuing downstream. NJ State Park Police responded with help from the New Jersey Forest Fire Service and local emergency agencies, setting up operations at the Atsion Ranger Station while crews worked through wooded terrain to reach the group. Two juveniles were evaluated for possible hypothermia. No life-threatening injuries were reported. 

Everyone got out safe. I am grateful for that. And I am grateful for every first responder who went into those woods on a cold rainy Saturday of Memorial Day weekend to bring them home.

I have paddled the Mullica River, which runs alongside the Batsto through the heart of the Pine Barrens. I hiked Batsto Village and walked along that river just a few weeks ago. I know those waters. They are gorgeous. They are peaceful on the right day. And they are absolutely capable of stopping you cold — regardless of the weather, regardless of your experience level, regardless of how many times you have done it before.

What the Batsto River is actually like

The Batsto and Mullica are classic Pine Barrens rivers — cedar-stained, tea-colored water winding through dense forest that has barely changed in a century. They run shallow in dry stretches and surprisingly fast after a good rain. The channel twists and narrows. Fallen trees drop across the water without warning. Low-hanging branches grab at you from both sides.

This is not unusual. This is just what these rivers are. Any paddler who has spent time on them knows that getting hung up on something is not a matter of if — it is a matter of when. On a warm summer day with low water, you wade through ankle-deep cedar water and push the canoe over a gravel bar and laugh about it. On a cold rainy Saturday in May with the water running higher, the same situation is a different conversation entirely.

The group on Saturday hit an obstruction they could not get past. That happens out there. The difference was the conditions — cold, wet, remote terrain, and no easy way out.

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What I carry and what I do before every paddle trip

I am not here to lecture anyone. I have been canoeing and kayaking most of my adult life and I have had my own moments out there that reminded me the river does not care about your plans. What I can share is what I have learned works.

Cell service in Wharton State Forest ranges from unreliable to nonexistent. Calling for rescue is often not an option — the Saturday group was lucky that emergency dispatch could be reached at all. Download your river map before you launch, or take a screenshot, because you will likely have no signal once you are on the water.

Tell someone your float plan before you go. Launch point, takeout point, expected time off the water. If you are not back by a certain time, someone knows to make a call.

Wear the life jacket. Not tie it to the back of the boat. Wear it. Cold water in May does not give you time to put it on after you go over.

Dress for the water temperature. The Batsto runs cold even in late spring. Cotton holds water and pulls heat out of you fast. Wool or synthetics, or a wetsuit if the water is cold enough to worry about.

Pack dry clothes in a sealed bag. A charged battery pack. A basic first aid kit. A whistle. More water and food than you think you need for the distance. These rivers feel short on a map and long when something slows you down.

And expect to get stuck. Expect to wade. Expect to drag your boat over something, push through low branches, navigate a brief stretch of swampy shoreline. That is part of paddling in the Pine Barrens. Going in prepared for it makes it an adventure instead of an emergency.

The Pine Barrens is worth every trip

I was at Batsto a few weeks ago on a clear April morning and the light through the cedar trees was something. The river was quiet and the reflections off the water were perfect and I stood there thinking about how lucky we are to have a place like this an hour from most of New Jersey.

Go paddle it. Go hike it. Explore the Pine Barrens this summer — there is nothing else like it in this state. The Saturday rescue had the best possible outcome and the first responders who made it happen deserve every bit of credit.

Just go prepared. The river will do the rest.