By Julia Train
I recently spent a day tubing on the river.
The water was a little chilly when I first plopped myself into the center of the tube, but it was easy to acclimate to it. The sun was peeking through the trees and shining on my face and I could hear birds and laughter from others in the group as we floated along the river.
The day was peaceful and fun, but ir also took a lot of preparation to make sure it was both enjoyable and safe.
The most popular place for water activities in our area is the Great Egg Harbor River, since it’s the main waterway throughout the Pine Barrens with a majority of its 129-mile river system resting in it.
If you’re looking to spend a day tubing on the Great Egg Harbor River, here’s your guide.
Outfitter or your own?
When planning the excursion, you first need to choose if you’ll be renting a tube through an outfitter or using your own gear and transportation.
If you wish to use your own, tubes for yourself and your cooler can both be purchased for about $20 each from an outdoor sporting store.
Palace Restaurant and Outfitters on the Black Horse Pike and Winding River Campground on Weymouth Road are the two places to choose from if you don’t have your own gear.
Both locations offer rentals with transportation to the drop-off spot and back. At Palace, tube rental is $30 per person and $20 for a cooler tube.
If you’re bringing your own tube or kayak and need transportation to and from, there’s a $20 fee if you go through the outfitter.
Winding River Campground lists their tube rental as $30 plus tax for non-campers and $27 plus tax for campers. If you have your own gear, there’s a $10 transportation fee for campers and $15 for non-campers.
Tips for preparing for the day
Since outfitters take care of everything for you in terms of equipment, you only have to worry about a few details.
First, make sure the day you decide to go is a clear one with calm water conditions.
Along with a bathing suit, wear shoes that can get wet to protect your feet from rocks and rough particles. Old sneakers, water shoes or sandals that have velcro straps (like Tevas) would be better than flip flops because they stay on.
Bring a change of clothes and a towel to keep in the car for after the trip.
Eat a full meal before going — because, believe it or not, spending hours on the river can be draining.
Bring plenty of drinks–both alcoholic and non–and snacks. Store the snacks in a zip-close bag and the drinks in your cooler on a tube, which both outfitters offer, and tie it to yours to keep it close.
Palace sells any equipment you may need such as sunscreen, water shoes and sunglasses, but it’s also a good idea to bring nylon rope and scissors to connect your tube with others if you want to stay close to your group.
Make sure you allow enough time to finish your trip before dark– most people start as early as 9 a.m.
Keep your cell phone and any other valuables, like keys, in a dry bag to protect it from the water.
If you want to amplify your experience, bring a waterproof speaker or even water-friendly toys like a foam football.
Now you’re ready for a day to float down the Great Egg Harbor River. It’s time to pick a day for your tubing trip!
