Come visit the Fish Factory with us! This is an amazing trip; we had a great time paddling out there in the fall and can't wait to go back again.

THE FISH FACTORY OF THE GREAT BAY
Like the hollowed out carcass of a long dead giant beast, a lonely fish processing plant stands on an island in Ocean County’s Great Bay. It is known locally simply as the “Fish Factory.” Its original name was the Crab Island Fish Factory, though the marsh island on which it is located is officially known as Fish Island. In its heyday the plant was used to process menhaden, or moss bunker, a small oily fish in the herring family. Considered a low-grade fish unfit for human consumption, bunker are netted by the ton along the Atlantic coast. They are then ground up to make products such as fish meal, fish oil, fertilizer, bait and pet food. The ruined facility has stood abandoned since the collapse of the local fishery some time back around 1972.

Read more about the Fish Factory here.

We'll be launching at Captain Mike's Marina and paddling out across the bay to the island where the Fish Factory is located. This is an open water crossing and is NOT suitable for beginner paddlers - Intermediate and above only please. It can be a challenging crossing if the wind kicks up. No boats under 12 feet, please. PFDs are REQUIRED.

The Great Bay is also part of the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge - you'll see tons of waterfowl and other wildlife. There will be power boats out on the bay, so be prepared to ride some wakes! Pack a lunch, and we'll stop to eat, explore, and photograph at the Fish Factory.

Kayaks can be rented from the marina, but they only have 3 non-tandem kayaks suitable for this trip. They are first come, first serve. Contact the marina ahead of time if you wish to reserve a kayak for this trip. If Mike's rentals are all taken, you can also rent from West Creek Kayaks - [masked] - but may need to transport the kayaks to Mike's on your own.

There is a small fee for us to launch from Mike's - $5 per car.

Sprayskirts are strongly recommended for this trip.

As always, you can reach me the day of the event at [masked].
Any changes or cancellations due to inclement weather will be made by 9am the morning of the trip. Please check this page before you head out in the morning.

RSVPs close Thursday April 29, 2010 at 11:00am