Mission in the creek

Paddlers start the first Kenneth H. Francis Memorial Canoe and Kayak Race and Tour on the Crosswicks Creek Nov. 1. UPPER FREEHOLD — They paddled for a purpose.

Thirty-one canoe and kayak paddlers participated in the first Kenneth H. Francis Memorial Canoe and Kayak Race and Tour, which started in the New Egypt section of Plumsted and ended in Upper Freehold on Nov. 1. Although the air temperature was 55 degrees and skies were overcast, the water in the Crosswicks Creek ran high and fast, making for excellent paddling conditions, according to Upper Freehold's Marc Covitz, chairman of the Crosswicks-Doctors Creek Watershed Association (CDCWA) and co-director of the event.

"This was the first event sponsored by the Crosswicks Doctors Creek WatershedAssociation and all proceeds benefited the Kenneth H. Francis Memorial Environmental Scholarship Fund and the CDCWA," Covitz said.

During the event, CDCWA member Jim Shields led 13 canoeists and kayakers on a 4-mile upstream paddle of the Crosswicks Creek. The tour began at Oakford Lake and participants paddled at their leisure to explore the creek's headwaters in the Cookstown section of New Hanover Township.

Eighteen paddlers competed in the 9.1- mile downstream race from the Oakford Lake dam in the New Egypt section of Plumsted to the Provinceline Road bridge in Upper Freehold. Participants came from as far away as Jersey City in Hudson County and Carneys Point in Salem County and as near as New Egypt.

"Racers started in two waves separated by five minutes and went out in a blistering pace," Covitz said.

Covitz trailed the pack to make sure no one got lost along the way.

"Several challenging passages through fallen trees were keenly negotiated by all of the participants and portage was not required," he said. "Some extra adventure for the racers came at Historic Walnford. Most averted the dam and took the old sawmill spillway to the left. The spillway provided some mild rapids on the fast moving Crosswicks and were enjoyed by all."

John Buckley of Lake Como took first-place overall and completed the race with a time of 1:41:52. Hype Mattingly of Carneys Point, who wanted more adventure and paddled over the dam, took first place in the female category with a time of 1:42:01.

"The 3-foot drop proved to be no problem as both had a perfect splash landing and were able to continue on to victory at Provinceline Road," Covitz said. "One low hanging tree at mile eight caused two of the participants to swim with their boats under the tree. This did not dampen their spirits as they easily were able to climb back into their boats and paddle the final mile to the finish."

The event raised $227.30 for the scholarship fund.

Full results and more photos of the race, visit www.ccdcgreenway.org.