Litton's Fishing Lines: Outing along the Delaware River

Saturday, September 23, 2017

Outing along the Delaware River

Made plans with Patricia a week or two ago, fulfilled them this morning. We ate brunch at Frenchtown's National Hotel at 10:00, visited the Frenchtown cliffs thereafter, and then drove along the Delaware River from Frenchtown, through Milford, and on to Riegelsville. Now I have driven along the Delaware from Trenton to some 20 miles or more north of the Delaware Watergap. Without bragging too much, I've boated and fished much of this river from Trenton north to Lordville, New York. And fly fished the East Branch with my son.

Before we left Bedminster, I conceived a slight improvisation on our plans in case we arrived early, which we did. Fifteen minutes felt like hours. My time in Decoy's and Wildlife Gallery took me completely out of myself, and though I'm sure the owner felt disappointed I bought nothing, I know he couldn't have in the words that went between us. I own four well-finished decoys that did not cost $500.00 each. So apart from the price at Frenchtown, I was acutely interested. In the paintings, too. I wondered what sort of business the man does. He sells about 3000 decoys a year. I felt awed. He told me has 500 on display, thousands in the basement. By what I gathered from him, I stood in the most distinctive decoy shop in the nation.

Meanwhile, Trish had explored further down the road, and then returned to settle upon a real estate business's listing as her point of interest. She often studies various listings--particularly apartments in Manhattan. We discussed a Cape Cod on a large pond nearby. I don't know of the pond, but it appeared completely private. The price--$219,000, dock included. This looked very appealing to both of us, not that we're moving there, but that whoever is, is getting a real good deal. I noticed yearly taxes at a little over $9000.00. I talked about the decoy shop and she expressed casual interest, since she likes my decoys.

We ate on the porch of the National Hotel so we could mind that Sadie the black Lab wouldn't roast in the car. Temperature seemed to have reached at least 80. I went inside to have a look. A finely wrought rustic feel. As if rough wood were refined to smooth and finely lacquered finishes, and the splintered edges that would accompany inattention were beveled to exact degree. Very nice.

The National Hotel came by name into existence in 1850, although 1833 is the initial date of the establishment by another name. The original site that of a stagecoach stop and brothel. Frenchtown from the 1850's forward was a hot town, as commerce associated with the Delaware and Raritan Canal to the south at Raven Rock and southward, for one example, incentivized the region.

For Trish and me, A wonderful French toast and salad brunch, complete with two kinds of melon. We had coffee instead of juice, and after we finished, soon parked along a gravel road to begin hiking a hundred yards or more to where I doubted we could access the Frenchtown Cliffs. I wanted us to stand underneath the rock wall rising directly out of a--to impression--pristine pool of the Nishisakawick Creek, where I've caught many trout in the past. As feared, briars prohibited passage in nice clothes, even though we switched to hiking boots and sneakers. So I got a photo from a distance that isn't much of a picture, but shows the cliff is taller than trees.