THE MULLICA RIVER 20th AnnuAl Great Bay is a Unique Estuary Decoy Show collector’S Pin The decoy used as a model for the 2015 Decoy Show collector’s Pin was carved by Steve Tarnow. Steve, This estuary, as for estuary were first a welder by trade, has been carving decoys from his West Tuckerton residence since 1997, and has won over others, is a location generally realized in where freshwaters John McPhee’s book 50 ribbons for his decoys. He served as the Secretary on the Board of Trustees during the formative stages from the land meet on the Pine Barrens. of the Tuckerton Seaport, and has since taught several carving classes there. He has also volunteered as a and mix with the Subsequently, many member of the Ocean County Decoy & Gunning Show Committee since 1999, fine-tuning contest rules, salty waters from the have contributed to developing improvements to the show and serving as a judge for the Art and Photography Contests. ocean. The Mullica our understanding Steve’s Ring-neck decoy won ribbons in the 2003 Ocean County Decoy & Gunning Show as 1st place Ring-neck River – Great Bay es- of this estuary, but Duck and 3rd place Best Diving Duck. At the 2004 Ocean County Wildfowl Art & Decoy Show, it won ribbons as tuary is an exception- the focus has often al body of water, not been on the forests 1st place Ring-neck Duck, 1st place Diving Duck and 2nd place Best Barnegat Bay Traditional Decoy. just by New Jersey, and marshes. Less is but also by east coast known about events of the US, standards. beneath the surface Add To Your Collection This drowned riv- of the waters of the er valley, which was estuary. Each year the show highlights one species of waterfowl. formed over the last One of the other 1,000 years is un- unique features be- The 2015 commemorative pin features this year’s “Bird of the Year” usual and unique for neath the surface of – the Ring-necked Duck ~ Aythya collaris. several reasons. The this estuary is that it greatest overwhelm- has naturally low pH Look for this cloisonne pin on sale at the Ocean County Parks ing influence is that (acidic) waters in & Recreation show booth, show gate and the Tuckerton Seaport. it has relatively few much of the Mulli- people living in the Figure 1: Map of watershed with protected holdings and location names ca River. This results For order information call Wells Mills County Park: 609-971-3085 watershed. Further, from leaching of this watershed is likely to remain that acres, and of this, approximately 115,000 tannins from the oaks and pines in the way into the future because of numerous acres are protected as part of the above upper watershed that, when mixed with federal and state holdings that provide holdings. This combination of protected the water, create tannic acid and give the protection from development. Much watershed, low human population den- system its acidic, tea-colored water. In of the upstream portion, both land and sity and general lack of extensive devel- addition, these waters are unique because water, is part of the Pinelands National opment makes this the cleanest estuary they typically have very high levels of dis- only $5 Reserve. As you come downstream, and in the northeastern U.S. and one of the solved oxygen that many animals such as the water becomes saltier, there are state cleanest estuaries along the east coast of fishes and crabs rely on, yet are lacking protected properties such as the Whar- the U.S. This is often hard for many peo- in many other estuaries. This estuary is ton and Bass River state forests (Fig. 1). ple to believe because it is embedded in also exceptional because of the diversity Further downstream, near the mouth of the most densely populated state in the of its aquatic habitats. A bird flying over the Mullica River where it joins Great U.S. with hundreds of years of develop- the watershed can see that the watershed Bay, the salinity is even higher and many ment in the state’s history. But once peo- is dominated by numerous tributaries of the surrounding marshes are part of ple have seen the system and understood from Hammonton Creek, Nescochague the Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge. the connectivity of protected waters, Creek, Sleeper Branch and Atsion Riv- These holdings in the Refuge, and the from freshwaters to the ocean, they ap- er in the upper portion, to larger ones, Great Bay Boulevard Wildlife Manage- preciate its unique nature. All of this has such as the Wading and Bass rivers in ment Area, continue down to the saltiest been substantiated because the Mullica the lower portions. Elsewhere, large is- part of the estuary where water from the River – Great Bay is a central part of the lands, such as the Hog Islands, near ocean comes into Little Egg Inlet. Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine where freshwaters first meet saltwaters, This estuary and its watershed is a Research Reserve. and the waters are most turbid in most moderately large system, about 365,000 Many of the unique attributes of this years, provide more shallow edges. Low- 16 Ocean County Decoy & Gunning Show 16 Ocean County Decoy & Gunning Show Ocean County Decoy & Gunning Show 13 er down the Mullica River, extensive salt These unique combinations of diverse, for long periods of time (marine mam- marshes surround the watershed (Fig. 2). clean habitats are reflected in the diversi- mals such as harbor seals in the winter, Lower in Great Bay, there are extensive ty of plants and animals that are resident bottlenose dolphins in the summer, and Tuckerton Seaport’s salt marsh islands and adjoining sand or seasonal occupants of this estuary. an occasional river otter). A diverse array bars that were formed as sediment com- The extensive and productive salt marsh- of fishes are found in this estuary. Many ing in from the ocean was deposited on es, which provide for the overall produc- of these occur most commonly along flood tides during a prior period of sea tivity of the system, are central. These certain salinities (white perch in fresh or Youth Carving Club level rise (Fig. 3). Even more extensive are supplanted by extensive macroalgae low salinity water, bluefish, weakfish and and unaltered salt marshes occur on the summer flounder or fluke from the inlet peninsula known as Sheepshead or Tuck- to the lower river, and tautog which are erton Meadows (Fig. 4). This peninsu- most typically found in the lower por- la, especially, is cut by several thorofares tions of the estuary near the inlet). Oth- The Tuckerton Seaport competed against some such as Little and Big Sheepshead creeks. ers such as striped bass use all portions of Youth Carving Club is of the best carvers in the Some of these are relatively deep (more the estuary from the inlet to tidal fresh- an important part of the world, and came in first than 15ft) and have immense (2-3ft tall) waters up in the Mullica River. Crabs story of carving in New place, in his first adult yellow sponges attached to the bottom. also use the system in different ways. Jersey, which we tell in competition. Some of the deepest portions of the estu- Rock crabs come into the lower estu- displays at the Tucker- Deep relationships ary are in Shooting Thorofare (40 ft) as it ary in the winter but leave as the waters ton Seaport and through Fig. 2. Aerial photo of Mullica River where have been forged be- passes by the Rutgers University Marine it is crossed b the Garden State Parkway warm in the spring. Blue crabs are found presentations by our tween both students and Field Station. The mouth of the estuary throughout the estuary, but where they demonstrating decoy from students and their is the most dynamic, with inlets coming are found differs somewhat by sex, with carvers. The Tuckerton mentors. Seventeen year and going over the years, with names males more abundant upstream, in the Seaport Youth Carving old Scott joined the club like New Inlet and Beach Haven Inlet. lower salinity waters, and females more Club partners young at 12. He says,“For me, (Some of this is detailed in a book-length abundant downstream near the inlet, es- people ages 11- 17 with carving is about connec- history of the region by this author – pecially in the winter. master decoy carvers to tion- I’ve grown up sur- Station 119: From Lifesaving to Marine One of the reasons so much is known learn the traditional art rounded by decoys and Research.) about this estuary is that it is home to of decoy carving, paint- the people who created Additional underwater habitats pro- several institutions whose job it is to un- ing, and pattern making. them, most of whom are vide even more diversity and range from derstand it as much as possible. Several 2015 marks the 10th relatives are mine…Now large mats of broken down plant material Fig. 3. Aerial photo of extensive sand academic institutions (Rutgers Univer- year of this popular program. We turn chil- years of the club and was instrumental in its when my own knife slowly shapes a block of and numerous stumps of ancient white flats at marsh islands near abandoned sity Marine Field Station located near dren who have never picked up a carving inception. Malcolm primarily teaches knife white cedar, transforming it into something cedar trees, especially in the vicinity of fish factory Little Egg Inlet, Stockton University’s knife into world champion carvers, while safety and carving, while Nancee Jo focus- entirely new, I gain a deeper connection- Hog Islands, to deeper channels joined Marine Lab on Nacote Creek) have been mentoring them in life skills and providing es on painting.