05 Sep My First Week at DEWA
Here are some of the highlights from my first week at Delaware Water Gap!
Fishing Friday
My first Friday at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, referred to as DEWA, also happened to be the last Fishing Friday of the season. Fishing Friday is a program where you can sign up to go fishing at hidden lake with provided equipment, guidance, knot tying lessons, and assistance from a ranger at Hidden Lake. I was there with Ranger Martin and Fish and Feathers intern Maddy on Friday the 22nd and we had 10 individuals show up for the program. This was my first time ever going fishing, and on my second cast I caught a pumpkinseed fish! I’m scared of worms so I was not expecting to actually go fishing, but I am so glad that I did and I ended up having such a fun time and am look forward to doing it again sometime!
The last step that we have visitors do before actually fishing in the lake is learning some fishing knots. I spent the majority of the morning practicing the 3 most common knots, pictured to the right. I really enjoyed practicing these different knots and have my best attempts pictured above!
A day on the Delaware River
On Saturday August 23rd, I joined Ranger Chance and Kristen, intern Maddy, and 2 volunteers on the river for a 6 mile kayaking patrol day. We started our route at Smithfield Beach and paddled south along the river and after 3 miles stopped to have our lunch at Worthington State Forest. The last 3 miles were a bit more difficult as the wind was blowing against us but eventually we finished at Kittatinny Point, commonly referred to as KP. I have canoed and paddle boarded plenty in the past, but this was my first time kayaking and it was a really enjoyable experience. It was helpful being able to see what safety interactions are like with the public, especially on a busy weekend, along with getting to know my team better.
109th Birthday of the National Parks service Organic Act
On August 25th, 1916, the National Park Service was born through the Organic Act. Today, 433 national parks, forests, historical sites, and recreation areas have come to exist, and Delaware Water Gap National Recreation area is one of them. DEWA is celebrating its 60th birthday this year. With the NPS turning 109 on Monday, August 25th, 2025, a fun and informative party was thrown at Bushkill Meeting Center, our current visitor center, and I was able to help by adding my artistic touch to the activities and signage! Pictured below I am with Park Rangers Martin and Cindy and with volunteer Diane, as we were photographed by volunteer Frank.
Thank you for reading this blog post! I thoroughly enjoyed my first week at DEWA, and I hope you enjoyed learning about it! :)
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