Swbf2 Posted January 7, 2008 #1 Share Posted January 7, 2008 (edited) LEGENDS OF THE BLUE HOLE The Blue Hole is a mysterious body of water in the middle of the woods in Winslow Township, South Jersey. Legends say that water is as clear as glass and as cold as a tomb, even in the summer. It is rumored to be bottomless and the home of the Jersey Devil. Other legends say that there are mysterious whirlpool currents that trap swimmers and drag them under, never to be found. I vowed to go see the Blue Hole for myself. I mentioned it to my dad, who has lived in South Jersey all his life. Much to my surprise, he knew exactly what I was talking about. When he was a kid, growing up in Blue Anchor (part of Winslow), he and his friends would go swimming in the creek about a hundred feet from the Blue Hole. My dad was told never to go swimming in the Blue Hole because it was bottomless and freezing cold. Of course, my dad and his friends immediately had to try it. One jumped in, then climbed right out. The water was indeed freezing in the middle of summer. Another one of my father’s friends did not escape as easily. He dove into the hole head first and broke his neck. My dad (Master of Directions) knew exactly how to get there and save me ten minutes on the trip. I knew I needed a boat. Inskip Creek is about 100 before the hole. The cedar water is murky, swift and full of branches, so be careful if you're wading through it during the summer. I borrowed a boat from my friend Jim, who built it from plans he got out of a 1963 issue of Popular Mechanics. I called another friend, Russ, and convinced him to go. Taking my dad's pick up, we drove into the woods off Piney Hollow Road. For those of you unfamiliar with the Pine Barrens, it's sandy and it’s easy to get stuck. The road was well-packed most of the way, but there are two trouble spots that fill with water. You had to stop some distance away from the creek, as the sand becomes deep and soft the closer you get to the bank. Russ and I noticed three things immediately: 1) There were signs posted everywhere not to swim, hunt or light fires here. 2) There was evidence of campfires and parties everywhere. 3) There was the constant sound of gunfire in the distance. Undeterred, we got Jim's boat into the water and crossed the creek where there were the remains of an old bridge. After getting to the other side and pulling up the boat, we walked about 100 feet, and on the left was the Blue Hole. The hole looked to be about 70 feet across and roughly circular. The edges appeared to be raised, which was consistent with one of the rumors I had read: that the Blue Hole was actually a bottomless crater left by an ancient meteor’s impact. The bottom, at least on the edge, was only about a foot. The water had a strange, blue tinge. I took a sample of the water in an empty Frappucino bottle. I stuck my hand in. It was freezing. However, this was November and that was to be expected. What wasn't expected was that the camera suddenly broke. Had we angered some invisible god by disturbing the peace of the tranquil lake? (Well, tranquil except for the continuing gunfire). We didn't know, but I was getting increasingly uneasy. It was time to leave. We'd have to return later and get the pictures for Weird NJ. On the way out, I saw what looked like a large dog. When I was growing up and visiting my relatives in Winslow, they always told me to beware of the wild dogs in the area. That roving packs of wild dogs were known to attack unwary travelers and drag them into the woods to be devoured. I panicked, and nearly backed the truck into a tree trying to turn around. I don't know how to explain the Blue Hole. Is it the hiding place of the Jersey Devil, or the bottomless impact crater of some prehistoric meteorite? How many lives has it claimed so far, and how many may still be lost in its icy depths? Why are its waters so clear and strangely blue, while a mere 100 feet away, the creek is as murky and dark as mud? All I know is, I still have the Frappucino bottle and weeks later, it is still algae free and still perfectly clear, unlike the mystery of the Blue Hole. http://www.weirdnj.com/stories/_unexplained04.asp that where i found this story and it seems pretty intresting , what do you guys think? BTW: go there for a pic of the blue hole EDIT: found another one here about it http://www.angelfire.com/nj/becjosh/bluehole2.html this one has a very strange encounter with something??? and the part about the remains of the house could be talking about the house of Mr and Miss's Leed??? Edited January 7, 2008 by swbf2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swbf2 Posted January 7, 2008 Author #2 Share Posted January 7, 2008 (edited) srry for double post but didn't want to have the first post with so much stuff in it. As a native of Cape May County, I’ve had the typical right-of-passage trip to the Pine Barrens, the legendary home of the Jersey Devil. This Jersey girl went to Cape May County Technical High School, which sponsored trips to the Pine Barrens for good grades in certain classes. I was one of the fortunate students to go three times during my four year career at CMCT. Each time I went on this trip, my canoe was followed by a heavy footed thing. With each step I heard branches snap under its feet (hooves?). Once every ten minutes or so I could hear deep beastly growls that to this very day give me the creeps. Being in a canoe and on a class trip didn't afford me much opportunity to flee in terror, so I stuck it out – for three years. Every year it was the same. During my sophomore year I was pretty confident about my canoeing skills, so I didn’t look over my shoulder much. I went canoeing with a friend of mine when we came across a bag that had been torn open and gone through. Around it were prints on the ground that looked something like a horse's hoof, only bigger. Then I heard it, the cry that still haunts my dreams: part human, part beast, and full of anger, pregnant with pure hate. I nearly flipped the canoe! We left, leaving whatever it was out there behind – or so I thought. But it followed us. Every time we stopped or paused, it got closer to the river. We pushed on. Then worse came to worst, as we tipped the canoe. I heard the thing running behind us, and thought for sure we were dead. Then we righted our canoe and got into it as fast as humanly possible. We finally made it out to safety, sun-fried to a crisp, missing all of our valuables and most of our clothes, but never happier to be on shore. We packed up our bus, and left. As we were leaving, I rested my head on the window and saw a little cottage. I looked at it until the bus was about to pass it and saw a woman. She looked back at me, and I could see her skin was torn and bleeding. After the bus passed, she vanished. Scared me so badly I wouldn't go into the woods for a year. here's another scary encounter that happend near the blue hole http://www.weirdnj.com/stories/_unexplained05.asp heres the link , its at the bottom of the page Edited January 7, 2008 by swbf2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keoshin Posted January 7, 2008 #3 Share Posted January 7, 2008 Wow... so much info i think my brain exploded... but who knows it may be a mystical or normal lake... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoshii Posted January 7, 2008 #4 Share Posted January 7, 2008 I've read this in the "Weird New Jersey" book. When I read that it was bottomless and it was always cold during all the seasons. I instantly wanted to go see it because I live in Jersey. It's kind of weird though... If the guy dove in head first how did he break his neck? For me I think the Blue Hole is really quiet in an eerie kind of way. I think it's a cool but creepy place. Even though I've never been there... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Intelligent Insight Posted January 9, 2008 #5 Share Posted January 9, 2008 LEGENDS OF THE BLUE HOLE The Blue Hole is a mysterious body of water in the middle of the woods in Winslow Township, South Jersey. Legends say that water is as clear as glass and as cold as a tomb, even in the summer. It is rumored to be bottomless and the home of the Jersey Devil. Other legends say that there are mysterious whirlpool currents that trap swimmers and drag them under, never to be found. I vowed to go see the Blue Hole for myself. I mentioned it to my dad, who has lived in South Jersey all his life. Much to my surprise, he knew exactly what I was talking about. When he was a kid, growing up in Blue Anchor (part of Winslow), he and his friends would go swimming in the creek about a hundred feet from the Blue Hole. My dad was told never to go swimming in the Blue Hole because it was bottomless and freezing cold. Of course, my dad and his friends immediately had to try it. One jumped in, then climbed right out. The water was indeed freezing in the middle of summer. Another one of my father’s friends did not escape as easily. He dove into the hole head first and broke his neck. My dad (Master of Directions) knew exactly how to get there and save me ten minutes on the trip. I knew I needed a boat. Inskip Creek is about 100 before the hole. The cedar water is murky, swift and full of branches, so be careful if you're wading through it during the summer. I borrowed a boat from my friend Jim, who built it from plans he got out of a 1963 issue of Popular Mechanics. I called another friend, Russ, and convinced him to go. Taking my dad's pick up, we drove into the woods off Piney Hollow Road. For those of you unfamiliar with the Pine Barrens, it's sandy and it’s easy to get stuck. The road was well-packed most of the way, but there are two trouble spots that fill with water. You had to stop some distance away from the creek, as the sand becomes deep and soft the closer you get to the bank. Russ and I noticed three things immediately: 1) There were signs posted everywhere not to swim, hunt or light fires here. 2) There was evidence of campfires and parties everywhere. 3) There was the constant sound of gunfire in the distance. Undeterred, we got Jim's boat into the water and crossed the creek where there were the remains of an old bridge. After getting to the other side and pulling up the boat, we walked about 100 feet, and on the left was the Blue Hole. The hole looked to be about 70 feet across and roughly circular. The edges appeared to be raised, which was consistent with one of the rumors I had read: that the Blue Hole was actually a bottomless crater left by an ancient meteor’s impact. The bottom, at least on the edge, was only about a foot. The water had a strange, blue tinge. I took a sample of the water in an empty Frappucino bottle. I stuck my hand in. It was freezing. However, this was November and that was to be expected. What wasn't expected was that the camera suddenly broke. Had we angered some invisible god by disturbing the peace of the tranquil lake? (Well, tranquil except for the continuing gunfire). We didn't know, but I was getting increasingly uneasy. It was time to leave. We'd have to return later and get the pictures for Weird NJ. On the way out, I saw what looked like a large dog. When I was growing up and visiting my relatives in Winslow, they always told me to beware of the wild dogs in the area. That roving packs of wild dogs were known to attack unwary travelers and drag them into the woods to be devoured. I panicked, and nearly backed the truck into a tree trying to turn around. I don't know how to explain the Blue Hole. Is it the hiding place of the Jersey Devil, or the bottomless impact crater of some prehistoric meteorite? How many lives has it claimed so far, and how many may still be lost in its icy depths? Why are its waters so clear and strangely blue, while a mere 100 feet away, the creek is as murky and dark as mud? All I know is, I still have the Frappucino bottle and weeks later, it is still algae free and still perfectly clear, unlike the mystery of the Blue Hole. http://www.weirdnj.com/stories/_unexplained04.asp that where i found this story and it seems pretty intresting , what do you guys think? BTW: go there for a pic of the blue hole EDIT: found another one here about it http://www.angelfire.com/nj/becjosh/bluehole2.html this one has a very strange encounter with something??? and the part about the remains of the house could be talking about the house of Mr and Miss's Leed??? I am probably going to go htere eventualy so the info here is realy helpful.Thanks-Intelligent Insight- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obsin Posted January 10, 2008 #6 Share Posted January 10, 2008 (edited) Blue holes can be found all over the world. Here in Bermuda there is a park called "Blue Hole Park" because of the number of blue holes to be found. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_hole Here's a link about fossils found in a Bahamian Blue Hole located in wooded areas, similarto the one in jersey I suppose: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/20...as-fossils.html Edited January 10, 2008 by Obsin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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