I very rarely give 5 stars on Yelp. I'm a parsimonious cheapskate with my stars. But I must say, this absolutely hit the spot.
The River Belle leaves from an unassuming, sort of dumpy location out of Point Pleasant, right by the bridge that goes over the river and down to the ocean, where Jenkinson's is. You show up about an hour before sail time, and you go to this little ticket booth, where the most awkwardly-attitudinal, red-faced woman hands you your tickets (I went on the afternoon sightseeing cruise, no food involved, which is a-ok for this kosher-keeper, for $25), although be forewarned that they only take cash, no credit or debit cards. She told us we could start boarding at 3:15, although at about 10 after, we saw people begin to board this Mississippi, Rollin'-on-the-River type Delta Queen boat. It sets sail through the Point Pleasant Inlet, the Manasquan River, and abuts Barnegat Bay. The narration points out several really cool and interesting stories and facts about the sights and sites along the way (G-d only knows how many are real and how many are old wives' tales), such as a legend that Osborn Island, colloquially known as Treasure Island, served as the inspiration for the Robinson Crusoe novel of the same name, or the one about Black Beard leaving some gold coins in the area. Regardless, the staff is accommodating, they have pitchers of ice water and plastic cups available for the passengers to quench their thirst in the hot Jersey Shore sun, and the breeze blowing through your hair, coupled with the sunshine and the river sights, make this a remarkable excursion. I had an amazing time, and didn't want it to end. Families with children, young couples, and even a Ultra-Orthodox-looking family from Lakewood were on the boat, in a diverse display of temporal unity while enjoying the water. When you get too hot from standing by the bow or stern, you can sit inside at the tables and crack open the windows all the way, to get an awesome breeze off the water. I totally recommend this to anyone looking to enjoy an afternoon in Point Pleasant. read more
