Golden Shore Marine Reserve

A short distance from the mouth of the river, the Golden Shore Marine Reserve is a small inlet where one may see Great Blue Herons, Sandpipers, Cormorants and Terns. The 6.4 acres is a small piece of what's left of the original wetlands that once flourished here along the mouth of the river. In the 1950s, the shoreline was built up with rocks to provide stability for a ramp and parking lot. In 1995, an RV park was built adjacent to the ramp. Two years later, in mitigation for the salt-water lagoon that is now Rainbow Harbor, a recreational boating area, the area was restored and a boom stretched across the inlet, creating a border between the river and the reserve. After each rainfall, the boom catches several tons of debris that wash down the river that would otherwise pollute the reserve.