A Great Conveniency - A Maritime History of the Passaic River, Hackensack River, and Newark Bay describes the role that riverine and coastal navigation played during the development of northern New Jersey. Commencing in the early 1600s with waterborne European exploration, it relates how tidal waterways facilitated pioneer settlement and a seasonal exchange of goods between market cities and their hinterlands. Consequently, inland ports sprouted at important landings such as Newark, Acquackanonck, New Bridge and Hackensack.

Rivers provided easy access to a highly productive countryside for British raiders and foragers during the American Revolution. There is also detailed examination of nineteenth-century cargoes and back-loads, especially coal, bricks, stable manure and lumber. Cedar logs, hay and wild game, being chief exports from the Hackensack Meadowlands, are also cited.

River craft are integral to the story and locally built dugout canoes, canal boats, galleys, schooners, sloops, steamboats, periaugers and tugboats are explained and illustrated.

The changes that urbanization brought are investigated in sections devoted to the expansion of New York Harbor and the rise of Port Newark and Elizabethport. Other chapters explore how suburban growth created new opportunities for canoeing and yachting. 

Carried into the present day, the author describes the efforts of environmentalists to clean bays and rivers, cap landfills, protect remaining wetlands and develop riverside parks.