CAPE MAY, NJ – The tall ship A.J. Meerwald is coming to Cape May on Wednesday, June 26th, 2024! New Jersey’s official Tall Ship, A.J. Meerwald will have two official port stops in Cape May this summer. She will sail from the Cape May Ferry Terminal, in partnership with the Delaware River & Bay Authority. The first visit will be from Wednesday, June 26 - Sunday July 7. She will return August 2 and offer public sailing and programming through September 12.

Come set sail aboard a historic wooden, traditionally rigged tall ship. These 2-hour sails are a wonderful way to experience local waterways and spend time with family and friends. Passengers can help the crew hoist the sails or simply relax and enjoy an unforgettable experience.

From June 26 to July 7, 2024, A.J. Meerwald will be sailing from the Cape May Ferry Terminal through a partnership with the Delaware River & Bay Authority.  Sails times are available Wednesday through Sunday departing at 10:45 AM; 2 PM; and 5 PM. Charters and Education Sails for non-profit groups are available. 

Sails are two hours in duration, departing from the ferry terminal and sailing out to the Delaware Bay. The 2-hour afternoon and evening sails will cruise along the scenic Delaware Bay, with views of the Cape May Lighthouse. Sails will head out the Cape May Canal into the Delaware Bay and head east to the lighthouse and/or west towards West Cape Bay. Beach goers should be able to see the boat sail by from Delaware Bay the beaches in West Cape May. The 2-hour Wednesday & Saturday morning sailings will be environmental educational ones, with discounted tickets for kids. All passengers are welcome to bring their own food & drinks aboard for the sail. The current sailing schedule and tickets can be found at www.bayshorecenter.org/our-ship/public-sails.

"Sailing aboard A.J. Meerwald, a 1928 Delaware Bay Oyster Schooner, connects you to our local environment. Aboard you will likely see osprey, bald eagles, and dolphins, as you glide along under sail to enjoy our wetlands and estuaries at work as the nursery for many local species of birds, fish and other aquatic animals here in Southern New Jersey. Together with DRBA, we look forward to offering visitors the opportunity to connect to our local history and learn more about oystering on the Delaware Bay," said Jessica Yorke, Executive Director of the Bayshore Center at Bivalve.

About A.J. Meerwald:
The schooner A.J. Meerwald is a restored oyster dredging schooner from Bivalve, New Jersey. Launched in 1928, A.J. Meerwald embodies the true spirit of the schooner, adapted to efficiently fulfill the prevailing conditions and specific demands of her native waters. A.J. Meerwald was one of nearly five hundred schooners built along the Delaware Bay before the decline of the local shipbuilding industry in the 1930s. One hundred years later, there are only a handful of converted schooners still harvesting oysters.

Today, the AJ Meerwald is operated by the Bayshore Center at Bivalve as a traveling classroom and vehicle to enjoy the area’s waterways. Passengers can enjoy the excitement and wonder of sailing aboard a 115-foot schooner from the age of sail. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can even join the crew in hauling lines and setting sails! Enjoy the great outdoors as you breathe in the fresh air and marvel at the scenery that surrounds you.

The Bayshore Center at Bivalve is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to advance the understanding of the human impact on New Jersey’s aquatic environment through education, advocacy, and programming. BCB operates the authentically restored 1928 oyster schooner A.J. MEERWALD, New Jersey’s official tall ship, as a hands-on sailing classroom throughout the region. It also operates the Delaware Bay Museum and offers shore-based programs at its campus and schooner’s home port of Bivalve on the scenic Maurice River in Cumberland County.

For more information, go to www.bayshorecenter.org or contact the Bayshore Center at Bivalve at 856-785-2060 or info@BayshoreCenter.org.

About the Cape May-Lewes Ferry 
Owned and operated by the Delaware River and Bay Authority, the Cape May – Lewes Ferry is open year-round and has carried more than 50 million passengers since its inception on July 1, 1964. As an integral transportation system connecting the communities and economies on both sides of the Delaware Bay, the Ferry service is a significant catalyst for economic growth and regional tourism activity in New Jersey and Delaware. Its operations sustain over 4,000 jobs while generating tens of millions of dollars in local taxes and hundreds of millions in regional economic activity. For schedules and rates, please visit www.CMLF.com or call 800-643-3779.