AJ Meerwald is Visiting Cape May, NJ
June 18th – July 6th AND August 1st – September 21st
Sailing A.J. Meerwald from the Cape May Ferry Terminal
***ARRIVE 30 Minutes Prior to Departure***
Accessibility:
Currently sails have limited accessibility from Cape May. Passengers should be able to take six steps down from the bulkhead and walk and an inclined ramp, then take three steps up to board the boat.
There is approximately a 5 minute walk from the ferry terminal to the boat, after which our boarding area has several stairs & two steep gangways on floating docks.
Wheelchair or walker access is not available. Guests with mobility issues may find this location quite difficult to sail from, call the boat phone for further information. Please call the boat phone (856-265-1991) for more information.
Arrival:
Please plan to arrive 30-45 minutes prior to your sail departure time. All A.J. Meerwald passengers will depart the terminal building with our crew 15 minutes prior to departure. If you have an issue please call the Boat 856-265-1991. Crew will walk our passengers through the restricted access area we are docked in and board for a timely departure. As you can imagine, with ferries arriving and departing the canal, timeliness is essential.
Per Terminal Security- The walk from the Ferry Terminal to the docks must be done accompanied by a crew member as a group.
Parking:
Please stay in the right lane when entering the terminal. Follow the walk-on passenger and terminal parking signs. Park in the parking lot by the terminal and enter the main doors. The A.J. Meerwald check-in desk is located to your left as you enter the building. Check in with our crew here.
Restrooms:
There are restrooms and a cafe in the terminal as well as a restaurant. Please use the restrooms in the terminal prior to departure. The head onboard is for emergencies only.
Snacks & Beverages:
Passengers are invited to bring their own personal food, snacks and beverages(including beer and wine) on board for the sail. (No open containers while boarding)
Sailing Notes:
Please plan to arrive at least 30 minutes ahead of sail time and allow extra time for traffic issues. We make every effort to leave the port ON TIME. Please be respectful of the other passengers and be on time. With sailing questions on the day of the sail, please call 856-265-1991.
You may want to bring an extra layer of clothing as it often gets cooler when out on the water. Also consider a hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, a camera and binoculars may be useful too, considering the likelihood of seeing shorebirds. You may bring refreshments – water, sandwiches, sodas, beer or wine, but you are required to carry off whatever you carry on.
We cannot allow any pets or comfort dogs (except service dogs) on board. Strollers are not permitted due to safety issues. For patrons in wheelchairs, please call ahead and let us know. No smoking on the boat. We ask all patrons to use the shore side restroom before boarding the boat. There is a tiny “ships head” on the boat, but one would have to climb down a ladder to use it.
Thank you for your ticket purchase. We look forward to your attendance.
If you are sailing, please contact the boat phone at 856-265-1991 for questions day of your sail.
GPS Address: Cape May Ferry Terminal, North 1200 Lincoln Blvd, North Cape May, NJ 08204
Per Terminal Security- The walk from the Ferry Terminal to the docks must be done accompanied by a crew member as a group.
Overview
The Schooner AJ Meerwald is New Jersey’s official Tall Ship. She is a restored oyster dredging schooner, whose home port is in Bivalve, New Jersey. Launched in 1928, AJ Meerwald was one of hundreds of schooners built along South Jersey’s Bayshore before the decline of the shipbuilding industry which coincided with the Great Depression.
Today, the AJ Meerwald is used by the Bayshore Center at Bivalve as a traveling classroom and vehicle to enjoy area’s waterways. The AJ Meerwald was added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 7, 1995.
Specifications
- Rig | Two-masted gaff schooner
- Tonnage | 57 gross registered tons
- Length | 85 feet (26 m) on deck, 115 feet (35 m) overall
- Beam | 22 feet (6.7 m)
- Height | 70 feet (21 m)
- Draft | 6 feet (1.8 m)
- Propulsion | Sail; auxiliary engine (John Deere 6068AFM 85, 230 hp)
- Sail plan | Mainsail, foresail, oversize jib
- Capacity | 49 passengers
- Notes | Oak hull; 3,562 square feet (330.9 m2) total sail area
The Schooner is registered as 76.1’ between perpendiculars, 22.3’ beam, 6’ depth of hold, 46 net tons and 57 gross tons. She measures 85’ on deck and 115’ overall when fully rigged. Her construction was/remains ‘oak on oak’ meaning oak planks laid on oak frames, as was tradition in Dorchester built vessels. She has relatively light scantlings, no knees and no horntimber which is also characteristic of Dorchester Schooners.
The AJ Meerwald was launched on September 7, 1928 by Charles H Stowman & Sons at Dorchester, NJ. She was built with a wood centerboard schooner with low freeboard and a raked transom stern designed for oyster dredging under sail and power. She had minimal draft, considerable beam and a flush deck from stem to stern. Her original sail rig, as evidenced in photographs taken during her first oystering season in 1929, typified the new style schooners; bald-headed (without topmasts), gaff rigged, with a large ‘gloriana peaked’ mainsail, a smaller foresail, and spike bowsprit supporting a single large club staysail.
River Sails
The AJ Meerwald sails from ports around NJ, PA, DE and MD. These river 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. For more information, click here!
Education Sails
The AJ Meerwald’s educational programming has been recognized nationally for its high-quality hands-on experience and the program is not just for children! The AJ Meerwald has provided educational sails to elected officials, academics, civic groups as well as schools and youth groups. For more information, click here!
Charter Sails
The AJ Meerwald can be chartered for private events including birthday parties, weddings, corporate events, reunions, fundraisers, etc. Charters are 2 hours long and the ship programming can be tailored (within reason) to meet the needs of your group! For more information, click here!
History
The AJ Meerwald is a Delaware Bay Oyster Schooner, a distinct vessel that evolved to meet the needs of the local oyster fishery. The AJ Meerwald, launched in 1928, was one of hundreds of schooners built along South Jersey’s Delaware Bay before the decline of the shipbuilding industry during the Great Depression. The AJ Meerwald embodies the true spirit of the schooner; adapted to efficiently fulfill the prevailing conditions and specific demands of her native waters. While there were once as many as five hundred schooners sailing ‘up the Bay’ to catch oysters, now there are only a handful of converted schooners still harvesting oysters.
- 1928 | The Meerwald family of South Dennis commissioned Charles H Stowman & Sons shipyard to build the AJ Meerwald. She was a bald headed (without topmasts), gaff rigged oyster dredge. The oystering gear consisted of a winder, or gas powered winch, for hauling in the dredges.
- 1942 | In June the Maritime Commission commandeered the AJ Meerwald under the War Powers Act. She was turned over to the U.S. Coast Guard and outfitted as a fireboat.
- 1947 | In January the AJ Meerwald was returned to the Meerwald family. Eight months later they sold the vessel to Clyde A Phillips who used her as an oyster dredge under power. The winder installed for dredging consisted of a power takeoff mounted forward of the engine. She was renamed the Clyde A Phillips.
- 1959 | Ownership passed to Cornelius (Nicky) Campbell who outfitted her for surf clamming. During the 1960’s she was owned by American Clam and operated primarily as a clam dredge into the late 1970’s. She was eventually retired until her donation to Bayshore Center at Bivalve in 1989.
- 1988 | Bayshore Center at Bivalve was formed and the Clyde A Phillips was given to the project by Captain John Gandy.
- 1992 | Clyde A Phillips was lifted by crane from the river and set in Bivalve, NJ for restoration.
- 1995 | Clyde A Phillips was rechristened and launched as the AJ Meerwald and added to the National Register of Historic Places. She offers public sails, charters sails, education sails throughout the Delaware River and Bay area and along the Atlantic Coast.
- 1998 | Governor Whitman designated the AJ Meerwald New Jersey’s Official Tall Ship.