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Before Cape May became the summer hot spot that we all know and love today, Cape May, NJ was settled as a whaling and fishing town during colonial times. Due to this, the waters surrounding Cape May became highly populated with ships and fishing vessels as it remains to this day. This included an abundance of Naval vessels during World War II as Cape May served as the U.S. Navy base before it became a Coast Guard Training Station. Due to several rough storms that have hit the Jersey Shore in the past, many of these vessels have became subjected to stormy water and fell short of returning back to shore. Many of these shipwrecks line the Jersey Shore and have attracted divers from all over the world to dive into these historic sites. One site in particular that can…

As the Atlantic Star rocked back and forth the blue-green tinted water glared back up at me. I could see hundreds of Atlantic Menhaden and countless Cownose Rays swimming several feet beneath the surface. No, I was not in the Bahamas or the Caribbean or even remotely close for that matter. This was the coast…

On a particularly fortunate voyage at the Cape May Whale Watch and Research Center, one gets to view smiling Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins and the mysterious Humpback Whale. In the grand scheme of things, whales are a pretty common sighting on trips. This week, the stars finally aligned. After pulling a sharp 180 degree turn my…

My bedroom at home is on the top floor of our house.  It sits back from the main road and there are no streetlights that flood my room with a hazy orange glow.  Instead, the only thing I can see at night is the distinct outline of the pine trees that line my yard.  Sometimes I  pop the screen of one of my windows out and crawl through my open window onto the roof so I can view the unobstructed night sky.  The Big Dipper is always easily visible on a clear night, as is Orion, and even the Seven Sisters, faint and clustered together.  I can even see the Milky Way.  This, I have come to realize, is a rare view for most of the world’s population. A view of the Milky Way over Eagle Lake, Acadia National Park,…

The North Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins that reside in the Cape May, NJ waters are at the top of their food chain. With no viable predators, our dolphins are free to rule the waters, while consuming whatever they choose. As this may seem advantageous for our dolphins, it has actually become a serious health problem. Like…

“Are there any sharks in this ocean?” This is the question that always comes up while I am interning on the boat. And the answer is always yes. Sharks live everywhere in the ocean. Shallow waters, deep waters, some big, some small, some with really sharp teeth, and others with none at all. But why…

When you go for a whale watching trip with the Cape May Whale Watch and Research Center around the island of Cape May, you get much more than you bargained for. An exhilarating close up look at dolphins and whales is always #1 on the agenda when taking a trip, but also along the way, guests aboard are treated to a sample of Cape May’s rich history. And as the oldest seaside resort in the United States, historical details and pirate tales alike never disappoint; the relics of Cape May’s past are apparent even from sea. The Whale Watch’s unique combination experience of marine mammal ecology and Cape May’s past, pieces together the components of a seldom told story, and a dark one, of the town’s connection to commercial whaling and what it meant for our beloved whales today. The…

As the years progress, the use of the oceans for recreational purposes has increased dramatically, leading to a greater number of people living near the ocean, traveling to the ocean, and using recreational boats throughout our oceans. Many don’t realize that, although jet skiing, parasailing, and fishing are all great entertainment activities used at the…

A very popular question that arises while out on our whale watching cruises is the question of when is the best time of the year to see whales in the Jersey shore area and the best time of the day to see them. The question, although appearing to be basic since the Jersey Shore sees…