wildwood

I have only ever been able to see skates and rays in aquariums and through photos, but never with my own eyes. While being a Research Intern at the Cape May Whale Watch and Research Center I had the amazing opportunity to see my first ever ray, well actually the first hundred rays of my…

5/15/21 – CMWWRC Database On May 15th, 2021, I witnessed a very rare event. Some would even say it was once in a lifetime sight. It seemed like just a normal day on the water while interning on the American Star for Cape May Whale Watch and Research Center. But, halfway through our trip, we…

A variety of processes contribute to the changing appearances of New Jersey’s beaches. Each year, some beaches grow while others shrink as a result of longshore drift gradually pushing sand from one shore point to the next. Nor’easters, hurricanes, and rising sea levels can exacerbate the process, removing massive sections of the beaches along the…

On August 26, 2016 at 1pm, we left the dock at Utsch’s Marina and headed through the Cape May harbor towards the Cold Spring inlet. I was hoping to see many dolphins and whales because it was my last day interning at the Cape May Whale Watch and Research Center for the season. We proceeded out…

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…

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…

Figure 1; Credit to Cape May Whale Watch and Research Center Database; Photo taken by Victoria Reader Throughout the summer, I have been researching the patterns of the Scalloped Hammerhead (Sphyrna lewini) in the waters of Cape May and Wildwood from this year compared to last year’s data. Last year the American and Atlantic Star…