Maritime celebration set May 16 at Lewes ferry terminal
Visitors to the Cape May-Lewes Ferry’s fourth annual Maritime Day celebration at the Lewes Ferry Terminal from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, May 16, will experience and celebrate maritime history and its impact on Lewes. Known as the First Town in the First State, Lewes enjoys a heritage rich in both its maritime history and its current maritime interests. The celebration, complete with events, displays, vessel tours and activities, is free, and the public is welcome.
“We planned a great day of activities and tours to celebrate the U.S. Merchant Marine and to promote our community’s rich maritime history, one in which the Cape May-Lewes Ferry plays a prominent part,” said Nikky Fisher, Lewes terminal manager for the ferry.
“This celebration is also an opportunity for the public to learn about the United States Merchant Marine and its service in foreign and domestic trades, its historic support of the nation’s military, and the many careers it offers. These mariners have done so much for our country, and the event is a great opportunity to celebrate their service.”
The event (with many activities indoors) will be held rain or shine. The 2015 Maritime Day Festival includes information booths and nautical displays, vessel tours, maritime history talks and the Lewes Fire Boat water cannon display.
A remembrance ceremony will be held at 1 p.m. to honor sailors who perished on Lewes beaches. Representatives of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Alumni Association and the Pilots Association for the Bay and River Delaware will lay a wreath at the Unknown Sailors’ Cemetery at the Lewes terminal.
Various maritime participants will have booths inside the terminal, glass skywalk, and (weather-dependent) on the boardwalk behind the terminal. A CMLF vessel will be open for public tours of the engine room and bridge. Other vessels will be available for viewing at the adjacent finger pier.
A key participant and sponsor of the event, EMD Power Products, will be on hand to discuss its newer series of diesel engines, a set of which are scheduled to be installed on one of the ferries in the fall. They will reduce emissions by some 36 percent and reduce maintenance expenses at the ferry by approximately $140,000 annually.
Other exhibitors include the Lewes Historical Society, Lightship Overfalls Foundation, U.S. Coast Guard Academy, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, Fort Miles, Delaware Department of Natural Resources & Environmental Control, University of Delaware, Zwaanendael Museum, Lewes Fire Department, The Lighthouse Foundation, Bower Maritime Museum, Delaware Bay and River Cooperative, and the Pilots Association for the Bay and River Delaware.
On the Rocks, the Cape May-Lewes Ferry’s waterfront eatery, will be open to serve food and beverages.
In 1933, Congress declared May 22 as National Maritime Day. The designation honors the contributions of the American merchant marine - civilians who have defended the freedom of the United States since 1775 and who executed the largest sealift the world has ever known during World War II. Observance of National Maritime Day also honors the maritime industry and the benefits it brings Americans in terms of transportation, jobs, goods, and recreational opportunities.
For New Jersey visitors, a special day trip rate has been created to encourage participation. Call 1-800-64FERRY and use the code MARITIME to book a departure from Cape May as a foot passenger and spend a day at the Lewes terminal learning about maritime history. After parking a vehicle for free in the Cape May terminal lot, board the 9:30 a.m. departure for Lewes.
“You’ll have plenty of time to tour maritime vessels, survey the exhibits, and lunch outside on the boardwalk and enjoy waterfront views and great food at On the Rocks,” said Rhona Bronson, director of marketing for the ferry. “Then, catch the 2:45 or 4:15 p.m. boat back from Lewes and you’ll be home in time for dinner.”
