Cape Henlopen Fishing Pier to reopen for Labor Day weekend

The historic Cape Henlopen Fishing Pier will reopen Friday, Sept. 4, about 4:30 p.m. for the Labor Day weekend. The pier and nearby surf-fishing opportunities make Cape Henlopen State Park the most popular fishing destination in Delaware, so after a spring and summer closure for repairs, the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control worked to reopen the pier as soon as possible.

The pier was closed late last year because the pilings that support it had deteriorated. In April, the piling repair project was awarded through competitive bid to Commerce Construction of Bridgeport, N.J. This week the contractor completed $400,000 of repairs to some 108 pilings, wrapping up the first phase of the pier’s latest renovation. The second phase entails decking replacement and various repairs to the pier’s superstructure and fencing with work to be done over the winter.

The Cape Henlopen Fishing pier was originally built by the Army to serve Fort Miles during World War II. The pier is more than 70 years old and, according to DNREC’s consulting engineers, has long outlived it useful life expectancy. The pier was repaired in 2006, 2008, 2009, and 2012. In 2008, 18 pilings were repaired, with 101 additional pilings repaired in 2009. This latest renovation project is expected to extend the life span of the pier for two to five years and is the largest repair to date undertaken by Delaware State Parks.

State Parks Director Ray Bivens acknowledged that “this is still only a short-term solution for the iconic and very popular pier” and capital funds have been requested for the planning of a replacement structure.

Bivens also commended Speaker of the House Rep. Peter Schwartzkopf, R-Rehoboth Beach, along with Reps. Steve Smyk, R-Milton, and Timothy Dukes, R-Laurel, and Sen. Ernie Lopez, R-Lewes, for helping to expedite the pier’s reopening by contributing community transportation funds to assist Delaware State Parks with the project.

Anglers using the pier from the Labor Day weekend forward are reminded that the privately-operated park concession Lighthouse View Bait & Tackle Shop will reopen in the spring of 2016, with anglers advised until then to buy their bait and supplies associated with pier fishing prior to entering Cape Henlopen State Park.