New Jersey’s official tall ship, oyster schooner A.J. Meerwald, is coming to South Riverwalk Park in Trenton, on Saturday, May 11. The historic wooden, traditionally-rigged tall ship will offer two public sails departing from South Riverwalk Park. The two-hour trips are a way to experience the Delaware River and spend time with family and friends. Passengers can help the crew hoist the sails or simply relax and enjoy an unforgettable experience.
In addition to the public sails, the ship is also in town to offer educational sails for students in coordination with Mercer County. The educational sails feature fish identification, navigation, life as an oysterman and a visit with the ship’s captain.
The schooner A.J. Meerwald is a restored oyster dredging schooner from Bivalve, New Jersey. Launched in 1928, A.J. Meerwald was adapted to efficiently fulfill the prevailing conditions and specific demands of her native waters. A.J. Meerwald was one of nearly 500 schooners built along the Delaware Bay before the decline of the local shipbuilding industry in the 1930s. A century later, there are only a handful of converted schooners still harvesting oysters.
Today, the AJ Meerwald is operated by the Bayshore Center at Bivalve as a traveling classroom and vehicle to enjoy the area’s waterways. Passengers can enjoy the excitement and wonder of sailing aboard a 115-foot schooner from the age of sail, including joining the crew in hauling lines and setting sails.
Public sails from Trenton will be offered on Monday and Tuesday, May 13 and 14, at 5 p.m. Tickets are $50 per person, and guests are invited to bring their own snacks and beverages. The evening sails will cruise along the scenic Delaware River, which is part of the national Wild & Scenic Rivers system. The schooner can also be chartered for private events. The current sailing schedule and tickets can be found at www.bayshorecenter.org/our-ship/public-sails.
A dockside reception will be held on May 14 at 4 p.m. for members of the public and special invited guests. Boat Tours will be provided to the public by Bayshore Center volunteers on Saturday and Sunday, May 11 and 12, from 11 a.m. to noon and 1 to 2 p.m.
The public can also watch the boat depart for Lewes, Delaware, at 8 a.m. on Wedneday, May 15.
The Bayshore Center at Bivalve is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to advance the understanding of the human impact on New Jersey’s aquatic environment through education, advocacy, and programming. In addition to operating the A.J. Meerwald, BCB also operates the Delaware Bay Museum and offers shore-based programs at its campus and the schooner’s home port of Bivalve on the scenic Maurice River in Cumberland County.
For more information, go to www.bayshorecenter.org or contact the Bayshore Center at Bivalve at 856-785-2060 or info@BayshoreCenter.org.
The historic schooner A.J. Meerwald offers tours and sails from Trenton’s South Riverwalk Park between May 11 and 14.,
