Cape May Point

Sunday September 22,2013
Matt’s Driveway
Cape May Courthouse, New Jersey

 

 

It’s hard to go very far along the east coast without running into a lighthouse.

 

 

 

 

Seems that every place we go there is a lighthouse to visit and Cape May is no exception.  Its lighthouse is way down on the very tip of New Jersey just before you fall into either the Atlantic or the Delaware Bay and have to swim for it.  It’s the Cape May Point  Light House and is located in Cape May Point State Park.   In their visitor information center I look at a map of the lighthouses just in New Jersey.  it’s pretty astounding.  The entire east coastline looks just like this.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are seeing more signs that fall is on its way.

 

As we approach the lighthouse, on the side of  the visitor information center,  we see this bittersweet bush all decorated for fall.  It’s hard for me to believe summer is over.  It seems to have flown by.  The temperatures are gorgeous here.  In the 50’s at night and the 70’s during the day.  Just perfect.  And along the water there seems always to be a good breeze.

 

 

 

 

 

The Cape May Point lighthouse has guarded the tip of New Jersey at the mouth of the Delaware Bay for 180 years. 

 

The first lighthouse was built on this site in 1823.  This one, constructed in 1859 is the third on this site.  It stands 157.5 feet high and is still active and operated by the Coast Guard.   There are 199 steps up to the top and a $7 fee for the climbing.  We declined the $14 toll not the steps.   But we did go inside to see the renovations done by the Mid Atlantic Center for the Arts in Cape May which now leases the lighthouse from the State of New Jersey which owns it.

 

 

 

 

In addition to the map of New Jersey Lighthouses  we also see this map in the visitor center.  It is of the shore line and the changes over time.  They sure have lost a lot of beach here.  After seeing the difference between the 1842 shore line and 1995, I have to wonder where the 2013 line is.

 

 

 

What in the world is that?

 

 

As we walk toward the shore we see a structure right out on the beach.  What  is that? 

Turns out it is another WW II bunker.  We’d first heard about them when we stayed in Fishermen’s Memorial in Rhode Island.  Here,   one was built in 1941 and a sister on the Delaware side to defend the mouth of the Delaware Bay.  Grass is still growing on the roof but it is clearly no longer under ground.  In fact, it is in the water other than at low tide.  We really lucked out to see it.

 

 

 

The other thing we’ve come to see is one of the top birding spots in the country.

 

We walk a little way down the beach and turn up to see the dikes and ponds which attract one of the largest concentrations of birders in the country in the spring and fall.

 

 

 

They are here in numbers today.

 

But before we go up to see what they are seeing, we take a walk around to see what we can see.

 

 

At this time of year, the birders are mostly here to see raptors.  Here are the folks we spy in the ponds as we walk by.

 

Great Blue Heron

 

Snowy Egret

 

 

 

There is another set of seven swans a swimming.  No wonder that’s the number in the song lyrics.  This is twice in a than a month we’ve seen a flock of 7 swans.

 

 

And what I think, and hope someone will confirm, are Northern Shovelers.

 

  

 

 

We walk up to the platform and see the Cape May Fall Hawk Watch is well under way.

 

 

 

 

We are seriously out gunned in terms of equipment.  These folks are determined.

 

 

 

We make one more stop before heading home.

 

After seeing an eagle chase an osprey for a fish and trying to see the merlin that everyone seemed to see but us, we leave the birders and head back toward the town stopping on our way at a Nature Conservancy property. 

I have been a member of the Nature Conservancy for a long time and was on their speakers bureau for a number of years in Charlottesville so I am always interested in seeing lands they have helped to protect.

 

 

This one is a lovely marsh with a short trail around it.

 

 

One of the highlights here is the swan with three signets.

 

 

She’s seems to be doing some ballet or stretching exercises while they feed.

 

 

I’m not sure why we’ve been seeing so many swans lately.  But they certainly are beautiful.

 

 

 

The wetlands have their fall dresses on.  The red tinges are particularly striking.

 

 

 

This preserve protects a section of the beach as well as the marsh at its back.

 

   

 

 

This is the perfect time of year to visit.  No mosquitoes.

 

 

 

 

 

Winnona FINALLY gets a bath!

 

Time for lunch back at Winnona and this afternoon David finishes washing Winnona.  He did the roof yesterday.  Poor filthy Winnona.  I know she is heaving a big sigh of relief.  Tomorrow afternoon is her big inside cleaning day so she’s is going to be looking very fine inside and out.

 

 

 

 

THE END