Finally, a guided Bike tour for everyone on Both sides of the Bay!
Join us for a very special tour designed for bird lovers, history enthusiasts, and beer aficionados alike. You don’t have to be a serious biker for this day long tour, beach-cruisers are fine….but it will be a full day jam packed with ornithological novelties, scenic wonders and historic vistas.
Join naturalists from New Jersey Audubon’s Nature Center of Cape May and Cape May Bird Observatory for a very different sort of bird walk. This “walk” (really a ride) will depart from the Cape May County Airport’s Flight Deck Diner at 8:45, after an 8:00 A.M. optional breakfast. A short 2½ mile trek will bring us to Cox Hall Creek Wildlife Management Area where we’ll observe some of the many breeding birds that call this special place home, including nesting Prothonotary Warblers and Indigo Buntings. A series of ponds and a wonderful landscape of diverse regional fauna will complete the Cox Hall experience. After peddling a few leisurely miles along the preserve’s paved and gravel trails we’ll head south for about 4 miles along Bay Drive to the Cape May Lewes Ferry terminal where we’ll hitch a ride on a ferry to the other side. During the hour and half crossing we’ll scan the bay for transiting whales and dolphins, not to mention a plethora of water birds including terns, storm-petrels, osprey and much more.
Once on the other side, we’ll explore our sister cape, Cape Henlopen State Park. Known as Fort Miles during WWII, Cape Henlopen was the most heavily defended site in the United States with its huge 16” 12” and 8” guns protecting the entrance to the Delaware Bay. The history buffs among us will marvel at the bunkers, fortifications and spotting towers, one of which is open to the public and offers an unparalled panoramic view of both Capes. If time allows, we might visit the Seaside Nature Center and the mile long fishing pier where a German U-Boat surrendered to the Delaware National Guard during the war. We’ll leave the Park via the Gordon’s Pond Trail and peddle 5 miles into Rehoboth Beach where we’ll sample some of the many brews at the world famous Dogfish Brewery. After lunch and rehydration, we’ll follow the Junction & Breakwater Trail another 5 miles back to Lewes where we’ll hitch our ride home across the Bay on the Ferry. The leisurely boat ride will give us the perfect opportunity to rest up for a final 5 mile push back to the County airport and that increasingly popular roost for local birders, the Cape May Brewing Company! Since this is our final destination, we can reward ourselves and update our checklists, one for the birds we saw, and a second one for the beers we tasted!
Expect to cover approximately 30 miles throughout the day, but rest assured that frequent stops will enable us to explore natural and historical gems throughout both regions. Bring your own bike or bike rentals can be arranged. A wide brimmed hat, long sleeves, sun block, and water bottle are recommended. Pack refreshments and lunch, or bring money for our stops at the ferry terminals and breweries. Meet at the Flight Deck Diner at the airport at 8am for breakfast or simply arrive later for the 8:45am departure. Top quality lender binoculars will be available for anyone who needs them.
Call the Nature Center of Cape May, 609-898-8848, for details and to preregister. Cost: members $40, nonmembers $60, college student discounts apply with proper ID; includes a round trip walk-on ferry pass.
…don’t forget your camera!