Cape May - Lewes Ferries

[D'Elete BC in NJ]

Not exactly eligible for the forum contest, but here are a couple panoramics from the past weekend


(Retro - Jedi master of begging forgiveness, not permission, should be proud of his padawan for stepping outside...or inside, perhaps...the bounds for this shot. ;D )


The wine tasting event I attended on Sunday was very popular, with 18 or 20 local vineyards participating. The terminal is accessible to people walking in, with a gift shop, cafeteria and restaurant accessible by everyone, not just ferry travelers. There is a lounge on the second floor that can be rented to hold parties or meetings, and I believe the same is true of the restaurant. Since the access to the lounge was not technically closed (the rope with the "Do Not Enter" sign wasn't actually across the stairs ), we slipped up there to enjoy the view from the balcony.

I managed to get shots of 3 of the 5 ships in the CMLF fleet.

Cape Henlopen (bracketed by a couple of the event tents )

Full Size

Twin Capes

Full Size

Delaware

Full Size

[D'Elete BC in NJ]

Photos of the other two vessels I missed last time


The Cape May


The New Jersey

[Kahloke]

Excellent photos - thanks for sharing! The ferry terminals look quite nice, and modern.

[Northern Exploration]

Those are cool ferries. I have been to Cape May and don't remember the ferries at all. Maybe I missed them altogether.

[Mill Bay]

Those are really unique ferries. They were all initially very much the same in appearance, but several have been modernized... They may look very recently built with their wide bridges similar to the Spirits and their shark's fin funnels, but they actually date from the 70s I beleive, the newest being Cape May, dating from 1985. Actually, oddly enough, they had pulled her from service at some point last year and offered her (their newest vessel) for sale. At the time I posted how BCFerries should have bought her to replaced the Chilliwack with her relatively more recent construction date and her extensive forward viewing, which would also be very good for the northern run.

Great photos here. What a great idea for a family outing.

[D'Elete BC in NJ]

Oct 20, 2008 19:57:09 GMT -8 Northern Exploration said:

Those are cool ferries. I have been to Cape May and don't remember the ferries at all. Maybe I missed them altogether.

They are a little hidden. If you came in on the Parkway, you may have seen the signs as you get near the bridge that takes you over the canal between the bay and the ocean (forms part of the intra-coastal waterway, this being the eastern end of the canal). The Lobster House would be on your left as you come into town (I know NE knows where that is ). The turn for the ferries is right before that bridge, and the terminal is on the western end of the canal.

[D'Elete BC in NJ]

Oct 20, 2008 22:34:43 GMT -8 Mill Bay said:

Those are really unique ferries. They were all initially very much the same in appearance, but several have been modernized... They may look very recently built with their wide bridges similar to the Spirits and their shark's fin funnels, but they actually date from the 70s I beleive, the newest being Cape May, dating from 1985. Actually, oddly enough, they had pulled her from service at some point last year and offered her (their newest vessel) for sale. At the time I posted how BCFerries should have bought her to replaced the Chilliwack with her relatively more recent construction date and her extensive forward viewing, which would also be very good for the northern run.

Great photos here. What a great idea for a family outing.

Both Cape May and Lewes are great day trip destinations, and offer some great historical insights.

Here's the link to the history of this service.

The Cape May is apparently still up for sale. She's the only one of the five I haven't seen in service lately. According to the following news story form last year, her capacity is drastically under utilized.

---

blog.nj.com/ledgerupdates/2007/09/cape_may_ferry_is_up_for_sale.html

---

Cape May ferry is up for sale

The MV Cape May, the largest and most luxurious of five ferries operated by the Delaware River and Bay Authority, is for sale.

The agency, which lost $9 million last year in operating expenses, insurance and security costs, is downsizing its fleet. The MV Cape May sailed only 15 days in the past year.

The proposed sale will not affect this fall's sailing schedule between Cape May and Lewes, Del.

In all, the agency's ferries made 5,676 crossings over the Delaware Bay last year, but the MV Cape May was responsible for only about 40 of them.

"It just doesn't make sense to maintain a vessel for 365 days per year when it's only used 15 days," authority spokesman James Salmon told The Press of Atlantic City for Tuesday's newspapers. "In looking at that, you have paint and labor costs, fuel. It takes a significant amount of energy. All of those things add up."

---

She would be a great addition to the BCFS fleet, though given her hull design, she would probably be limited to sheltered waters in the winter.

[Northern Exploration]

MMM Lobster House. No wonder, I believe I went straight when I could have gone right . I clearly remember the Victorian architecture. I remember the harbour and probably spent all my time on the Island. I really wasn`t there all that long - probably only two hours or so. It was more of a lets grab a bite and see the town because I had heard so much about it. I don`t even think the ferries registered or I am sure I would have deviated to at least grab a look.

[Mill Bay]

Oct 21, 2008 4:22:03 GMT -8 D'Elete BC in NJ said:

"It just doesn't make sense to maintain a vessel for 365 days per year when it's only used 15 days," authority spokesman James Salmon told The Press of Atlantic City for Tuesday's newspapers. "In looking at that, you have paint and labor costs, fuel. It takes a significant amount of energy. All of those things add up."

What doesn't make sense to me, is why they would be trying to sell their newest ferry and the most recently modernized one and holding on to the older ones. Unless it's a case of the V's versus the Spirits and Coastals where they can keep running the remaining V's for next to no cost with shoddy maintenance and their relatively low fuel costs (and lower crew roster, maybe). In addition, when she was modernized it was only from the cardeck up... the engines and mechanical all remained the same, but the specs for all the ships are still supposed to be pretty much close to identical despite the fancy superstructure the Cape May sports.

[D'Elete BC in NJ]

Oct 21, 2008 9:08:44 GMT -8 Mill Bay said:

Oct 21, 2008 4:22:03 GMT -8 D'Elete BC in NJ said:

"It just doesn't make sense to maintain a vessel for 365 days per year when it's only used 15 days," authority spokesman James Salmon told The Press of Atlantic City for Tuesday's newspapers. "In looking at that, you have paint and labor costs, fuel. It takes a significant amount of energy. All of those things add up."

What doesn't make sense to me, is why they would be trying to sell their newest ferry and the most recently modernized one and holding on to the older ones. Unless it's a case of the V's versus the Spirits and Coastals where they can keep running the remaining V's for next to no cost with shoddy maintenance and their relatively low fuel costs (and lower crew roster, maybe). In addition, when she was modernized it was only from the cardeck up... the engines and mechanical all remained the same, but the specs for all the ships are still supposed to be pretty much close to identical despite the fancy superstructure the Cape May sports.

Yeah, I'm not sure I understand it either. The only tidbit I see is the fact she is the biggest ship in the fleet, and from looking at the photos, has less amenities than the Twin Capes which is pretty much the same size. Since most of the traffic I have seen on these ferries is not commercial (backed up by these stats), and the ferries were not extremely full either this past week end, or the weekend before, I would suspect the Cape May is just too much ship for too little demand. My guess is this is more of a factor than efficiency or maintenance ship to ship.

Maybe I can drum up some harder intel the next time I am aboard.

[Northern Exploration]

Ok I have held back but I gotta say it. Did you not pull a Chris and get a bridge tour? Did you not get a temporary NJ Ferry tattoo to help you get special status? Did you get any NJ Ferry clothing? I am disappointed you haven't taken after our Ferry Geek Role models ;D .

[SS San Mateo]

This may explain why the Cape May is up for sale...

"The 23-year-old ferry was put on the market because it is the least efficient of the Delaware Bay-crossing fleet, requiring more crew members, more maintenance work and more fuel -- using about 25 more gallons of fuel per hour than other DRBA vessels."

source: www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080929/NEWS02/809290344

[D'Elete BC in NJ]

Oct 21, 2008 17:10:16 GMT -8 Northern Exploration said:

Ok I have held back but I gotta say it. Did you not pull a Chris and get a bridge tour? Did you not get a temporary NJ Ferry tattoo to help you get special status? Did you get any NJ Ferry clothing? I am disappointed you haven't taken after our Ferry Geek Role models ;D .

hahaha...all I really wanted was a ride in the float

Oct 21, 2008 17:56:17 GMT -8 SS San Mateo said:

This may explain why the Cape May is up for sale...

"The 23-year-old ferry was put on the market because it is the least efficient of the Delaware Bay-crossing fleet, requiring more crew members, more maintenance work and more fuel -- using about 25 more gallons of fuel per hour than other DRBA vessels."

source: www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080929/NEWS02/809290344

Good find...that answers the efficiency question

[D'Elete BC in NJ]

Well, this summer finds the Cape May back in service for at least a bit...she's looking a little worse for wear at the moment, but she seems to be serving proudly.

The Cape Henlopen was out of service and tied up at the auxiliary dock.

[D'Elete BC in NJ]

Alright, I promised a while back to post photos of the last few trips I was able to go on. I'll start with the most recent first, a trip to Cape May:

The fleet minus the Delaware. From left to right, Twin Capes, Cape Henlopen, New Jersey, and Cape May

The Twin Capes makes her way to Lewes, DE

Now to the Cross Sound Fleet:



The Cape Henlopen...not the same one shown above. Seems to be a popular name on the part of the east coast...


The working fleet, New London, CT

The Block Island ferry:

The New London






On board the Mary Ellen

[SS San Mateo]

MV Cape May ferry, once the pride of its fleet, scrapped for metal

Posted: Wednesday, December 4, 2013 1:00 am

By RICHARD DEGENER, Staff Writer


MAURICE RIVER TOWNSHIP - Hissing blowtorches are punctuated by excited men yelling as another big chuck of steel comes crashing down onto the car deck of the MV Cape May. The workers taking apart the 2,100-ton Cape May-Lewes Ferry vessel are understandably happy about the latest chunk of steel they pried from the upper deck. This is one of the biggest jobs most of them have ever done, and the initial work has them high above the Maurice River with little room for error.


But down below a group of men watching the work are not exactly overjoyed. Steve Russell worked for the ferry when the MV Cape May took paying customers between North Cape May and Lewes, Del. He knows the vessel, constructed for $14.5 million in 1985 and remodeled in 1998 for $20 million, is dying way before its time.


"It's sad. It's the newest hull we had, and it's sad to see it never fulfill its mission," Russell said.


Russell now works for Dennis Township-based Northstar Marine Services, which purchased the MV Cape May earlier this year for just $750,000. The company will turn part of the hull into a barge to work on southern New Jersey bridges and possibly service offshore wind turbines if they are ever constructed.

More at: www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/press/cape_may/mv-cape-may-ferry-once-the-pride-of-its-fleet/article_fa173df7-96a6-51c1-a5a7-f9069df69cd6.html

[SS San Mateo]

Fire aboard Cape May-Lewes Ferry found in engine room, report states

A fire aboard the Cape May-Lewes Ferry early Friday morning reportedly broke out in the engine room, according to 6ABC.



The incident was reported around 3 a.m. while the Delaware was docked at its North Cape May terminal. Two crew members who were aboard at the time were not injured. Police scanner reports indicate the heavy fire in the engine room was under control around 6:40 a.m.



There were no passengers aboard the ship during the incident, the report states.

More at: www.nj.com/salem/index.ssf/2014/09/fire_aboard_cape_may-lewes_ferry_found_in_engine_room_report_states.html

[redbirdr33]

Tuscarora Marine Log No. 7



Cape May – Lewes Ferry Update – 2016



The Cape May – Lewes Ferry is operated by the Delaware River and Bay Authority. It crosses Delaware Bay between North Cape May, New Jersey and Lewes, Delaware. The crossing is seventeen miles and the running time is about eighty minutes.



There current fleet consist of three vessels with sailings every 60–90 minutes. There is no spare boat.



1) DELAWARE (555834) built in 1974 by Todd Shipyards

2) NEW JERSEY (560370) built in 1974 by Todd Shipyards

3) CAPE HENLOPEN (637807) built in 1981 by Norfolk Shipbuilding



All three boats are single ended drive through vessels.



Until 2007 a five boat fleet was maintained with four boats required for peak service.



The CAPE MAY (676257) built in 1985 by Norfolk Shipbuilding was sold to Northstar Marine for conversion to an offshore supply vessel.



The TWIN CAPES (563906) built in 1975 by Todd Shipyards was retired in 2013 and is now tied up at the Cape May Terminal awaiting sale.



The DRBA also operates the much smaller all passenger DELAFORT (962031)on the seasonal Forts Ferry between Delaware City, Delaware and Salem, New Jersey.


Larry, RedbirdR33

[SS San Mateo]

The MV Twin Capes was sunk last year to become an artificial reef.

[Neil]

Jan 20, 2019 20:29:30 GMT -8 SS San Mateo said:

The MV Twin Capes was sunk last year to become an artificial reef.

My goodness, she looked young... on this side of the continent, she'd be a candidate for steel replacement and another twenty years of life, at least. We really are the geriatric ward of the ferry world.

[Edmondsguy]

Jan 20, 2019 22:55:34 GMT -8 Neil said:

Jan 20, 2019 20:29:30 GMT -8 SS San Mateo said:

The MV Twin Capes was sunk last year to become an artificial reef.

My goodness, she looked young... on this side of the continent, she'd be a candidate for steel replacement and another twenty years of life, at least. We really are the geriatric ward of the ferry world.

I remember reading The Cape May - Lewes Ferries have been trying to sell of her for years.  They have been having a lot of cash flow problems and been keeping their smaller and in some cases older boats.  Since before Washington State Ferries had the whole SE Nightmare.

[Blue Bus Fan]

Three new vessels that could be alternative fuelled, smaller or faster could be coming to Cape May to Lewis route:

pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/seattle-firm-to-lead-master-plan-review-for-cape-may-lewes-ferry/article_f27261ad-e4cf-5d5b-969d-2e42cef272cd.html