From May 11 – 14, 2024, A.J. Meerwald, New Jersey’s official Tall Ship, will be sailing from Trenton thanks to the support of County Executive Dan Benson, Commissioner Samuel Frisby, and the Mercer County Park Commission. Set sail aboard a historic wooden, traditionally-rigged tall ship – two public sails departing from South Riverwalk Park will be offered. The two-hour public sails are a wonderful 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.
The purpose of the visit is to offer education sails to students. During the ship’s stay, the crew will work with Mercer County to provide educational sails featuring 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 embodies the true spirit of the schooner, adapted to efficiently fulfill the prevailing conditions and specific demands of her native waters. A.J. Meerwald was one of nearly five hundred schooners built along the Delaware Bay before the decline of the local shipbuilding industry in the 1930s. One hundred years 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. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can even join the crew in hauling lines and setting sails! Enjoy the great outdoors as you breathe in the fresh air and marvel at the scenery that surrounds you.
Public sails will be offered at the following times:
Monday, May 13 at 5pm;
Tuesday May 14 at 5pm.
Tickets are $50 per person and guests are invited to bring their own snacks and beverages. The 2-hour 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 Tuesday, May 14 at 4pm 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 from 11-12 and 1-2pm.
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. BCB operates the authentically restored 1928 oyster schooner A.J. MEERWALD, New Jersey’s official tall ship, as a hands-on sailing classroom throughout the region. It 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.
