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A few raindrops can’t sink Lewes Maritime Day

Event serves as official opening of historic Lightship Overfalls for another busy season
Wreaths are placed in front of the Lightship Overfalls in memory of six members who died over the past year in addition to the ill-fated crew of the Lightship Nantucket and all merchant mariners. The event took place during Lewes Maritime Day May 18 in Canalfront Park. RON MACARTHUR PHOTOS
Ron MacArthur
May 25, 2024

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A little bit of rain didn’t dampen the annual Lewes Maritime Day held May 18 in Canalfront Park.

The event opened with a solemn ceremony to honor Lightship Overfalls volunteers who died the past year, including William Reader, Robert Cote, John Page Holt III, Beverly Kennedy, J. “Faye” McDaniel and Helen Schnoebelen. Tribute was also paid to the seven sailors on the Lightship Nantucket who lost their lives 90 years ago. In heavy fog, the ship was struck by the RMS Olympic May 15, 1934.

The event included a variety of sea-related activities, including tours of the Lightship Overalls and newly restored Lifesaving Station, a memorial service, a History Happens Here tour by Cape Water Taxi, Freedom Boat Club rides, exhibits, demonstrations and Grandpa Mac’s food truck. Also, the Lewes Historical Society hosted a living history event and highlighted its new The Wireless exhibit at the Cannonball House. 

New Jersey’s official tall ship A.J. Meerwald, at the Lewes public dock, offered tours May 18 and a public sailing May 19.

Maritime Day is the official opening for the historic Lightship Overfalls as it begins another busy season of tours and events. Although the lightship docked at Canalfront Park was never stationed off Lewes, it’s a restored ship that served at three New England stations from 1938 to 1972. The Boston, its last assignment, arrived in Lewes in 1973 and was named in honor of the lightship sailors stationed at the mouth of Delaware Bay at Overfalls Shoals. Restoration efforts were led by a dedicated group of volunteers known as the Dirty Hands Gang.

Major sponsors included Beach Flooring Designs, Freedom Boat Club, Groome Church, Henlopen Bait & Tackle and Lewes Historical Society. Involved in the planning were Heath Gehrke, Cape May-Lewes Ferry director of operations; Betsy Reamer and Ted Becker, Lewes Chamber of Commerce; Michael Safina, Overfalls Foundation; Eleisa Weber, Coast TV; and Janet Reeves and Giulia Kirsch, City of Lewes.

Sen. Russ Huxtable, D-Lewes, and Sussex County Councilman Mark Schaeffer of Lewes presented proclamations to the Overfalls Foundation.

 

Schooner A.J. Meerwald, New Jersey’s official tall ship, is docked in Lewes as part of Maritime Day events. An oyster boat, the Meerwald dates back to 1928. It has a long history with several owners, a conversion to a fire boat in the 1940s and an eventual donation to what is now the Bayshore Center at Bivalve. It was open for tours May 18 and went sailing May 19.
Tours of the Overfalls were nonstop throughout the day as people learned how a lightship work.
Emma Roseman, visiting Lewes with her family from Pennsylvania, is a champ at playing a larger-than-life game of Connect Four.
Pirates of Lewes Expeditions are ready for another swashbuckling season on the seas. Pirates are (l-r) Mike Burke, Julie Marotta and Hollee Repman.
Sea Scouts Ship 198 member Adrienne Hanna demonstrates how to tie nautical knots.
Oskar Lindsjo tries his hand at casting at the Henlopen Bait & Tackle booth.
Eight memorial wreaths line the grounds in front of the Lightship Overfalls in honor of fallen mariners and six foundation members who died over the past year.
Michael Safina, Overfalls Foundation president, talks about the contributions to the lightship made by six members who died over the past year.
Cathy Gorman sings the national anthem to open Maritime Day festivities. The local musician also sang “God Bless America.”
The Sussex Technical High School U.S. Coast Guard JROTC Color Guard presents the flags to open the ceremony.
Seaside Jewish Community Rabbi Julie Hilton Danan offers the invocation and also provided the benediction.
Heath Gehrke, Cape May-Lewes Ferry director of operations, talks about the critical role merchant mariners play in the economy of Delaware and the nation.
Lewes Mayor Andrew Williams has the official duty of opening the Lightship Overfalls for another season of tours and events.
Featured speaker U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Danielle Taylor is supervisor for Marine Safety Detachment Lewes.
Lightship Overfalls tour guide John Bolster rings the ship’s bell for each mariner who died over the last year.
Dave Beck, Overfalls Foundation vice president, prepares to lead people on a tour of the historic lightship.
A drizzle didn’t deter people from coming out to the annual Lewes Maritime Day.
Volunteer crew on the A.J. Meerwald gets some hands-on training before a public sail from Lewes into Delaware Bay May 19.
Booths take over Canalfront Park during the annual Maritime Day in Lewes.
Distributing poppies for American Legion Post 17 in Lewes are (l-r) Linda Roper, Amanda Armstrong and Lily Armstrong.
Lewes Historical Society volunteer Tri McCarthy works in the society’s new period garden, which is growing a variety of fruits, vegetables and herbs, including pumpkins, lettuce, potatoes, onions, carrots and strawberries.
Teagan Choma watches a wooden ball head toward the pins, as she plays a 19th-century game of skittles bowling at the Lewes Historical Society complex.

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