Captivated by Cape May

Living in New Jersey means I have more than 100 miles of coastline to enjoy. And I definitely enjoyed myself last weekend along the state's southernmost coastline: Cape May. I took the photo above during HarborFest, a celebration of the city's proximity to and relationship with the sea. As you can see, there were plenty of booths, and of course there was plenty of seafood. (I'm still waxing poetic to friends and family about the scallop wrap I had for lunch there. Three words: to die for.) The evening before I arrived, there was even a blessing-of-the-waters ceremony and a rededication of a beautiful memorial to local fishermen who've been lost at sea.

A lot of the activity during HarborFest took place in and around the Nature Center, which offered everything from hands-on learning exhibits for kids to eco-kayak tours. And coincidentally, a big group of Sea Ray owners were enjoying a rendezvous at South Jersey Marina, just a few blocks away, so they mixed and mingled with the rest of us.

Look for more information about Cape May in my story appearing in our December issue's special destinations section.

Desirable Destination

It's always a thrill to receive a letter from a reader when he/she likes something you've written. This morning I had just that experience when Mark Allen of the Canyon Club Resort Marina in Cape May, New Jersey, e-mailed me to say how much he enjoyed my November "Megayachts" column, in which I urge yacht owners to expand their horizons and explore places other than the same spots they go to year after year.

Here's what Mark had to say:

We’ve been actively trying to entice the larger motor yachts to visit our marina here in Cape May for the past couple of years. We can handle up to three in the 110’ range at one time and have plenty of water underneath. And we have a great town for both crews and owners as well as a year-round service facility at our nearby sister marina.

But we can’t seem to get the "desirable destination" message out.

Consider the word out, Mark. As for you yacht owners: Consider yourselves educated. Being a Jersey girl, I can attest to how beautiful Cape May is. A few of our other editors have been there, too. And if any of you have, feel free to share your knowledge here.