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SUNSET BEACH CAPE MAY POINT NEW JERSEY
Plenty of things to do and see...
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| Miniature Golf |
| Mini golf is fun no matter where you play, so what sets Sunset Beach Mini Golf apart from the rest? "The View!" The sparkling Delaware Bay is visible from all 18 holes. The first nine holes are wheelchair accessible so that everyone can play. |
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Concrete Ship...The Atlantus
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For over 50 years, just off Sunset Beach, in Historic Cape May Point, New Jersey, lies the concrete ship Atlantus .
Due to a critical shortage of steel, during World War I, the federal government turned to experimental design concrete ships. An emergency fleet of 38 concrete ships were planned, by the United States Sipping Board. Only 12 of the concrete ships were ever put into service. Two others had construction begun, but were never completed.
The "Atlantus" was the second prototype, a 3,000 ton 250 foot long freighter, built with a 5 inch thick hull of special concrete aggregate, to correct shattering and brittleness problems found in the first concrete ship.
The "Atlantus" was built by the Liberty Shipbuilding Corporation, of Brunswick, Georgia. She was launched on November 21st, 1918, at Wilmington, North Carolina. Commissioned June 1st, 1919, the "Atlantus" served for a year as a government owned privately-operated commercial coal steamer in New England.
With the end of the war, the more efficient steel ships were again available. The "Concrete Fleet" was de-commissioned, and the "Atlantus' was sent to the "Bone Yard" at "Pigs Point", in Norfolk, Virginia in September of 1920. A year later, the "Atlantus" was stripped after being purchased by a salvage company.
In 1926, the "Atlantus" was towed to Cape May, New Jersey. A Baltimore firm was attempting to start a ferry service from Cape May, New Jersey to Lewes, Delaware. It was planned to have a channel dredged well into shore. The "Atlantus" would then be forced into the channel. A special drawbridge type of device was to be mounted on the exposed end. Two other bulks would be sunk at angles creating a "Y" shape. The ferry would dock by wedging in and cars and passengers would load and unload by use of the drawbridge.
While awaiting positioning, the "Atlantus" broke loose of her moorings during a storm June 8th, 1926 and went aground. Several attempts were made to free the "Atlantus" - they were futile.
Thousands of visitors come annually to view the cracked weather-beaten hull and collect beautiful Cape May Diamonds that lie in abundance on Sunset Beach in Historic Cape May Point, New Jersey. |
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| Cape May Diamonds...The Diamond of Cape May |
The Kechemeche Indians were the first to find the fascinating and beautiful stones now known as "Cape May Diamonds." The Indians came to believe that these curious stones possessed supernatural power bringing success and good fortune.
"Cape May Diamonds" are pure quartz crystals and are found in a variety of sizes and colors. The actual source of these amazing gems is in the faraway upper reaches of the Delaware River. Pieces of quartz crystal are eroded and broken off from veins and pockets by the swift running waters of streams. Then begins the some 200 mile journey that takes thousands of years to complete. The strong tidal flow against the hulk of the sunken concrete ship " Atlantus " is the cause for them to wash ashore here in such great abundance. |
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When polished and faceted, these gems have the actual appearance of real diamonds. Before the advent of modern gem scanning equipment, many a pawn broker was fooled by a "Cape May Diamond."
We have a large selection of "Cape May Diamond" rings available in our gift shop. Come visit and find your very own "Cape May Diamond" for the gem of your vacation! |
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Flag Ceremony...The Evening Flag Ceremony is a 40 year Tradition at
Sunset Beach |
| When visiting Cape May and Sunset Beach, be sure to leave at least one night open to join us for our evening flag ceremony held daily in season (May through September). We are immensely proud of this tradition which has been a staple of our area for over 40 years. All of the flags that we fly at our mast are veterans' casket flags that have been donated by the families. We are honored to fly them here at Sunset Beach. There is nothing as thought provoking than to watch the sun set over the Delaware Bay while taps plays and Old Glory is lowered for the evening. If you have not experienced this emotionally moving tradition, we invite you to be a participant in this celebration of being an American. |
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