Tom’s River A number of maritime festivities honoring the area’s nautical legacy will begin when the historic A.J. Meerwald, New Jersey’s official tall ship, enters Barnegat Bay for a port call.
With a midday parade of sail up the Toms River, the 1928 oyster schooner is scheduled to arrive on July 9. Around noon, local boaters are invited to accompany the ship upriver and join the welcoming flotilla. The visit will include public tours and educational activities that emphasize the history of oystering and boatbuilding in New Jersey, as well as the significance of maintaining Barnegat Bay’s health.
The Island Heights Yacht Club will have open boat excursions of the Meerwald on Wednesday at 5 p.m. and Sunday at 10 a.m. Thanks to collaborations with neighborhood groups like the Barnegat Bay Yacht Racing Association, Save Barnegat Bay, and the Barnegat Bay Maritime Museum, the weeklong stop will provide programs for over 500 children and adults.
According to Jessica Yorke, executive director of the Bayshore Center at Bivalve, which owns and runs the Meerwald, the visit is a celebration of New Jersey’s rich maritime traditions and the people who have worked its waters for decades. Healthy and robust waterways are essential to our industry and communities.
The Meerwald will provide public sails from Atlantic Highlands on July 16–20, Liberty State Park in Jersey City on July 23–27, and Cape May starting on July 30 from the Cape May Ferry Terminal after leaving Toms River.
Local sponsors Silent Maid, Coastal Queen, Mission Spirits, Ward Wight | Sotheby’s International Realty, Bivalve Packing, and de Rouville’s Boat Shop are supporting the ship’s 2025 journey.
