No, the US Coast Guard is not moving the famous South Jersey beacon to New York. Instead, the CAPE MAY LIGHT a brand new 224-passenger U.S.-flag ship is, sporting twin funnels belonging to Delta Queen Coastal Voyages, a subsidiary of Delta Queen Steamboat Company and in turn American Classic Voyages. She will be docking at the Chelsea Piers, foot of West 23rd Street, on the afternoon of Sunday, June 10th arriving from Philadelphia and stays until 9pm on the 11th when she sails for New London.

She is the first of two ships, the second being the CAPE COD LIGHT due out later this year, both designed to cruise the U.S. East Coast, Maritime Canada and into the St. Lawrence River and Seaway. In the winter, the ships will sail south to Belize, Costa Rica, Honduras, Mexico and Panama, and in summer 2002, cruises will range deep into the Great Lakes.

Built at Atlantic Marine, Jacksonville, Florida, the 1,580-ton diesel-powered ship is 300 feet in length, has a beam of 50 feet, a draft of 12.5 feet and a service speed of 13 knots. She rises 67.5 feet from the waterline to the top of the pilothouse. Her pilothouse is open to passengers at all times except when the ship is maneuvering.

PONY members John McFarlane and Ted Scull visited the CAPE MAY LIGHT in South Philadelphia on Saturday, May 26th, and we both liked what we saw. Her interiors could be best described as New England Federal-style, simple and elegant, with some very attractive crystal chandeliers, a molded tin ceiling in the Harbor Lights Lounge and a frieze of stained glass in the Fog Cutters Pub. The walls are decorated with good quality maritime prints, harbor scenes and lighthouses and the furnished antique reproductions.

Dining Room

Lounge

Cabins, nearly all outside, are named after coastal locations, lighthouses, and mostly obscure personages, but all are documented with informational plaques. The Beacon Deck cabins open to the side promenade as do two forward suites on Lantern Deck below. All other outside cabins have big picture windows.

Those familiar with the Delta Queen steamboats will recognize such features as the gold spread eagle above the pilot house, the fresh popcorn machine in the bar and the white iron chairs in the in the Lighthouse Keeper's Bar, the riverboat equivalent of the front porch.

Many of the crew are transfers from the riverboats, and they spoke of getting their sea legs. Oceangoing vessels do have a tendency to pitch and roll with the seas, whereas on the rivers, only slight movements occur by passing barges and tows.

Ted Scull with the ship's bell.

Checkout the website at www.coastalvoyages.com for more information.