Cape May – Lewes Ferry officials announced that the Delaware Bay ferry service will begin operations on January 11, starting with the 10:30 a.m. departure from Cape May. The ferry service has been closed since January 4, 2018 due to ice conditions in the Delaware Bay. The following is the schedule for Thursday, January 11:
Cape May, NJ Lewes, DE
10:30 a.m. 12:15 p.m.
2:30 p.m. 4:15 p.m.
6:00 p.m. 7:45 p.m.
“These past few days, Mother Nature has provided some relief with higher temperatures and much calmer winds,” said Jennifer Shivers, assistant director of Business Operation for the ferry. “The tugboat, Northstar Integrity, really helped to break up the ice. Conditions are improving and given the weather forecast, we expect to resume service across the Delaware Bay.”
Due to expected low water and the potential for ice accumulation overnight and into the early morning hours tomorrow, the first round trip, 7:00 a.m. leaving Cape May and 8:45 a.m. departing Lewes, is cancelled.
Shivers added that normal operations are anticipated for Friday, January 12. “Given the unpredictable nature of weather, we suggest that travelers who plan to use the Cape May-Lewes Ferry confirm that we are operating before coming here,” she noted. “Any service delay or cancellation will be updated on both our website and social media outlets.”
The week-long service suspension was not the longest in the ferry’s history. The ferry service was shut down due to extreme ice conditions during a bitter cold weather outbreak from January 11 through February 25, 1977.
Travelers who plan to use the Cape May – Lewes Ferry are asked to call the Cape May – Lewes Ferry Guest Services Center at 800 64 FERRY (800.643.3779) or visit the ferry’s website at www.cmlf.com
