Hidden Treasures

Higbee Beach 5/15/22 Photo credit: Sherri Sorbello

A piece of history known as the “ghost tracks” have returned to the Higbee Beach area along the Delaware River in Cape May. Beach erosion and storms have continued to unearth the tracks from time to time, most recently in the last 10 days. My daughter and I visited that area yesterday.

The century-old tracks were built by the Cape May Sand Company who in 1905 began sand mining and dredging sand from the beach to be processed for glass and cement.

During the World War I period (1916-1919) this area served as a munitions testing ground performed by the Bethlehem Steel Loading Company. The tracks were used to move cannons and massive munitions along the coastline that were then fired into the beach and sand dunes to test their strength for the US and its allies, including Russia, France, and England.

Fortunately, sand mining operations were suspended in 1936 when Cape May became concerned about depleting sand from nearby bathing beaches.

This is how the tracks appeared on May 15, 2022.

Photo credit: Sherri Sorbello
Photo credit: Sherri Sorbello

Photo credit: Sherri Sorbello

Photo credit: Sherri Sorbello

Resources: https://www.phillyvoice.com/cape-may-ghost-tracks-higbee-beach-railroad-noreaster/

https://www.nj.com/cape-may-county/2022/05/coastal-storm-unearths-cape-mays-century-old-creepy-ghost-tracks.html

Along the Delaware Bay

I love to stare at waves rolling onto a sandy beach. The motion and soft sounds usually lull me into a state of deep relaxation. Here are two videos I took earlier in June this year in the area of Cape May, NJ. Perhaps you’d like to share a peaceful moment with me now…

The above video was take at Sunset Beach in Cape May Point. If you look closely you will see a sunken concrete ship, the S.S. Atlantus, at the end of the video. You can read more about the ship HERE.

This video is taken at the more rural Higbee Beach in North Cape May. The morning was cloudy and windy, but the waves and slight howling of the wind still did the trick for me. Here is a LINK to the colorful history of this beach.

A few more looks at waves…

Sunset Beach
Higbee Beach
Higbee Beach