THE CAPE MAY CHARTERS/ CAPE MAY CRUISES DIFFERENCE-

When chartering a boat of any size, dont you deserve the best?

The 110 ft. SPIRIT OF CAPE MAY was custom built in Crown Point, LA. All aluminum, with a 28 ft beam, she is the largest charter boat in South Jersey. She is capable of wonderful cruising and party trips, as well as fishing excursions. She has two decks, a large cabin with seating for over 100 people, outdoor seating on the main deck for an additional 120 people and upper deck with space for 175 people. The upper deck has an enclosed area with seating that s reversible, and permiter seating around the entire upper deck, including the large open air dance floor, a feature unlike any other boat in South Jersey. She has a large galley on the main deck featuring hot and cold food, as well as caterer services for food from one of our many caterers. A full bar is available on both the lower and upper deck. DJs can spin your favorite music in the upper deck sound booth, or for a real treat, have us book your favorite live band for a trully unique and fun cruise.

Her electronics are extensive, including two high power fishfinder, two high power radars, two Northstar Chartplotters with WAAS GPS, Loran, two VHFs, and a single side band. Her dual anchoring setup will get you positioned perfectly when wreck fishing and her large cushioned seating is perfect for napping on extened trips.

The other boats in the fleet represent Cape May Charters as boats under such a formidable flagship should. No boat in the fleet is allowed to be subpar.

Licensed captains (5) with a minimum of 5 years experience and a maximum of 40 years cruising and fishing in the Cape May area. Experienced and courteous deck hands to tend to your needs.

We insure that you get the best trip, not worrying about how much fuel we are using. Whether its drinks at the open bar, amounts of food for your catered event, bait on your drum fish trip, or tackle for your tuna charter. We don't skimp on anything, and there are no extra charges or hidden fees. We lay out before you make your deposit.

Our specialty in cruising is dolphin watching and whale watchig. We have been doing these trips since 1993 and we have perfected. ANother popular trip is the Sunset cruise. This time of day lends itself well to birthdays, wedding rehersal dinners, diner cruising, beef and beers, fundraising, fireworks cruising, etc. We also do lighthouse cruises which has been a real crowd pleaser. We can do WWII History cruises, bird watching, kayak tours, beach parties, and water front bar taxi service.

Our main fishing target is Striped Bass inshore, which we catch just about all season and Tuna offshore. If we have trouble catching Striped Bass then we switch to what ever fish is available at the time, Drumfish, Weakfish, Fluke, Bottom fish, or jig Bluefish inshore, we don't lock you into one type of fishing. Offshore we go after Giant Sea Bass in the winter, Wahoo, White Marlin, Yellowfin and Bluefin Tuna, and of course Mahi Mahi.

As you may have guessed we have been in the Cape May area for a long time. We run over 1000 trips in a seven month season, that alone tells you something about our reputation.

Yes our price is slightly higher then the other boats in the area, but you get what you pay for. Just the comfort and luxury of our flagship shows the difference.

You will find cheaper boats out there, but they won't compare to our boats and operation.

Ladies, children and non-fisherman are welcome. Let us make your day on the water more than what you expected.

THE STEWARTS ON THE CAPE:

The Stewart Family have been boating in Southern New Jersey for three solid generations.

It all started when Robert A. Stewart, and his wife Elizabeth Stewart purchased land in on 2nd Street in North Wildwood, so many years ago. Robert, known as Arnold or Arn to his friends and family, was an expert Pattern Maker, as well as a Pilot, a fisherman, and a lover of nature. The home which Robert and his father built in North Wildwood as a summer home, became the base of operations for true summer fun and relaxations for years. This is where young Jeffrey J. Stewart made his first adventures into the world of boating.

Young Jeffrey grew up in Eddystone, PA, and spent his summers in North Wildwood, NJ exploring all that Herford Inlet had to offer. From surfing, to fishing and snorkeling, to waterskiing, Young Jeffrey and his older brother Bob Stewart, were experts on the water from a very young age. Bob Stewart, both a first class lifeguard and surfer (once swam around the whole island) went onto a very successful carreer in law. Jeffrey followed another path.

When Jeffrey stood in the kitchen of the North Wildwood house at age 18, and was asked by his peers, what do you want to do with your summer, he told them all he wished to get a job aboard the boat which he had ridden as a young child with his father, Robert, The Big Flamingo. The Big Flamingo started in post World War 2 Wildwood Crest by George Sinn and his Wife Hazel, was a staple in 1973 when young Jeffrey J. Stewart got his first job as a deck hand aboard the Big Flamingo 2.

From the start, Jeffrey loved the job. He loved the boat, he loved the people, and he loved working for the Sinns. Both Georges son Ron, and Hazel took young Jeffrey in and made him an integral part of the team at Sinns Dock. Soon, Jeffrey obtained his 100 ton Captains Liscence and began running boats for the Sinns. He did make several starts in fishing on both the Buccanear, as well as the Ebb Tide, but his true love was cruising. And he was exceptional at it. Sinns Dock was unique for offering the largest and fastest boats available in the industry at the time. The original boat young Jeffrey went to work on was the first Aluminum hulled passenger carrying, U.S. Coast Guard certified vessel of its kind on the East Coast in 1970, as well as the first quad screw vessel.

Jeff loved that boat and when she went away in 1977, he knew he would see her again. As the years passed Jeff went into other markets. The motor yacht and sportfish markets were busting at the seems in the 1980's, and Captain Jeff began to sell both new and used boats for Cape Island Yacht Sales. It was here that Captain Jef furthered his knowledge in boating, by running boats north and south to florida, helping buyers properly outfit their boats for cruising and fishing, understanding the building process by visiting the different manufacturing facilities and gaining first hand knowledge by on occassion repairing boats. Boat Sales was very good to Captain Jeff. During this time, he began a family of his own, with his wife Mary at his side. Mary, an accomplished culinary arts Major as well as a musician, raised Jeff Jr., the oldest along with his sisters Mary and Brigid. As the 80's came to a close, Captain Jeff saw a change coming in the boat sales market, and found his way back to sightseeing and his true love, cruising.

In 1990, at Sinns Dock in Wildwood Crest, Captain Jeff started full time with Captain Ron Sinn and his mother Hazel Sinn. The familar Big Flamingo was a new boat, as well as a boat named the Dixie Queen for dinner cruising and whale watching and the PT-109, a speed boat ride, inspiried by the heroics of John F. Kennedy in World War 2.

Captain Jeff went to work and helped spur on a business in Whale Watching and Dolphin Watching where none had existed before. The extreme success led Captain Jeff to the hope of purchasing Sinns Dock as well as the Big Flamingo, with an investor in 1993. However, as with most things, it did not work out and Captain Jeff went shopping for a new place of operations his ideas of how a first class operation should be run. In 1993, Captain Jeff, and his investor, purchased the Miss Chris Marina from Frank and Chrissy Spiegel. They then purchased a very special boat which Jeff had kept tabs on for nearly 20 years, which happened to be out in Put-in-Bay, Ohio, home of the longest bar in the world. The very special boat, happened to be the Big Flamingo from 1973, the very special boat which Jeff had loved so much so many years ago.

The investor and Jeff went to work improving the marina, and starting the Cape May Whale Watcher from scratch. A new Business was born. It should be noted that a whale watching boat was in operation in Cape May already, the Cape May Whale Watch and Research center. It had been in operation since 1988. It operated a vessel named the Holiday, a 60ft Diebold, which was a locally built wooden party boat meant for fishing trips which was converted to serve the purposes of marine mammal tours and capable of. The Cape May Whale Watcher on the other hand was a 100ft long, all aluminum 4 engine boat built for speed and comfort and most importantly cruising.

It wasnt easy at first. The Cape May Whale Watcher was located one block off the main street, but one block seemed just far enough. The competition was established and on the main street. For the first couple of years, it was not easy to get the ball rolling. But roll she did. However, not enough for Captain Jeff's investor, and he decided to sell. The investor offered the business to Captain Jeff first, and he accepted. in 1996, 24 years after he first worked on her, Captain Jeff now owned his dream boat. The Cape May Whale Watcher continued to succeed. Captain Jeff, unlike many business owner, took the majority of his profits and reinvested them back into the boat. Instead of vacations like other business owners, the Cape May Whale Watcher recieved new engines, the last of their kind out of Detroit, MI. Constant updates were made in the engine room, the galley, the bathrooms, the boarding ramp, the seating. Captain Jeff included the entire family as one team.

His Wife Mary became an integral part of the crew through working in the Ticket Booth handling day to day opertions management, as well as catering for special events. Captain Jeff's mother came to work the ticket booth as well and work with the many large group bookings which the Cape May Whale Watcher handled annually. Captain Jeff's father, the peaceful and venerable Robert A. Stewart came to work as a crew member on the boat, as well as head woodworker for all things from pilot house trim, to new dinette tables to the entire snack bar. Jeff's son Jeffrey who had worked with him since he was 8 years old, continued to excel as crewmember on board. Mary and Brigid both worked the phones in the Ticket booth as well as becoming regulars on the many cruises. Other staples would include Captain David Githens as our resident naturalist, photographer, filmographer and advertising specialist and graphic designer; Captain Jack McDevitt as a wonderful orator and historian of the local area. Cheif Egineer Scott Wolfe, as the expert on all things diesel, gasoline, and electrical. Captain Robert Lubberman as the expert fisherman at the Tackle Shop and the marina manager. All of these people may as well have the last name Stewart, because we mention the Stewart Family, it would not have been possible without each and every one of them in their extraorinary ways.

In 2002, on the heels of 9/11/2001, the Cape May Whale Watcher underwent a massive renovation in Morgon City, LA. To complement her new power, new running gear was installed, new thruhull fittings, new valves, and some new wiring installed, new stability sponsons were installed as well as the new observation bow pulpit and new height railings.

At the same time, Captain Jeff's investor called it quit on the Marina business. He attempted to sell the entire marina to a condo developer and almost succeeded. Fortunately, the developer had no funds. So Captain Jeff Stewart, Mary P. Stewart and the whole Stewart family team, joined together with Robert Lubberman and his family, and a bank, and bought the Miss Chris Marina. Now, marine commerce would have a stable place to operate from for years to come. Not to mention, the 100,000 people a year who visit the Miss Chris Marina annually for fishing, marine mammal watching and cruising on the waters around Cape May would not have to search elsewhere for their enjoyment. They all had a permanent home for their vacation memories for years to come. Upon purchase of the Marina, it was time to change the ways of the millionaire,

We began work on making the buildings of the marina uniform, under one single colr scheme. We improved the signage. We gutted the bathrooms and installed new walls, windows, fixtures, and doors. We gutted the Gift Shop and created the Dancing Dolphin Gift shop. All the old merchandise was cleared out and the reigns were handed to Mrs. Stewart, an expert in retail with a keen business sense, all new merchandise was ordered and it has been a sucess ever since. The houses for rent once rented as boarding houses were gutted and converted. One was dedicated to Back Harbor Boat Sales, the other to Crews Quarters.

In 2007, tragedy struck the Stewart Family, as we mourn the loss of Robert A. Stewart. "Arn" missed his 90th birthday by one week. He is missed by all daily as remembered by all often. We all hope to some day be as he was. A peaceful man, who loved doing for others, communing with nature, and enjoying a good book.

The 2007 season has seen a lot of change for the Stewarts. Capt. Jeffrey R. Stewart, who graduated from Richard Stockton College in 2004 with his B.S. in Business Management, took delivery of the Spirit of Cape May in St. Thomas, where he loaded her aboard the Dockwise transport ship, Explorer, bound for Newport, RI. From Newport, he delivered her to Yank Ship Yard, in Tuckahoe, NJ, in June, where she began a long massive refit. With this stage complete she is now in the final stage at her own birth in Cape May, NJ, at the Miss Chris Marina, right beside the original Big Red, Cape May Whale Watcher.

Also, in the Spring of 2007, Mary E. Stewart graduated from Drexel University of Philadelphia, PA, with her B.A in Computer Science. She will unfortuanately be departing us for a fulltime job in the city, but will be assisting us in our advertising department part time as well as ticket booth sales on weekends through out the season. Brigid V. Stewart, the youngest, completed an internship with Congress Hall this summer, while holding down the fort a Cape May Whale Watcher when possible. She is continuing her studies in Special Events planning and hospitality management at Temple University this fall. We hope to see her coming on board in the not so distant future, after she completes her studies.

We have brought the Spirit of Cape May to be to fill several needs. We at the Cape May Whale Watcher have realized a need for a second boat. Not immediatley, but for the sustainable future of the company, our expansion, demands a second boat, to carry a greater passenger load, during peak season times.

Captain Jeff Sr. and Mrs. Stewart, discovered the Spirit of Cape May in Tortolla, BVI, on a scouting mission in 2004. Mrs. Stewart liked the boat and saw the possibilities it could open up for the organization. While the Cape May Whale Watcher is the largest and fastest whale and dolphin watching boat in South Jersey, it has its short comings due to its age. There ae space limitations and while it works for many types of trips, special events, where music, dancing, hot food, large groups of people are the norm, the older boat was inadequate. The new boat, Spirit of Cape May, fullfills all of these requirements by being extremily spacious.

The Spirit of Cape May is the new standard by what all other boats are judged and is the tip of the ice berg for what you the customer can expect from both the Miss Chris Marina, and the Stewart Family.