CAPE MAY – Bundle up and join the Friends of Cape May National Wildlife Refuge volunteer guides and interpreters on Saturday evening, Nov. 8 at 6:30 p.m. at the Two Mile Beach Visitor Contact Station as they lead another in a series of free Moonlight Nature Walks!
November’s Beaver Moon will be full Nov. 6, but if the skies are clear, we will be able to see the bright but slowly waning moon as it climbs the sky over the Atlantic Ocean. We will once again be able to walk on the Refuge’s own section of beach, which re-opened to the public Oct.1. This small (.7 mile) section had been closed to the public since April 1 to provide a safe refuge for nesting and feeding shorebirds.
This program is free and open to the public, and is suitable for adults and families with children. After the program, the public is invited to relax and visit the Nature Store at Two Mile. Free loaner binoculars will be available while supplies last, or you can bring your own. A few telescopes will also be available after the walk for up-close viewing of the moon, stars and planets.
Please meet at 6:30 p.m. at the Visitor Contact Station at the Two Mile Beach Unit of Cape May National Wildlife Refuge, 12001 Pacific Ave (Ocean Dr), Wildwood Crest, near the former Coast Guard Loran Station. For more information or directions, please email info@friendsofcapemayrefuge.org. Heavy rain cancels the event.
Full Moon Walks are held most months on a Saturday night close to the official full moon, and will begin at varying times depending on the season. We usually begin with some light, family-friendly entertainment and educational stories, followed by a walk through the dunes and onto a section of beach that is open to the public. Most walks will last about an hour and a half, and will cover approximately two miles in length (less if you so choose). Bring a flashlight or headlamp (although after our eyes become accustomed to the dark, we won’t need them), and dress for the weather. Remember, it’s often cooler and windier near the beach, so try to dress in layers.
The purpose of these walks is to provide a family-oriented activity that introduces visitors to the natural history of the Refuge. Through this introduction we hope to foster an understanding and appreciation for these resources that will lead visitors toward stewardship of their public lands in Cape May County.
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