SUNSET SAIL: Organizers of the Black Pearl boat trip are hoping for silhouette conditions like this for their evening cruise on June 22. (Photo provided)
The Beach Haven Charter Fishing Association is taking reservations for a sunset cruise on the Black Pearl pirate ship on Wednesday June 22 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Black Pearl is located at 100 North West Ave. at Beach Haven.
Association president John Lewis said the event is a fundraiser for the association’s Junior Mates artificial reef program. The minimum donation is $75. The event will feature a DJ, cash bar and talk about the artificial reef project and how it helps all sea creatures.
Lewis said this aspect of the project involves the deployment of reef balls. He said each bale is about 3 feet in diameter and 3 feet high and weighs 1,300 pounds. “They look like igloos and create a habitat for all the bottom plants and creatures in our area,” he said.
Last fall, 16 reef balls were deployed at both Little Egg Reef, located 5 miles offshore from Holgate, and Garden State South reef, located 5 miles offshore from the northern part of Beach Haven.
He said the group was looking to deploy another 20 reef balls at Little Egg Reef, as well as 20 each at Garden State Northeast Reef, located off Ship Bottom, and Barnegat Light Reef.
“We have completed work on the Garden State South Reef,” Lewis said.
He said the Junior Mates work with the Sportfishing Fund, an organization dedicated to building artificial reefs. The total cost of the project is $26,000, with the association sharing the cost with the Sportfishing Fund.
Donations and reservations are made on the association’s website, BHCFA.org. Click Jr. Mate Reef Project on the toolbar. For more information, call Lewis at 609-607-5980 or email him at captjohn22@comcast.net. —EE