..The Delsea Power... Squadron, District 5, United States Power ......... Squadrons ........

The Delsea Power Squadron, is one of the 38 squadrons within District 5, of the United States Power Squadrons.

The Delsea Power Squadron was chartered on December 12, 1955, an offspring of the Absecon Squadron. The new Delsea Power Squadron on the day of its charter started with a membership of 25 men including Harry G. Martin who was installed as the first Commander of the fledgling Delsea Power Squadron. Many of the members of the new Delsea Squadron were also members of the Yacht Club of Stone Harbor, Stone Harbor, NJ, so the premises of the Yacht Club became home for Delsea Squadron. Delsea held it's regular meetings and numerous affairs, at the Yacht Club of Stone Harbor for several years.

  The Five Fathom Lightship was chosen as the Delsea's Burgee, because from 1837 up until 1972, the Five Fathom Lightship, stood guard, off the south end of Five Fathom Bank, 14.7 miles and 100 degrees from the Cape May Lighthouse which marked the course for mariners entering the Delaware bay. A beacon greeting mariners of the past, and light the way, as they returned from the Sea and entered into the Delaware Bay from the Atlantic Ocean.

 The name Delsea was chosen for our squadron because of the  geographic area of the squadron. The Delsea squadron supports Southern New Jersey boaters from Delaware to the SEA.

 Sailing ships, war ships, passenger ships, tankers, cargo ships, work boats and barges have plied their trade, traveling up and down the Delaware bay, Delaware river and its various tributaries, delivering and receiving cargo to and from cities such as Millville, Bridgeton, Salem, Pennsville and onward to the ports of Wilmington, Philadelphia and Trenton, for centuries.

  The Delsea Squadron follows the path of the Delaware River, starting North of Pennsville traveling south and east following the Delaware River, including its tributaries, the Salem, Cohansey  and the Maurice Rivers, continuing southward along the Delaware flowing towards the sea. The Delaware River grows into the Delaware Bay and finally emptying into the Atlantic Ocean, at Cape May Point.

 The Delsea squadron covers a very large geographic area, in southern New Jersey. We extending south and east from Salem County in the NW, SE through Cumberland County and into Cape May County, to lands end on the extreme southern tip of New Jersey.

  Today, the Delsea Power Squadron stands as a beacon, to many of the area's recreational mariners, just as the Five Fathom Light Ship did in years past to all mariners. Delsea's members are today's mariners plying the coastal and intercoastal waterways and the inland lakes of the three Southern New Jersey counties. Delsea prides itself in being that guiding lighting by providing today's boaters many education opportunities as well as numerous social venues throughout the year. 

Five Fathom Lightship - Subsurface  Data

Five Fathom Lightship - History