MERR Institute

Spend an evening with the MERR stranding team on Sunday, August 9, at 6:30 p.m. aboard the Cape Water Tours Boat The Second Nature as it sets out to the Delaware Bay in search of dolphins and other wildlife. Photo opportunities abound, so passengers are encouraged to bring cameras and binoculars.

Tickets are $65 and include hors d'oevres. Wine, beer, and refreshments for this festive fundraiser are at our cash bar. Boarding begins at 30 minutes prior to departure., and the boat will depart from the Cape May Lewes Ferry terminal docks for a 90-minute tour.

Tickets for this tour are also available on our website at merrinstitute.org.

Proceeds raised from the event go to the year-round efforts of the non-profit organization, which serves as the only response and rescue organization for marine mammals and sea turtles stranding in Delaware. Care for these animals includes food and care, veterinary treatment, transportation, and supplies.

Merrinstitute | Lewes MERR Institute (merrinstitute) is a 24/7 rescue and care facility in Lewes, Delaware, for marine mammals and sea turtles that might be ill, injured, entangled or otherwise in need.

We wanted to send a big thanks to all the volunteers who helped prepare for last night's dolphin cruise aboard Cape Water Tours Second Nature! (We would also like to thank the dolphins who put on such an amazing display!) This event is the result of so many individuals who come together to ensure a memorable evening, and last night was no different.

Also, we will post images from the event at https://www.merrinstitute.org/photo-wall, if anyone is interested in a digital copy of some of the amazing sights in around the Point in Delaware Bay.

We will host another Sunset Tour on Sunday, August 9, and there are a handful of spots left, so grab your seat to experience it for yourself!

🥳Thank you to everyone who participated in our Dolphin Count! We had over 100 volunteers participate! Thanks to you, we can continue monitoring the Delaware dolphin population. MERR hosts this project every July, so if you're interested in volunteering, give us a call next July to sign up :)

Again, thank you to everyone who took part in our annual Dolphin Count! We'll post the total number of dolphins on social media and our website once we have all our data collected.
https://www.merrinstitute.org/

Thanks to everyone who has submitted pictures and video of our resident leucistic dolphin. If at all possible, if you could include GPS coordinates (approximately) of the sighting, it will help us monitor its travels. We are certainly grateful to receive any media, but having its location would be a big help!

Thank you, and thanks for helping us look after it and keep it as safe as possible.

We have just a few spots left for our picturesque sunset cruise in search of our local bottlenose dolphin as well as an incomparable Cape Henlopen sunset and wildlife. Bring you binoculars and come celebrate with the amazing volunteers of MERR Institute! Order them today before it's sold out!

Thanks to all who have reached out to us and shared their pics and videos. We are keeping an eye on two dolphins, one of which appears to be a leucistic juvenile dolphin, and the other that appears to be an albino calf. The dolphins appear to be healthy and are engaging in swimming and feeding behavior with their family groups.

It is imperative to note that these animals face a number of natural adversities, and any unprovoked interaction with humans on land or water could jeopardize their health and safety. We welcome reports and photos or video and will continue to monitor and record what we see, but please remember to keep a distance of at least 300’ from free-swimming dolphins so as not to stress or harass them.

Also, as tempting as it may be, please try to limit social media posts that identify their location, as they will only attract unwanted attention to these creatures and inadvertently put them at risk.

Please email any photos or videos to [email protected], or call us at 302.228.5029.

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Did you know we have 2 species of Bottlenose Dolphin here in Delaware? Learn all about it with MERR Institute on one of our narrated tours aboard Cape Water Tours every Wednesday and Saturday morning! Check out CWTs calendar on its website for ticket information!

There are only a handful of spots left on our annual MERR Sunset Cruise aboard the Cape Water Tours "Second Nature" on Sunday, July 19. Grab your spot today before they vanish and join us in search of dolphin and copious marine life around the spectacular Delaware Bay and Atlantic Ocean.

(Some have reported a lag time in ordering through the Square ticketing app, so please give it time to process before submitting the order again.)

We hope to see you out on the water with us!

Are you an avid shore angler? MERR reps are conducting a sea turtle survey with anglers at various hot spots throughout the state. You may see our interns armed with clipboards out and about at one of the local piers, jetties, and beaches. If you are an angler, feel free to come up to us, as we would love to hear from you. All surveys are completely anonymous and only take a few minutes. Plus, you will be helping to protect sea turtles as a result!