How often is history this much fun? Tuckerton Seaport not only re-creates the bygone days of life along Barnegat Bay, after you get a glimpse of the past you might not want to return to the 21st century.
Tuckerton is jam-packed with all kinds of things to do and see and explore. Located so close to New Jersey’s shore communities, it is only fitting that the seaport village is connected by a boardwalk that winds past 17 buildings to explore. Some are original, some are re-creations but each has a bit of something that offers a glimpse into the region’s maritime heritage. There’s also a couple of houseboats, a wetlands nature trail a maritime forest to explore and the Melody II, a 1954 wooden charter boat that still offers cruises into the nearby waters.
One of the most popular spots is the boatbuilding workshop where you can see boatworkers restoring sneakboxes and other boats that were used along Tuckerton Creek and Barnegat Bay. But boatbuilding isn’t the only authentic craft going on here. During the almost-daily programs and demonstrations that happen here, you can meet decoy carvers, basket makers, quilters and others whose handiwork were the backbone of the village.
Unusual exhibits will show you a thing or two that maybe you didn’t know about local pirates – like the fact that some who plied their trade along the Jersey shore disrupted the British navy’s operations and helped win the Revolution. You can even find out more about the region’s fishing industry. And at Tuckerton Seaport’s Jersey Shore Folklife Center you can meet and greet artists, crafts people and others who preserve the culture of the Jersey baywaters.
Also on site is the Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve Interpretive Center (JCNERR) where educational and interpretive programs and research all come together to encourage visitors to protect the delicate wetlands ecosystems.