Surf fishing instruction at Delaware Seashore State Park May 24

Staff at Delaware Seashore State Park will hold an introductory surf fishing course Friday, May 24, at the Indian River Life-Saving Station.  Park staff will cover tackle and bait, current rules and regulations, fish identification and casting techniques. Participants will then have the opportunity to catch and release their own fish.

The program will begin at 1 p.m. and will last about three hours. Participants must be at least 10 years old, and those under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. A fishing identification number and a valid fishing license are needed to participate. Preregistration is required, and the cost of the program is $25 per person.

For more information and to register, call 302-227-6991 or visit destateparks.com.

Firing of the Lyle Gun at Delaware Seashore State Park May 25

Delaware Seashore State Park invites visitors to see history come to life at the Indian River Life-Saving Station Museum, when interpreters will fire a small cannon known as the Lyle Gun at 1 p.m., Saturday, May 25. Participants will learn that the Lyle Gun, one of the only cannons used to actually save lives, was frequently used by the United States Life-Saving Service, precursor to the modern-day Coast Guard.

The purpose of the U.S. Life-Saving Service, established in the 1870s, was to launch rescue missions and assist victims of shipwrecks along North American coastlines. Surfmen who patrolled the beaches frequently used a rescue technique known as the beach apparatus, or breeches buoy system, to safely retrieve passengers from stranded vessels. The Lyle Gun played a significant role in this rescue method.

This program is $5 per person and includes a guided museum tour. For more information and to register, call 302-227-6991 or visit destateparks.com.

Learn about horseshoe crabs May 26 at Delaware Seashore State Park

A park naturalist from the Indian River Life-Saving Station will present a program about horseshoe crabs at 1 p.m., Sunday, May 26.  Delaware’s official marine animal  has remained unchanged for 35 million years and is considered a living fossil. Participants will learn about the characteristics of horseshoe crabs, the importance of their eggs and the role they play in medical research. If weather permits, participants will be able to observe horseshoe crabs in the shallow waters of Rehoboth Bay. Breeding typically correlates with the lunar cycle, which is why this program has been scheduled during the day after the full moon.

The cost of this program is $4 per person, and all children must be accompanied by an adult.  For more information and to register, call 302-227-6991 or visit destateparks.com.

Lantern tour of the Indian River Life-Saving Station Museum May 26

Delaware Seashore State Park invites the public to take a step back in time during an evening lantern tour of the Indian River Life-Saving Station Museum at 8 p.m., Sunday, May 26.  Participants will receive in-depth knowledge of the United States Life-Saving Service and legends of shipwrecks and heroism on the Delaware coast.

The program ends with a patrol on the beach to hear stories of tragedy and mystery from the station records. The program fee is $10 per person, and preregistration is required. Participants should dress for the weather.

For more information and to register, call 302-227-6991 or visit destateparks.com.