Peter Kalm - Cape Henlopen, Delaware, United States
Posted by: 
Hikenutty
N 38° 47.748 W 075° 05.573
18S E 491934 N 4294120
Peter Kalm, a student of Linnaeus, visited America in 1748 and kept a journal about his studies in North America. On September 14th, 1748 he writes about Cape Henlopen on the Delaware Bay.
Waymark Code: WM41EW
Location: Delaware, United States
Date Posted: 06/23/2008
Views: 53
Peter Kalm, a student of Linnaeus, visited America in 1748 and kept a journal about his studies on the continent. On September 14th, 1748 he writes about Cape Henlopen on the Bay of Delaware. The following is from his book, "Travels in North America":
We saw land on our larboard in the west, which appeared to be low, white, sandy, and higher up the country, covered with firs. Cape Hinlopen is a head of land running into the sea from the western shore and has a village on it. The eastern shore here belongs to New Jersey, and the western to Pennsylvania. The Bay of Delaware has many sands and from four to eleven fathom water."
Cape Henlopen is now part of Cape Henlopen State Park and is a sanctuary for the endangered bird, the Osprey. Much of the shore along the point and the western shore of the cape is closed to protect the birds' nests.
The cape is now part of the state of Delaware, but at Kalm's time period was part of Pennsylvania, as he noted. It is beautiful and peaceful on this western side. The eastern side is used by sunbathers and families spending the day at the beach, whereas the west side is more popular with photographers and bird watchers.