The Delaware Beach That’s Unlike Any Other In The World
By Kim Magaraci|Published June 08, 2017
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Kim Magaraci
Author
Kim Magaraci graduated Rutgers University with a degree in Geography and has spent the last seven years as a freelance travel writer. Contact: kmagaraci@onlyinyourstate.com
Delaware’s bay towns are full of treasures to discover. Whether you want to explore the geocaching sites along the shoreline or you’d prefer to spend a day in an old fashioned fishing town, there’s something for everyone here. Not many people realize, though, that one of our tiny bayshore towns is home to one of the most important beaches on earth for a prehistoric critter that’s lived here for millions of years. If you’ve never seen the Slaughter Beach horseshoe crab spawn, you’ve got a few weeks left in 2017 to check it out!
Slaughter Beach - pardon the name - is one of the most unique beaches on earth.
There are a few stories behind the name of this town - but the most likely origin is that it was named for the local postmaster, William Slaughter. Of course, there are some people who continue to tell the legend of a man named Brabant, who slaughtered several native Americans at the site. While we'll never know the real meaning of the town's name, it has certainly stuck - and the town was officially incorporated in 1931.
At first, it seems just like any other Delaware bay beach.
There's beautiful water, it's quiet, you'll run into a few greenheads (pack bug spray) and you'll enjoy the feeling of sand beneath your toes. In fact, if you were just dropped here at the end of the summer, you might not even be able to tell which bay beach you were visiting. So, what's so special about this beach?
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If you visit during May or June, you're in for a real treat.
The Horseshoe Crab is the official marine animal of Delaware, and Slaughter Beach has been designated as an official "horseshoe crab sanctuary." These curious crustaceans date back to over 450 million years ago - long before even dinosaurs roamed the earth - and they have changed very little in millions of years. They are more than just bizarre crabs, though. They are extremely important to the medical industry because of their unique blood. It contains a substance that can detect small amounts of toxins. Because of this trait, the copper-based blue blood is used to test for the sterility of medical equipment and IV drugs.
They arrive here to spawn, traveling from the depths of the ocean to our tiny state of Delaware. While their gigantic, spiked tails make them seem like dangerous creatures, they're harmless. The tail is not a stinger, and is primarily used to help flip horseshoe crabs back over. If you see one on its back, help it out and flip it right side up. It will appreciate your help, and you'll feel good about doing a good deed for these strange crabs.
Thousands of horseshoe crabs is quite the sight - at its peak, you can see a quarter of a million of them getting ready to lay their eggs.
Although I wouldn't expect many humans to enjoy them, the annual horseshoe crab spawn attracts birdwatchers, who come to see the sanderlings and other coastal birds have a feast. Their eggs are part of the reason that the Delaware Bay is home to so many bird species. Dozens of birds flock here to eat these eggs, including the threatened Red Knot. This is a great place to set up a camera and try to catch some amazing shots of Delaware's most interesting and unique bird species.
Slaughter Beach is a small town with just over 200 people, which means that the residents are way outnumbered by these cool crabs. Be sure to set aside time to take a day trip out to see this incredible natural phenomenon this year, and while you’re out there, help out any horseshoe crabs that you see flipped on their back. They’ll appreciate it, the birds will appreciate it, and you’ll feel good about helping these incredible crabs survive.
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