I am glad PATCo let you take the tandem, but I am not too surprised. PATCo was the first mass transit system in the area to allow bikes. That was more than a decade ago. At first you had to get a permit, which was free. IIRC, this was done to assess demand. Once the large demand became evident, it did away with the permit requirement. For several years I rode my bike to 15th Street, took the train to Haddonfiled and then rode about 8 miles to my NJ office. Rarely were there any train delays. I always take PATCo from center city when I do tours to S. Jersey. I usually go to Lindenwold and then ride to Belleplain State Forest, where there is a nice campground. Sure beats riding through Camden. If you are down that way again and have the time, the Cape May County Zoo in/near Cape May Court House is worth a visit. There are bike racks to lock to and the zoo is free for everyone.

For next time, you might look for lodging in the Rehoboth area. (There is a limited amount of lodging in Lewes.) You can then ride from there to the ferry through Cape Henlopen State Park nearly all on roads with bike lanes and park trails, which are very nice. Two years ago I did an Easter weekend tour that included two nights of camping in the park. It's definitely worth a visit, especially on a bike. I had no idea it used to be a military base that primarily looked out for (and was prepared to fire upon) any Nazi subs trying to sneak into the bay. When the base became obsolete, it was donated to the state. It's wildly popular. If I tried to get a campsite on a weekend I would probably have to wait until September or maybe even October. Because of the trails, lots of people ride around the park. Despite it being early in the spring, I saw some dolphins in the water off one of the beaches. From the park's main entrance, the dock ferry is only a mile or two. Pods of dolphins are commonly seen from the ferry. They often swim right toward the boat and then dive under at the last second. The captain will usually announce their presence.