9/10 Chincoteague/Road Scholar

Monday, 9/10

The weather is still a bit overcast this morning as we meet for breakfast.  Nice selection of cereals, fruit, pastries, etc.  The make-your-own waffles were tasty!

The boat ride scheduled for this morning is moved to the afternoon for better weather, so we set out in the bus for an island tour this morning.

 There is still high water in some areas.  We see a few of the ponies that are being cared for in a separate area.

 Cindy tells us a bit of history of the island, which included two fires in the 1920's while the bridge to the mainland was being built.  To raise money to establish a fire department, they decided to sell some of the ponies.  This has become a yearly event referred to as "Pony Penning" and Round Up. They round up the ponies on Assateague and swim them the short distance to Chincoteague, during slack tide; through town to a corral.  This is always a fundraiser for the fire department and the fire department has become the unofficial caretakers of the ponies.  They are referred to as "saltwater cowboys".  The ponies are checked by vets and 50-80 are sold each year with the average sale price about $1,000.  The swim is a short one, less than 5 minutes, and even the very young make the swim.

In 1962 there was a serious storm in which many ponies and chickens died, after which the chicken industry that thrived after the bridge opened, moved to the mainland.  Chincoteague then set about developing itself as a vacation destination.  There are about 3500 people on the island today and tourism is a major source of income for most.  During roundups the island can swell to 30-40,000 people.

We drove across a bridge to Assateague island which is a wildlife preserve.  Crabs, oysters, clams and many kinds of fish are found here, as well as some mammals like deer and the Delmarva Fox Squirrel.  Bald eagles, osprey, herons and many shore birds are also attracted to the area.  Assateague is also where you will find sandy beaches.

 We pass land which is usually meadow-like, but today it is mostly lake-like with a few ponies slogging between high areas.

We stop and walk the beach a bit.  It is a coolish day but there are plenty of folks enjoying the beach.

Wallups Island is visible (we came across it on our way in).  It is one of NASA's most active sites, with 16,000 rockets launched there since the mid-1940's.

We stop back at the hotel for a break before heading out again for a boat ride.

The sun has come out and there is a breeze, but the water isn't rough and the ride aboard the
pontoon boat, the Martha Lou, is comfortable.  Box lunches are served as our guide, Nate,  tells us about what we are seeing

We see quite a few Atlantic bottlenose dolphins, which are frequent visitors between April and November.

 The water here ranges from 18" deep to about 3 feet.  Lots of shore birds on the shallow sand bars, including oyster catchers with their bright orange beaks.  We see one of the 20 or so pairs of bald eagles and their huge nest.

We go by the lighthouse, built in 1867.

 In 1900 there were about 200 people living on Assateague but once the bridge to the mainland was built an exodus began.  Between 1933-36 the last folks left and in the 1940's the refuge was begun.  We are scheduled to explore the refuge tomorrow.

Back to the hotel and time for a quick rest before we go to hear Nancy Richard West, a local artist, explain her work.  She does a painting of a duck decoy and explains her art as she tells us to "suspend what your brain tells you and see what your eyes see".  She goes from an idea and discusses light, colors, perspective, research, etc.  Interesting.

Nice sunset from our balconies.

Dinner tonight is by Bill's Prime.  Instead of a restaurant, they have a small community hall that is set with lovely table settings.  Dinner is a series of "small plate" dishes that reflect this area of the country, accompanied by various wines.

First is mushroom caps with crab stuffing.  Next we try sweet potato biscuits with Virginia Country ham.  Then a petite oyster pot pie.  Shrimp and Cheese Grits are next.  Each dish is served with a different wine.  All are delicious!   Chocolate covered strawberries make a nice finale.

After the meal,  Cindy announces that the Governor of Virginia has declared a mandatory evacuation of the coastal areas, and Road Scholar of course must comply.  Sadly we will miss the excursion into the interior of the island and a few other events.  Although Hurricane Florence looks like it will hit well south of us, they are being cautious, so after breakfast tomorrow we must all head out.  The rest of the evening is spent making travel arrangements, as we who drove here from home are in the minority and some folks must rearrange flights, etc.

  Greg and Gwynne go into town a bit and try Island Creamery.