Page 287 - OCE18 Flip Book

6 ASSATEAGUE & CHINCOTEAGUE ISLANDS
2018
Assateague Island Lighthouse
The barrier islands of Assateague and Chincoteague offer forty-miles of unspoiled beaches, a bird watchers paradise, and the famous wild ponies.
Assateague’s Wild Ponies
The herds of wild ponies are one of the unique treasures of Assateague Island. Two separate herds of ponies inhabit the 37-mile-long island, separated by a fence at the Maryland-Virginia state line. Legend has it that the ponies descended from the survivors of a Spanish galleon, which wrecked off the coast of Assateague in the 1600s. Indeed, a Spanish shipwreck has been discovered recently to verify this legend. Today’s island horses are about the size of ponies (average 12-13 hands). Feeding and petting horses is prohibited.
Assateague Island National Seashore
410-641-1441
The National Park Service manages this 37-mile-long island,
conserving the plants and animals, and providing a place for rest,
relaxation, and recreation. The island is a gently curving barrier to the w
home to the famous wild ponies, Sika deer, otter, fox, muskrat, raccoon, and more than 44 species of mammals and 260 species of birds. Visitors enjoy swimming, camping, hiking, and many guided activities. Entrance fee is $20 per vehicle and is good for seven days.
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Chincoteague Island
www.chincoteaguechamber.com
Adventure awaits on Virginia’s only resort island! Perhaps the most beautiful island on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, it abounds with natural charm. Discover how history and legend blend with the loveliness of the seasonal shore in this serene fishing village.
Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge
757-336-6122
Located on the southern end of Assateague Island, the refuge was established in 1943, for the protection of the migratory waterfowl and conservation of the greater snow goose. The refuge has more than 14,000 acres of beach, maritime forest, salt and freshwater marsh habitats, and is home to a spectacular variety of migratory birds, plants, and other animals.
Annual Chincoteague Pony Swim and Auction
July 25–26, 2018 757-336-6161
For more than 90 years the Pony Swim has delighted visitors from around the world. At “slack tide” on the last Wednesday of July, Chincoteague’s “Saltwater Cowboys” herd about 150 ponies across the Assateague Channel to neighboring Chincoteague Island. After the swim, the ponies “parade” to the carnival grounds where the foals are auctioned on Thursday. On Friday, the adult ponies make the return swim to Assateague Island where they will live in the wild for another year.
Chincoteague Chamber
of Commerce
757-336-6161
6733 Maddox Boulevard Chincoteague Island, VA 23336
chincoteaguechamber.com
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ASSATEAGUE & CHINCOTEAGUE