OUR ANNUAL FAMILY CAMPING OUTING AT ASSATEAGUE

Assateague Island National Seashore, is located about eight miles from Ocean City, Maryland. Assateague island is noted for the Wild Ponies that roam the entire island. Assateague Island is managed by the National Park Service, The Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Over 350 species of migratory birds stop at Assateague as well as other abundant bird species,to rest and feed. Visitors to Assateague Island can appreciate the priceless ecosystem of the island.

For those of you who enjoy the great outdoors and outdoor recreation, Assateague is where you can do crabbing, clamming, fishing, biking, bird watching, hunting , hiking and other activities that pleases the heart.

Our Family Camping Outings at Assateague Island are in June of each year. We choose June as our time to camp on the beaches of the Atlantic Ocean because the insect population is at its lowest. A family camp site on the sandy beach next to the Atlantic Ocean can accommodate our family of about 28, which includes our 12 grandchildren.

Our first day begins with setting up a large dinning room tent and the individual family tents. Then comes the moving in madness as we must carry in everything from a parking lot that is located about 500 yards from the camping beaches. As the adults deal with hauling the children have already made their way to seashore in search of seashells on the pristine white sand beaches. Assateague Island has over 37 miles of vast unspoiled beaches.

The Wild Ponies of Assateague roam the entire island and yes even the camping sites. They even enter tents in search of food and can open ice chest with ease as well. The Island Rangers warn people to protect the food by placing the food and other edibles under the picnic benches so the wild ponies have a harder time getting at it. At night, while asleep in your tents you can hear the wild ponies running thru the camp sites and sniffing the area for food. COOL !!

Once each year the Chincoteague Fire Company have a Pony Swin as a Fun Raising Event. The Pony Swim consists of chasing the Ponies off the Island and into the water and a swim to the beach at Chincoteague where they are rounded up for an annual AUCTION.

The Ponies are auctioned off to raise money for the Chincoteague Fire Company. This auction is open to the public and each Pony goes to the highest bidder. After the auction is over the Ponies that were not sold are driven back into the water for a swim back to the Island.