The Barrier IslandsBy Charlotte Jacobson

Nestled just off the coast of Maryland and Virginia, lie two barrier islands called Assateague and Chincoteague, or as some people know them as “the islands with the wild horses.” If you ask any local from Chincoteague, VA they will argue that there is much more to the islands thatn the horses, such as the wildlife hikes and trails throughout Assateague Island, the beautiful beaches, and the small town of Chincoteague full of shops and seafood restaruants full of the famous Blue Crab. The real difference between the two islands is this: Assateague Island is where the wild horses are, yes, but also is home to the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. Thus, there is no businesses on Assateague Island. Chincoteague Island, on the other hand, is the home to approximately 5,000 people year-round.

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Contents

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Beaches and Bays

Downtown

Tourism

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The Beach Along Assateague Island there is a huge span of public beaches, free for the public to use as they please. The beaches on the northern part of Assateague serve the purpose of campgrounds for those who bring tents and/or RV Campers to the island and intend to camp on the beach. Whereas the southern tip of Assateague beaches are primarily for daytime beach visits, which are more crowded during the peak season from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Many people still roamed the beaches during the mild October weekend in which I visited with Nickee. Waking up at the crack of dawn to watch the sunrise on the beach is a surprisngly popular activity at this time of year, seeing as the mornings can get pretty chilly in the autumn season. Joggers, dog owners, surfers, kayakers, and couples found their way to the beach during the time that we spent there.

(Top) Sand-covered sea shells can be found all along the stretches of beach at Assateague Island. (Bottom)Woman walks her Great Pyrenees along the shoreline late Friday afternoon.

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The Bay Today, the beaches may be one of the larger tourist attractions at Assateague, but in the 1800s, the fishing market was the staple of the village’s economy. Harvesting the abundant fish and shellfish from the waters surrounding Chincoteague and Assateague was the main industry amongst the two islands. Nowadays, the boats in the marina are still for the purpose of fishing, but many people who do not live on the island will visit to fish recreationally.

(Below) An empty dock next to the bridge onto Assateague Island, where tourists may bring their own boats to sail and fish.

(Right, from top to bottom) A lifesaving ring is stationed next to the docks for emergencies. Buoys hang off of a docked boat, waiting patiently for the fishing season to restart.

Chincoteague, VA

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While the wildlife refuge on Assateague Island is absolutely beautiful, there are no people or businesses on the island. In order to get a feel for the people in the area, you have to cross over into Chincoteague Virginia. The island is small, only about 1 1/2 miles wide and 7 miles long. The high school graduating classes don’t reach 50. But the people who live on the island are content with their small town life. The main street of Chincoteague is simple. There are no flashing lights telling the visitors where the center of town is, probably because there is not really a center of town. Yes, a “Main Street” exists, but there are no bells and whistles along with it. The street is lined with restaurants, hotels, and various stores. One establishment that caught our eye was the Island Theater, which was a movie theater from the 1950s that was kept in its original form, with the antique box office, popcorn machine, and film reels on the walls.

(Top) Main Street on Assateague Island mirrors the image of the town and island perfectly, lined with its’ simple shops and restaurants. (Bottom left) The Island Theater makes extra effort to keep the antique 1950s look to their movie theater. (Bottom right) The Island Library sits quiet on Main Street Sunday afternoon, as most people were outside enjoying the last of the warm weather.

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Tourism Even though between Assateague and Chincoteague Islands, the biggest tourist attraction is the wild horses, there are several other aspects to the islands that bring people in. During the summer, the beach season is huge, and people from all over come to stay on Chincoteague Island, and enjoy the extensive span of white sand beach. Once Labor Day passes, it is “off season” on the islands, but birders will travel to the island to see the migrating ducks, snow geese, blue heron, and other large migrations. Many people will continue to camp on Assateague Island until mid-October because the weather is bareable to sleep in, and they enjoy the scenery of the island without all of the other tourists around. On the southern tip of Assateague Island, there is the Assateague Lighthouse which is still in use, the light can be seen every night driving into Chincoteague Island. Finally, the Chincoteague ponies are around all-year long, since they live on the island, so whenever people decide they want to go see these wild animals, they can travel to either the Maryland or Virginia end of Assateague and find themselves some wild horses.

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Top to Bottom, Left to Right) A wild pony grazes in the marhsy grass off the side of the road on Assateague Island. A spread of trees are reflected in the water on Chincoteage National Wildlife Refuge. The As-sateague Lighthouse stands tall over the Assateague Channel. A young girl expresses delight and slight fear as she approaches a wild pony to let her parents snap a photo. A Blue Heron soars over some marshy water, while trying to find it’s next meal.

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