Chincoteague Summer Rules Part.2

Chincoteague Summer Rules Part 2



The Big Event of the Chincoteague Island summer, the yearly Chincoteague Pony Swim and Pony Auction, is held on the last Wednesday and Thursday of July. Crowds in excess of 40,000 people come to the Island, outnumbering the locals by a ratio of 10:1! Finding a good shoreline spot from which to view the ponies swimming the channel has become more difficult each year. On hazy days, seeing them may be impossible from the shore.

Why not do the smart thing and reserve a seat on one of the Pony Swim Charters (you’ll have to book one well in advance) for a guaranteed close-up of the ponies? You’ll also have guaranteed access to a restroom while you wait for the action to begin?

The second most famous residents of Chincoteague and Assateague are the blue crabs, and Chincoteague Island summers are peak crabbing season! Head for the Chincoteague Veteran’s Memorial Park Waterfront with some chicken necks secured to fishing lines and a net to secure your catch. Simply drag your lines across the channel floor and wait for some bites.

One of the most magical experiences you can have during a Chincoteague Island summers is the after-dark Assateague Island ranger-led campfire and marshmallow roast. As the Atlantic surf pounds in the darkness, your ranger will tell of the exploits of Blackbeard. The legendary pirate said to have hidden in the waters off Chincoteague, and with flaming ropes entwined in his beard, leapt with his crew onto passing ships and seized them.

Assateague Island is constantly being reshaped by the sea, and the Assateague Lighthouse which once stood on the shore, with its beacon warning approaching ships of the offshore reefs, is now in the middle of a field. Nothing stays forever on these enchanting islands, except the fun and adventure!