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Chincoteague Island
Virginia
by John C. Banks
Chincoteague Island is a
small, friendly, vacation resort along the coast of Virginia, USA.
Vacations to the island can include recreational activities such as
shopping, swimming, sunbathing, fishing, clamming, bird watching, nature
cruises, biking, hiking, boating, kayaking, miniature golf, Chincoteague
ponies, the pony swim, fireman's carnival, Chincoteague decoy and art
show, Chincoteague Center's arts and crafts show and more.
The island is known for it's
quaint shops and art galleries. Chincoteague area wildlife artists display
art such as decoys and other bird carvings, paintings, photographs and
sculptured wildlife pieces.
Located within minutes of the
resort is Assateague Island, which is occupied by Assateague National Sea
Shore and Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge covers over
14,000 acres of beach, dunes, marsh, and forest habitat. The majority of
the refuge is located in Virginia although 418 acres are on Maryland soil.
The refuge also includes Morris Island, Marsh on the Northern part of
Chincoteague Island. The refuge extends southward, Assawoman, Metompkin,
and Cedar Islands. Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge is one of the
most popular refuges in the United States, especially among bird watchers.
The refuge is either home to or a stop over point for a array of birds and
other wildlife. Ducks, geese, swans, egrets, herons, and dozens of other
shorebirds visit or live on the islands.
The most famous Chincoteague
Island event is the pony swim and penning, a tradition since 1924. The
swim, penning and auction is held on the last Wednesday and Thursday of
July. Ponies are rounded up and swim the channel between Assateague and
Chincoteague Islands. The animals are penned, inspected, fed and most of
the foals auctioned off to qualified buyers. Most of the population of the
ponies are returned to Assateague after the penning to roam free for
another year.
Assateague Island lighthouse
is another attraction for visitors to Chincoteague and Assateague Islands.
The lighthouse is located within Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge and
is a popular tourist stop. The lighthouse is owned by the United States
Fish and Wildlife Service and is still actively used by the United States
Coast Guard as an aid to navigation.
The Lighthouse is 142 feet
high on a site 22 feet about sea level. The structure is one of the most
attractive and recognizable lighthouses of the USA east coast. Made of
brick, it was painted in the red and white pattern in 1967. Nearby is the
keeper's quarters. The lighthouse light has had a series of lamp upgrades
over the years and presently displays a powerful rotating light visible up
to 19 miles away. The Oyster and Maritime Museum in Chincoteague displays
the frensel lens on display which was used in the lighthouse from
1867-1963.
The Chincoteague Island
Virginia Oyster Festival is another island attraction The festival,
created by the chamber of commerce, features Chincoteague Island's famous
oysters. The event promotes the oyster season, which includes the cooler
months of fall, winter and spring. The popularity of the event may require
obtaining tickets well in advance as the festival often sells out.
About the Author
The author is a small
business web designer, recreational angler and owner of several outdoor
websites. See
Chincoteague Island Virginia
for more information about the vacation resort
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