Family Vacation - Chincoteague

Last week was our family vacation to Chincoteague and Assateague Islands 

off the Eastern Shore of Virginia.  

It was five blissful days of hot sunny weather in the waves, 

candy shopping with Grandpa and a Mamma saying “yes” to the 

“may I have another piece of candy” question, 

and too much sand in the swimming suits.

Ever since he was a little boy, Nathan’s family has been visiting Chincoteague every fall when the tourists clear out a bit and the rates drop.  We get to go along most years.  I keep thinking how very blessed we are to have a family (13 of us there) who can be together for five crazy days and still enjoy each other at the end of it all!

 I decided not to take my “real” camera along.  Nathan gave me a little Canon Power Shot for my birthday and I decided to make this trip its trial run.  I find myself going places so often and not taking pictures because I don’t want to lug all 4 1/2 lbs. of the heavyweight Mark ll around.  So I’m trying out my first point and shoot! J  I’ve been happy so far!

 The zoom is great!  Just look at the fierceness in the eye

 of this Great Blue Heron.

 We crabbed in the waterways.

Supper!!!

The girls and their Grammy came back from a shell hunting walk on the beach with this little guy – a Hermit Crab.  My mother-in-law brought an awesome little seashore nature guide to identify what we found.

A  Periwinkle Snail on the marsh grasses.

Rockweed.

Nathan pulled this Horseshoe Crab out of the waves.  It was dead, but it still had its legs attached  -- crazy looking creature!

 Have you ever played chicken with a duck?

 Here are Kadence and the duck in the street. JKadi won.  

We did some biking on both islands. 

I love biking near the ocean – no hills – just my style!!

 Volleyball.

The waves were some of the nicest I’ve ever seen.  The last day they beat me – they were HUGE.  I gave up after getting pulverized too many times – chin in the sand under all that pounding water is not my idea of pleasant! 

Nathan hauling the STACK of boogie boards to the waves!

 We call a perfect long wave like this 

a Freebridge – “everybody rides”.  

 (Yes, I know it’s cheesy and only

 Charlottesville locals will get it.)

 I love watching the little Sanderlings, 

who never seem to get tired, 
running along the waves.

I watched this Great Egret catch a fish, 

but my little camera was too slow

 to catch the action.

 On Friday and Saturday there were about 

50 artists on the islands painting.  
We stopped and watched some of them 
– it looks so fun!

The girls and I dug some Mussels 

in Tom’s Cove.

 A flock of Skimmers and some kind of Terns.

 Here are the ponies at dusk.

Sunset through the pines on Assateague.

 Homeward bound over the 20 mile long 

Chesapeake Bay Bridge!

Mightier than the thunder 

of the great waters, 

mightier than the breakers of the sea--

 the LORD on high is mighty. 

Psalm 93:4