Courtesy Assateague Explorer
Assateague Explorer
Chincoteague Island, Virginia
Every year since 1925, on the last Wednesday in July, the wild ponies of Assateague Island are rounded up to swim across the Assateague Channel to Chincoteague Island, where some of the foals are auctioned off.
The famous pony swim attracts about 40,000 people, which makes it one of the worst times to see the ponies, enjoy the islands and experience the abundant wildlife.
But from April through October, Assateague Explorer offers its guests a chance to see the wild ponies up close without the crowds.
“A lot of people say, ‘I’ve dreamed of coming here ever since I read the book ‘Misty [of Chincoteague’] as a child; you’ve made a dream come true,’” said Assateague Explorer owner Capt. Mark Coulbourne, who grew up on Chincoteague Island.
During the Pony Express Nature Cruise, which is available mid-May through early October, the open-air boat hugs the sheltered shorelines as Coulbourne navigates to areas where the ponies congregate. Passengers will also see a wide variety of shorebirds and may even spot some dolphins.
Assateague Explorer has two boats — one can carry up to 49 people, and the other can take up to 12 passengers — and the company’s dock at the Assateague Nature Centre is just across from the Assateague lighthouse.
The company also offers kayak tours from April through October for as many as 14 people. Kayaks allow groups to get an even more intimate view of the island’s wildlife. Guides lead kayakers closer to the shore and are able to go “way up in the creeks,” Coulbourne said. The tour even stops at a small beach where everyone can go swimming.
www.assateagueexplorer.com
Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area
Golden Pond, Kentucky
When the Cumberland and Tennessee rivers were dammed, it created the largest inland peninsula in the United States, a strip of land nearly entirely surrounded by the long, blue lines of Kentucky Lake to the west and Lake Barkley to the east. President John F. Kennedy designated the peninsula Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area in 1963.
The 170,000-acre park offers miles of hiking trails, many campgrounds and several historic sites, but with two lakes and 300 miles of undeveloped shoreline, water is a main attraction.
“It’s pretty amazing the amount of shoreline we have here,” said Denise Schmittou, public affairs specialist for Land Between the Lakes. “A lot of wildlife hang out along the shoreline, so people really seem to enjoy it.”
Land Between the Lakes offers guided canoe and kayak excursions every day from Memorial Day through Labor Day and on weekends from Labor Day through October, Schmittou said. Groups of 10 or more should call ahead to make reservations.
Groups usually leave from the Woodlands Nature Station just before sunset or in the afternoon, and paddle along the shores searching for wildlife such as deer, waterfowl and turtles. In June and July, kayakers may also see nesting sites and a heron rookery, she said.
In January and February, Land Between the Lakes charters a boat for guided eagle-watching trips. The CQ Princess, a yacht that provides a heated cabin, hot beverages and either brunch or lunch, cruises down Kentucky Lake as passengers scan the shores for bald eagles, and guides talk about the raptors’ recovery, answer questions and help guests spot the majestic birds.
www.lbl.org
