Day 4

 Tuesday, May 6

After simple breakfasts at the funky Egg in Rehobeth, we headed for Assateague Island National Seashore, home of the wild horses.  

"Assateague's wild horses are well known, even to many people who have never been to the island. The "wild" horses on Assateague are actually feral animals, meaning that they are descendants of domestic animals that have reverted to a wild state. Horses tough enough to survive the scorching heat, abundant mosquitoes, stormy weather and poor quality food found on this remote, windswept barrier island have formed a unique wild horse society. Enjoy their beauty from a distance, and you can help make sure these extraordinary wild horses will continue to thrive on Assateague Island.

Local folklore describes the Assateague horses as survivors of a shipwreck off the Virginia coast. While this dramatic tale of struggle and survival is popular, there are no records yet that confirm it. The most plausible explanation is that they are the descendants of horses that were brought to barrier islands like Assateague in the late 17th century by mainland owners to avoid fencing laws and taxation of livestock"

The the series "The Americas", narrated by Tom Hanks, presented a fascinating story about wild horses on one of the barrier islands  off the Carolina coast. 

The Verrazano Bridge over Sinepuxent Bay connects Assateague Island to the mainland. The crossing, built in 1964, contains two spans, one carrying automobiles and the other carrying pedestrians and bicycles.  The Island was originally planned to be developed to the extent that Ocean City or Atlantic City were, but fortunately the lack of access to the island delayed that development.  

Your travel guides.

The first ponies we encountered were trotting through this parking lot as if they own the place.  They're like the turkeys on the Cape. 

One of many wheelchair friendly boardwalks that takes visitors over the marshes

This was our third visit to Assateague, but we have never seen the horses while walking along this particular boardwalk , so this was a really bonus.A newborn foal, just learning to stand, or pehaps just enjoying the soft bog or just ignoring her parents.

I love checking out what other campers have for vehicles, equipment, etc.  

I'm not sure if this is a normal growth or some disease, but it is fascinating.

Does anyone know why Jeep owners display rubber duckies on their dashboards?

For dinner we returned another favorite, the Henlopen Oyster House in Rehobeth.  We had planned to go there last year but I caught the Norovirus and we cut our visit short.  

I started with the oyster sampler.  All eight, two of  which were from Wareham, MA,  were delicious,

Although it's not particularly photo worthy, for my main course I chose the soft shell crabs with sides of asparagus and green cauliflower.

Joni opted for a shrimp Po Boy.  The shrimp and the French fries were fabulous.

Peanut butter pie.  I think Elvis would love this one.

Our Henlopen home.  Not the largest of campsites, but one of the few available when I made reservations months ago.