More Pictures of Chincoteague

Wednesday, Mom, Dad, Ethan and Elliott and I went to the beach again. We all got in the water except Dad. It was another nice day at the beach and although there was thunder in the distance the rain didn't show up until we had gone to Ledo's for a late lunch. So we didn't return to the beach and spent the afternoon in the rooms and hanging out at the motel.

That evening we ate at Baldie's and it started to pour down rain. Elliott and I went to the pony show at the Chincoteague Pony Center. We saw Misty III and other Chincoteague ponies perform. After the show we talked to Kendy Allen who used to live north of Manheim. She has also written a book about Misty III which I bought for Elliott. He read it that night and the next day all he talked about was buying Misty III. He thought she would be a good surprise birthday present for his Mom's birthday. He made arrangements with Grandpa (Dad) to keep it in one of the stables in his barn. He also decided that he didn't need a car and driver's licence to get around. He would just ride the pony.

Thursday morning after eating cereal and packing up the cars, Mom, Dad and Ethan left for Pa. and Elliott and I went to the Assateague Lighthouse. To our surprise it was open and for $4 each we were able to go up to the top. It was hot and stuffy inside and there were 198 steps with a landing and a window(closed) every 25 steps. But once we got to the top there was a nice breeze and no mosquitoes.

Here is Elliott about to begin the climb.

And 198 steps later he is at the top posing for a picture. The photographer went up 198 steps also!

The lighthouse is pretty far inland today and so we couldn't really see the ocean at all. Way off in the distance to the east you could make out the cars lined up and parked at the beach, but not the ocean. There were some ponies near the water on the right side of this picture which looks sort of south west towards Chincoteague Island.

There were a few more very narrow ladderlike steps to go up to the lights, but you could only go up a few and stick your head up and look around. There were 2 Fresnel lights.

Back down and outside the mosquitoes were biting like crazy. I had used OFF when I got out of the car but Elliott had just gone straight to the lighthouse and when we came back out he was being eaten for dinner and I couldn't get him to stand still to pose in front of the lighthouse. When we got to the car he sprayed himself and then we sprayed the inside of the car and still killed about 50 mosquitoes that got into the car with us. So I took him back out to the beach to get into the water and cool off his legs.

There were a lot of birds in the marshy land going out to the beach. We saw them sitting in the trees and swooping down to get fish from the water next to the road. I wonder what birds eat mosquitoes. They would have had a feast!

This canoe was across from the beach on the bay side of the parking lot at the area where the rangers have their nature talks. There were some people in that water there. I had never seen anyone get in that water before.

After eating at Ledo's Pizza again to see the cute Russian girls, ( Veronica, the pretty blonde we talked to last year, was there and was our waitress to Elliott's delight!) we drove by the Pony Center again to see one of this year's babies. Elliott was up for going in and talking them into selling Misty III although the night before at the show they made a point of telling everyone she was not for sale. So Elliott had to settle for taking home pictures and no pony.