Author: sharonsiconictravelphotographyblog

Paddle Boarding/ SUP at Assateague Island

One of the many activities you can do at Assateague Island is paddle board. The best place to go is on the bay side of the island , Sinepuxent Bay. The best time to go when there is no bad weather expected and the winds are not too high.

This is not far from the state boat launch.

One place to put in that I recommend is the state board launch on the mainland side of the Verrazano Bridge. It is across from the Assateague Island National Seashore Visitor’s Center. This one is free and there are two boat launches and plenty of parking in a paved lot. You can also walk from the parking lot/ grass area to a small beach area on the water.

Water pathways thru the marshes are mostly on the island side of the bay. The water near the edges of these is usually shallow.

The other place I recommend is the launch at the national park at the end of Ferry Landing Road. This has some spots near the launch and a restroom. You would have to pay to get to this launch as you have to go through the toll booth inside the park. The fee is over 20 dollars for a seven day pass. Veterans can get a free lifetime pass. There is also a pass for seniors.

It is possible to catch crabs, and clams and see many types of waterfowl in these locations.

There are also free places to launch on the right hand side of the road when you are going from the bridge into the park before you get to the troll booths. You are allowed to park and launch where there is extra shoulder with rocks and there is a beach like area where the water comes right up close to the road.

You cannot park on the island side of the Verrazano Bridge. I have seen people do that in the past, but last year there seemed to be an issue with people respecting the horses, so that is no longer allowed. There are signs up saying no parking and usually there is a ranger there sitting in a vehicle making sure no one is stopping when the horses are present.

There is a lot to do at Assateague besides swim and camp. Get out and enjoy a variety of activities.

Clam Pasta with White Sauce

What do you do after clamming on the bay at Assateague Island? Cook them!

There is a whole process of soaking them in water and changing it out mixing between salt water and fresh water. This process takes a while. We did not eat the clams the day we caught them, but the next day. I would say read up on any directions on-line on how to prepare clams.

Boiling Them

The process of cooking them that they followed involved boiling them until the shells open. They were planning on cooking them in sauce after they remove them.

Then they transferred them to another container to have their shuckers remove the clams from the shells.

Below is what they look like after boiling them.

Removing them from the Shell

Use a knife or a clamming knife to remove the clam from the shell.

Responsible kids can take part in this.

Cut Them Into Pieces

If you are putting it into pasta, you may want to cut the clam into smaller pieces.

Making the Sauce

Next they cooked the white sauce then spread it over pasta.

Result

The result was well liked. The location was the Assateague State Park Campground. This is another activity kids can be involved in.

Clamming at Assateague 2023

Where to Clam?

Assateague Island State Park Boat Launch

Assateague Island National Seashore - Camping Map

The best places to go are on the bay side of the island and some areas along the mainland side of the bay. Some areas near beaches or access points near the bay may be picked over by others before you. If you can go by kayak, canoe, or paddle board, it may be better to put in on the mainland side of the Verrazano Bridge. You can see the boat launch on the upper middle section of this map.

National Park Boat Launches

Assateague Island Maps | NPMaps.com - just free maps, period.

There are good places to launch on the National Park land. Follow the signs after you cross the bridge and travel on Bayberry Road. There are a couple of places with obvious areas with a lot of extra stone on the shoulder roadside to park and launch before you get to the park tollbooth. These are free spots on the right. I recommend also launching from Old Ferry Landing Road launch. This is after the tollbooth, so you need to pay. There are paved parking spots at the launch and one restroom. If you are a veteran you may be eligible for a free lifetime National Park Pass. I believe there is also a pass for seniors. Otherwise, it is over $20 to enter the park for day use. I believe this covers multiple days though.

What Do You Need?

To make it easier, there are certain tools you can bring to clam. Some people bring a rake to scrap or dig up the clam. Many times just by rubbing your foot along the bottom while standing you can feel where they are. The rake can be used to loosen them. Others use a rake with a basket where they can scoop up the clam. Kids however seem to enjoy swimming down to grab them. Bring buckets to hold them clams in with water as well.

Sometimes other things come up with the clam.
A combination rake with basket.
Sometimes you can find multiple clams in the same location.
He liked to dive under the water to bring them up.
She was very happy to find some on her own and add to the effort.
He found a lot of large clams in chest deep water.

Notice in all the above shots clams were not found in shallow water. Sometimes you can find them there but also look in deeper water sometimes as well.

Official bucket holder and clam collector.
Heading back after collecting 120 or more clams.

Everyone seemed to enjoy the experience. We all returned after about an hour and a half out on the water on our kayaks and paddle boards. Sometimes finding your own food is an adventure.

(Maps are free and from websites online: https://www.assateagueisland.com/campingmap_statepark.htm. https://npmaps.com/wp-content/uploads/assateague-island-inset-map.jpg)

Vintage Vehicle Advertising

One my way to a store in Ocean City, Maryland I saw these two vintage vehicles used to advertise a business. They are still in good shape with nice paint jobs.

Pizza Tugos in Ocean City
Pizza Tugos
An old fire truck was used to advertise Nick’s House of Ribs in Ocean City.

I wonder if today’s vans and trucks will every be used in this fashion in the future. I love this creative way to advertise a business. What do you think?

Sunrise Horse

I made a short trip to Assateague Island, Maryland for a few days to meet friends who secure a campsite every year. To get the week they want, they have four devices up and ready to click at the moment the campsites go up on the website for that week the following year. One device got the reservation. I guess July is the harder month to try to reserve because schools in the southern U.S. and north both have off that entire month, whereas June and August they don’t.

This horse was on the beach at sunrise at the state park camper’s beach. I was there three days and two of the days at sunrise the horses were there to watch the sun come up. The beach is a short walk from the campsites and over a dune. It is worth getting up at 5 or 5:30 to watch the beautiful sunrise with the added bonus of horses!

Loon Babysitting

I try to keep a distance from the loons, but have several times over the past few years had one or more come up and swim close to me. This is the first time I felt I was being tasked to step in as a baby sitter.

Left by mom next to my kayak, the baby eyed me intently.

The mother and baby swam up close to my kayak, then the mother disappeared under the water to fish, while the baby stayed above water chilling out near my kayak. Normally the baby swims in the water following the direction the mom went under the water in peeping all the way. This time the baby was quiet.

A few minutes later the mother came up with a fish.

She tried to present it to the baby.

The baby turned its head away. Either it was full or it was too big for it.

Mom continued to swim around with the fish in its mouth hoping the baby would change its mind. Who knew? My new summer side hustle in life is a loon babysitter.

Baby Loon with Mom

Loons are fun birds to watch. I took 3 kayak trips on a lake over three days. Each time I watch these loons for an hour or so. I have a zoom lens ,an extender and these are cropped.

The lighting changed even within the hour or so I watched them this day. It depended on which way they were facing, cloud cover, and what objects they were near. In this case I believe the green colour was a reflection in the water from a boat cover. The mom kept the little one near the shore of the lake.

Mom! That’s too big for me!

The parents kept parading around with small fish that seemed much too big for the baby. I think the baby finally ate them when they cut them in pieces. It is fun to watch nature. Loons are becoming my favourite birds. They have such personality.

Baby Loon Riding Mom

Normally I don’t say where I find most of the wildlife I do. Loons are on most ponds and lakes in the Adirondacks that are long enough to host them and with enough fish. These loons are on Loon Lake, of all places, in the Adirondack Mountains of New York.

The baby’s legs are straddled out. It seemed to have a hard time balancing itself on the parent’s back at times.

This was the first time I was lucky enough to see a baby riding on its parent’s back. I have been up looking for this in June and July in previous years, but missed out in the past. I went up to stay for two nights, and made three kayak trips on Loon Lake. I saw them each time.

This parent had babysitting duty. The other parent was out and about feeding itself and came back periodically to try to feed the baby.

The other parent returning with the fish.

I was told by someone who lived along the lake that there were two eggs, but one never hatched. Most of the land around the lake is private residences or residences as investment property/ rental.

The baby was all tuckered out or knackered.

I probably took one hundred pictures on the first two of the three kayaking trips I made this short vacation. Get out and experience new things! Nature is a beauty to behold.

Signs of Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania

Who was Jim Thorpe? He was a famous Native-American athlete, who many believe was the greatest athlete to ever live. Although he is not from there, a town in Pennsylvania is named after him.

Why is this town named Jim Thorpe?

The town was originally named Mauch Chunk, which means Bear Place in the Munsee-Lenape Native American language.

Thorpe’s home state of Oklahoma had refused to erect a memorial in his honour. His third wife looked for a town to honour her late husband’s athletic achievements in the Olympics, amateur and professional sports.

She and Mauch Chunk officials struck a deal. Jim Thorpe’s remains were moved to the town and the town was renamed Jim Thorpe. The town honours him every year for a two day celebration. Jim excelled in track and field, football and baseball. Thorpe won gold medals in the decathlon and pentathlon in 1912. Jim Thorpe played professional football, was inducted into the Hall of Fame, and was the NFL’s first president. He also played professional baseball. Thorpe never visited the town, but attended a school near the town- the Carlisle Indian Industrial School.

Signage

What caught my eye while visiting the town was the signage. There were some interesting fonts used. Here are some examples below.

Bank sign near the train station.
Seat cover on the indoor train car for a service that went on a one hour trip. It leaves from the main centre of town.

Jim Thorpe Olive Oil Company had flavoured oils, dips, and soups that you could sample. They also sold gluten-free pasta options.

Fun Signs

Not sure what that animal is supposed to be.
Funny or a threat? There was at least one store in town that sold signs.

I had intended to return today on my way back home to take more pictures, but it was raining hard much of the day, so that did not happen. This town is a tourist draw. It is in the area of the Poconos in Pennsylvania. This is an area with kayaking, white water rafting, hiking trails, camping, hotels and resorts. It has a lot of interesting shops, coffee shops, and restaurants. If you are in that area swing by for a few hours and check it out.

Happy Independence Day!

To all those celebrating in the U.S., Happy Independence Day! In my area people have been celebrating since July 1st with nightly fireworks. No, they were not celebrating Canada Day. Enjoy your day!

A Coca Cola store display