MID-ATLANTIC STATES

Assateague Island National Seashore, Berlin, Maryland

Barrier islands are reconfigured by the powerful Atlantic Ocean on an unfathomable time schedule. Hurricanes, winter and spring storms, and the daily flow of the tides combine through the days, months, and years to move sand with dramatic surges or minute pulses. This unpredictable dynamism makes these islands fascinating to revisit again and again.

Assateague Island, at 37 miles, is the longest barrier island on the Delmarva Peninsula. Its miles of uninhabited beaches, dense bayberry and wax-myrtle thickets, dunes, and broad salt marshes make it one of the region's most desirable natural destinations.

The northern two-thirds of the island, including Assateague Island State Park near the northern end, are in Maryland, while the southern third of Assateague belongs to Virginia. (The Virginia portion of the island is featured in the description of Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge in this field guide.) It is a 55-mile drive on the mainland from one end of the island to the other. Here we concentrate on the northern sections.

Upon crossing the Sinepuxent Bay bridge, your first decision will be whether to drive straight ahead to the state park (from which it is a 6-mile walk north along the beautiful beach to Ocean City Inlet) or to drive south along Bayberry Drive to the National Seashore parking area, campground, and ranger station. From this spot, there is a wooden walkway across the dunes to the ocean strand. Scan the ocean for Bottle-nosed Dolphins, Brown Pelicans, and, in winter, Northern Gannets and other seabirds. Shell collecting and beachcombing are good at the seashore, and sometimes excellent after a heavy blow. Birdwatching is invariably rewarding, perhaps best in fall; the falcon migration can be particularly good.

Many seashore visitors come to see the island's wild ponies, which roam freely and often prefer the breezy, mosquito-free open beaches in summer. Fishermen will find Striped and Channel Bass, White Perch, Atlantic Croaker, and Black Drum.

Canoeing is a wonderful way to explore the leeward side of Assateague, and many visitors enjoy wilderness camping, but you must make plans in advance. Contact seashore officials about boating and camping regulations, suggestions, and precautions. (Mosquitoes, in particular, can be horrendous in the marshes.) Rangers lead daily nature walks during the summer months and regularly give campfire talks and slide programs for evening and overnight visitors.

Location: Rte. 611, 8 miles south of Ocean City. Contact: Assateague Island National Seashore, National Park Service, 7206 National Seashore Lane, Berlin, MD 21811; 410-641-1441. Visitor Center: On mainland side of Rte. 611.

PHOTO: A. Blake Gardner