Assateague Federal Park Excursion

Outing Leader: Jay Cathell 

Date: May 17 - 19, 2024

Times:

Friday 7:00 PM (Sunset - until you are finished)

Saturday 4:50 AM (Sunrise - until you are finished)

Sunday 4:50 AM (Sunrise - until you are finished)

Meeting Points

Friday : NPS Visitor center parking lot: Google Maps Location!

Saturday : NPS Visitor center parking lot: Google Maps Location!

Sunday : Design your own Adventure

For those that are planning on attending this outing here are some suggestions to make the most of your time.

We will meet at the NPS (Barrier Island Visitor Center on map) parking lot (free parking here) at 7PM Friday May 17th. If the gates are attended (at the entry to the park itself) there is a charge to enter and park unless you have the senior pass or a season pass to the national parks. It is pricy. $25 per vehicle but it is a seven day pass. You can ride in with someone that has a pass (I do) for free. If the gate is unattended you can just ride in. (that is usually the case in the early AM hours) Not sure what time the attendant leaves the entrance shack in the evening.

Friday May 17^th

After meeting at the NPS parking lot we will continue on to the federal park and through the entrance continue on for a quarter mile to either Bayside Dr. or Ferry Landing Rd (both on the right hand side. (about 15 minute ride from our rendezvous point)This is the bayside of the island to get the best view for a sunset or walk the extensive boardwalks to possibly see wildlife. After sunset we can stay in this location or move over to the ocean side to possibly get a look at the Milky Way. Milky Way images will be lucky as the moon is a waxing half-moon on the 17^th. I like to be ready to shoot an hour before sunset and an hour before sunrise. Sunset is at 8:07 PM on May 17^th

Saturday May 18^th

Rendezvous or proceed on to the Assateague Federal Park. As soon as you go through the attendant gates take the first left and park behind the solar panels close to the restroom facilities. From there walk the boardwalk out to the beach to setup for sunrise images. Sunrise is at 5:47 AM. I will arrive at 4:50 AM and be setup on the beach at 5:10 AM ready to shoot. If you are so inclined and want to try Milky Way images in the AM I would suggest starting at about 4AM. For me, when the sun comes over the horizon, I am usually done shooting. Best colors are usually 50 to 20 minutes before sunrise.

If you like we can get breakfast and then go to Berlin and photograph that beautiful town.

(BTW you are supposed to pay fee at Ranger Station if booth is unattended Credit card only)

Sunday May 19th

If there are those that want to shoot an entirely different type thing…….perhaps on Sunday these places are great photo ops of water scenes and small water communities. Anyone interested in one of the things (other than Cambridge)..I’ll be glad to tag along for some local knowledge. (Jay Cathell)

If you say in Snow Hill you are 36 minutes from Assateague Is. National Seashore, 40 minutes from Chincoteague Va. and 35 minutes from OC Maryland

Scotts Landing (Water scene and marsh only)

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Scotts+Landing+Shellfish+LLC/@38.1020729,-75.3183028,18.25z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x89b93fb5a8e07b7f:0x7b1f674061ac8e3d!8m2!3d38.1028342!4d-75.316916

Taylor Landing (Water scene marsh and some buildings that are interesting)

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Taylor+Landing/@38.0772669,-75.3700904,16.5z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x89b915481d56fa3f:0xdacfa7cd9de713b9!8m2!3d38.0764591!4d-75.3645238

Deal Island (Working water community with workboats and skipjacks)

 https://www.google.com/maps/place/Billy+Anderson+Seafood/@38.1572261,-75.9514864,15z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x89b9bd09d172353d:0x774d726c6d72cd24!8m2!3d38.1670623!4d-75.9458148

 Wenona (Working water community with workboats, skipjacks and crab houses)

 https://www.google.com/maps/place/Arby's+General+Store/@38.129488,-75.9521335,17z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x89b9962d85a5e757:0x7b26e1414f398786!8m2!3d38.1294838!4d-75.9499448

Saxis Island Va. (Working water community with workboats and a few interesting buildings)

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Shore+Seafood+Distribution/@37.9240028,-75.7305915,16z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x89b982912d9a05b1:0x9d135915f55efa97!8m2!3d37.9202832!4d-75.729087

Of course, on the return trip home, there is always Blackwater Nature Preserve near Cambridge. 

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Blackwater+National+Wildlife+Refuge+Visitor+Center/@38.4395805,-76.1216631,14.5z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x89b9ca59ee201e0f:0x6a041869bed1d17e!8m2!3d38.4447956!4d-76.1194718

Cambridge, Md

This place in the town of Cambridge, you can drive to the end of this street (Oakley), get out of your car, and photograph Redhead,  Canvasback, Mallards, Widgeons, Lesser Scaup (bluebills) ducks that are within 50 feet of you most any day in the week in the Choptank river.

 https://www.google.com/maps/@38.5793567,-76.0779295,21z  

Things you will need.

• Headlamp or flashlight (I much prefer a headlamp)
• Layers of warm clothing (It is always colder and windier on the beach than you anticipate)
• Gloves and hat
• Shoes you don’t mind getting sand in or perhaps wet (mud too)
• Tripod with ball head for sunrise/sunset exposures
• Tripod with gimbal for wildlife exposures
• Remote shutter release/intervalometer for long exposures
• Lenses, 24-70 or 24-105, for sunrise/sunset,15-35 2.8 or equivalent for Milky Way and sunrise sunset shots, 150-600 or 100-400 for wildlife  (all depends on what you like to shoot)
• ND filters
• Set up your user defined settings on your cameras so you can switch quickly with just the turn of a knob for quick shot opportunities
• Milky Way shots are usually at f2.8, 16mm,25 sec, at ISO of 3200 of 6400.(for me) Good idea to program your intervalometer before arrival to avoid the frustration
• PhotoPills app for your phone which is great for finding the Milky Way. I have used it with success.
• Insect repellant

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