Hello again, happy readers! Today, I take you to the barrier islands of Virginia: specifically, the Chincoteague National Wildlife Preserve on Assateague Island.
Whilst walking down the beach on an idyllic vacation in this mosquito-ridden paradise, I glimpsed from a distance a couple of abandoned buildings one fine summer’s eve. Repelled by mosquitoes who feared neither the threat of slapping hands nor the stench of Deep Woods Off!, I vowed to return one day, armed with a map that showed me the objects of a future photographic mission: the Assateague Coast Guard Station. It wasn’t until a year or so later when I returned during the winter–and not coincidentally, mosquito-free months–to photograph the lost and lonely of this stunning island.
These photos were taken in the early winter months of of 2012, so keep in mind that these photos are not current.
PLEASE NOTE that these photos are of the Assateague Island CG Station and Boathouse only. Unfortunately, the Lifesaving Station, which was located near the head of the Woodland Trail, is no longer in existence.
Maps
Behold, the object of my inquiry! Looking at the above map toward the southern border of the island, you’ll note the Old Coast Guard Station, denoted on the southern-most edge of Tom’s Hook. While the fish factory ruins are also present along that shoreline, we did not identify those ruins and were only successful in finding the old CG station.
Le Photos
And now, for the meat and potatoes of why you probably read this blog. The photos!
















Now, before you go assuming the worst of your gracious host, it was at this point that I began to wonder if this building was in fact a fish factory as the map would’ve had me believe. Given the fact that a boardwalk ran from the confirmed Coast Guard Station out to the mysterious building and the fact that the fish factory seemingly had no business on the water, I had already started to suspect that this building was part of the Coast Guard station and not in fact a former fish factory.















Immediately following the section of the adventure, we followed the boardwalk back to land and found ourselves staring at this remarkable piece of history that stands very nearly alone on an all but abandoned spit of land: the Assateague Island Coast Guard Station.





















Links
http://www.uprootedphotographer.com/post/30034314463/abandoned-assateague-island-coast-guard-station
More photos of the boathouse and coast guard station.
http://www.chincoteague.com/AssateagueTrailMap.pdf
Trail map for Chincoteague National Wildlife Preserve.
http://www.piping-plover.org/images/4-97-g_Settlement_on_Assateague_Island.pdf
Source for location of original lifesaving station and reference on Tom’s Hook Fish Factory location.
http://www.stripersonline.com/t/826533/chincoteague-fears-proposal-to-move-beach-would-hurt-tourism-economy
Forum with local lore regarding location/visibility of fish factory.
http://www.fototime.com/ftweb/bin/ft.dll/detailfs?userid=655C590AEC814724816140FDC236FC40&ndx=102&albumid=3935E68AAEB749549B136804B766592B&pictureid=B219475E389C4BE3BF7DC13ACBB019A6
Photos of the actual fish factory.
Flickr photo of the fish factory ruins.