Surfer's Riptide

There may be no place more magical for horse lovers than Chincoteague Island, Virginia. Made famous by Marguerite Henry’s classic tale Misty of Chincoteague, the island becomes a major destination for horse lovers each July when the feral ponies living on the Virginia side of Assateague Island are rounded up by local "saltwater cowboys." They are swum to Chincoteague Island for the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company’s foal auction. The auction raises funds for the CVFC, who owns and cares for the herd while ensuring that it stays at a healthy size.