ASSATEAGUE EXPLORER
Since 2001 Assateague Explorer has helped people like you discover Assateague Island. Assateague Explorer was founded by Captain Mark, he is a native of Chincoteague Island and came up with the idea of showing visitors the wild ponies of Assateague by boat. Captain Mark with Assateague Explorer has navigated these inland waterways for decades. He captains vessels during multiple U.S. Coast Guard inspections each year to ensure your safety. His family has lived on the island since the 1820’s. His grandfather Mr. Burton was in the 1961 Hollywood movie Misty, based on the book Misty of Chincoteague. In fact, the wild pony Misty, Phantom and many of the ponies in the movie belonged to Mark’s grandfather.
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- Capt. Mark's grandfather (3rd from left) at his pony ranch on Chincoteague, which became known as Tom's Cove Campground.
Chincoteague Island Native
All of the photos you see on this website of the wild ponies and birds were captured by Captain Mark. He is an award winning nature photographer that has traveled around the world for nature. Visit his website photographerimages.com. He worked at Assateague Island National Seashore for the National Park Service in Virginia and as a National Park Ranger at the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor. He started as a boat captain back in the 1980’s, has captained dive boats & research vessels also with a perfect safety record. His family landed at Cape Charles, Virginia in the 1630’s, about the same time the wild horses arrived on Assateague Island.
