Day 2: Assateague Island

“Sometimes the best days are the ones that don’t go exactly as planned.”

Day 2 at Assateague Island reminded us that nature always has a vote.

We started the morning on the campus of Chincoteague Bay Field Station with a little creativity, a lot of observation, and plenty of laughter. Campers paired up for a camera walk with a twist. One person became the photographer, while the other became the camera. The "camera" closed their eyes as the photographer carefully guided them around campus. When the photographer spotted something worth capturing—a towering pine tree, sunlight filtering through leaves, wildflowers blooming along a path, interesting bark textures, fallen logs, or patterns hidden in the forest—they gently tapped the camera on the shoulders. The camera would open their eyes for just a few seconds to "take the picture" before closing them again. The activity slowed us down, sharpened our senses, and reminded us that wonder is often hiding in places we walk past every day.

Along the way, we continued our Sound Mapping Project, pausing to listen carefully to the sounds around us. The rustling of leaves overhead, birds calling from the trees, insects buzzing in the gardens, the distant breeze moving through the forest, and conversations between new friends all became part of our growing collection of sounds from this summer's camps. Later, we gathered for leather stamping, a simple activity that brought back memories of summer camps from years ago. There is something timeless about creating something with your hands and leaving a mark that lasts.

This afternoon was supposed to include kayaking, but Mother Nature had other plans. With winds gusting between 20 and 30 miles per hour, we made the decision to postpone paddling until tomorrow. While we were disappointed, the change turned into an unexpected adventure. Instead, we headed out for a dunes walk, exploring one of Assateague's most important habitats and searching for the critters hiding all around us. Every footprint, burrow, shell, and movement in the sand became an opportunity to stop, observe, and ask questions.

From there, we traded dry land for the water and headed out for seining and dip netting. Every pull of the seine net felt like opening a surprise package. We discovered striped silversides darting through the shallows, mummichogs weaving through the grasses, tiny hermit crabs carrying their homes on their backs, delicate comb jellies shimmering in the water, and many other marsh creatures that call Assateague home.

Not ready to leave the water behind, we picked up crab traps and hand lines and tried our luck with blue crabs. The results were impressive. By the end of the afternoon, campers had caught at least fifteen crabs, with plenty of laughter, cheering, and a few surprised squeals mixed in. It turns out that educators can become very competitive when blue crabs are involved.

After a great dinner together, we shifted gears and traveled back in time to learn about the Civilian Conservation Corps and its work on Assateague Island during the 1930s. The CCC dug more than 87 miles of drainage ditches through the marshes in an effort to reduce mosquito populations. At the time, it seemed like a practical solution. Decades later, scientists discovered that the ditches disrupted natural water flow, damaged fragile marsh ecosystems, and actually made it harder for the marsh to function naturally. Today, restoration crews are working to fill many of those ditches and restore the natural movement of water across the landscape. It was a powerful reminder that conservation is a journey and that sometimes we learn just as much from our mistakes as we do from our successes.

The evening continued with reflections on our Gathering Wall, where campers shared observations, questions, moments of gratitude, and lessons from the day. The wall is beginning to fill with stories, sketches, ideas, and reminders that learning is often as much about community as it is about content.

Then came the event everyone had been waiting for—our first night of KampiOKE. Let's just say there was enthusiasm. There was confidence. There were song choices. And there were a few notes that may never be heard again anywhere else on Earth. We are incredibly grateful that everyone's day job is teaching.

Tomorrow promises another full day of exploration, learning, and adventure. Hopefully the winds cooperate and the kayaks finally make their appearance. Until then, we'll fall asleep thinking about forests, dunes, blue crabs, marshes, and new friendships, grateful for another day on this resilient island.

Just like Assateague, we are learning that resilience isn't about everything going according to plan. It's about adapting, learning, and finding joy in the unexpected.