Chincoteague Boating Tours

I'll be arriving on Chincoteague Island in July.  I will be going home.  One of the first things that I will do is call a specific number and make a reservation for a boat tour for myself.  Then I'll make reservations to go with the rest of the family, when they arrive four days later.  I can't wait to get aboard Captain Barry's Back Bay Cruises!  Captain Barry Frishman is unique among the tour boat captains of Chincoteague - he has studied marine biology, he has been an oysterman and a tugboat captain, he has kids and grandchildren, and he travels around the world visiting disaster sites as part of a relief team, giving care, comfort and hope (and teaching about the need for fresh water), as a volunteer.  Barry is a fun person to be around.  He can be funny and silly with the youngest members of his two-hour crew; he's always informative; he is an accomplished painter; and, no matter your age, or what type of cruise you take with Barry, you return smiling... because you had fun.  Both youngsters and adults have an entertaining time with Barry.  You can be as hands-on as you like, or you can just sit in a chair on deck and observe the fun.
  Barry is a native New Yorker, who moved to Chincoteague and fell in love with a 'Teaguer ( a Chincoteague native).  His wife's family has ties on the island dating back to 1643, when the first land patents were issued for the Eastern Shore lands in Virginia.  His wife's grandfather and great-grandfather took care of the Assateague Lighthouse as contractors for the US Coast Guard in the 1920s and 1930s.  Barry and Aleda have a large and thriving family, and if you happen to hear someone yelling, "Poppy!" to Captain Barry, it's one of his grandchildren...
  There are two types of trips available from Captain Barry's Back Bay Cruises - the Sea Life Expedition and the Champagne Sunset Cruise.  I've been on both, and I highly recommend both.  On the Sea Life Expedition, you get off the boat on sandbars to dig for clams - you may be able to catch your dinner.  Then you'll head off to go crabbing, pull in crab pots and learn to identify the catch.  If you're feeling really good, Barry will teach you how to hold a live crab without getting pinched.  He usually stops at Shell Island Beach for shell collecting and identification - and then he'll take you hunting for jellyfish!  While you've been cruising the channels a trawling net behind the boat has been gathering passing sea life - you'll pull the net aboard and see what treasures have been gathered.  Then you go birding - and Captain Barry knows his birds.  On this trip you get to use all of your senses - hearing, touch, taste, sight, and smell - as well as your mind.  This is the real deal cruise to take so that you can experience the life of a Chincoteague Waterman.
   On the Champagne Sunset Cruise, all you have to do is sit back, sip your drink, and enjoy the views.  Most sunsets over the mainland are spectacular when seen from Barry's boat...  I can get drunk on them without imbibing any alcohol!  With the wind in your hair and the smell of the sweet sea air, Barry will take you away to a Chincoteague Bay paradise.  Your worries disappear, you relax, and appreciate nature and the sunset in all their glory.  This is a fantastic way to celebrate the close  of the day - and the beginning of a wonderful night. You can bring along a personal cooler, too.  This is scheduled as an Adults Only trip - the only way you can bring kids on the Sunset Cruise is to reserve the entire boat.
   Have I convinced you to take a trip with Barry?  Good!  You can call and make reservations to ship out with him at  (757) 336-6508.
  And, a little bit more.  A few suggestions about traveling on board Back Bay Cruises:
By US Coast Guard regulations, Captain Barry can only have 6 other people aboard his boat.  He has USCG approved life jackets for all kids and adults.  Folks ranging in age from newborn babies to 91-year-olds have sailed with Captain Barry.
There is a clean, beautifully renovated and easy-to-use bathroom on board.
Barry has water to drink while aboard, but you are welcome to bring your personal coolers, with whatever you want inside.
If you are participating in a "hands on" manner, you might be barefoot in the water, or you  might need a pair of water shoes (or old sneakers) for walking on shells.
Barry always wears shorts, so when he goes into the water, he doesn't have wet slacks.
Smaller children have a tendency to splash and get muddy - a change of clothing and a towel are good things to bring along for them.
It's always cooler on the water, so a light jacket, windbreaker, or sweatshirt is a good idea- especially if you're on the Sunset Cruise.
Always recommended are: sunblock or sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, and insect repellent.
  Here are four quotes from previous passengers:
(1)  My older children first went out with Captain Barry about 11 years ago.  They still talk about what a blast they had.  We took the younger three out in the summer of 2013.  We had such an amazing time!  It's like a floating interactive science class, with built-in entertainment. This morning (May 2015) we had the pleasure of taking one of the first tours of the season with our 14 year old daughter and 12 year old nephew.  Captain Barry never disappoints.  We learn something new on every adventure, and the memories and learning the kids get is something that will stick with them for life.
(2)  Our group of four adults and a one year old granddaughter comprised the tour group for Captain Barry's charter.  Each of us was thoroughly delighted by the meet, greet, and even eat sea creatures right out of the water.  Our trip was at low tide which allowed us to visit exposed sand bars where we saw fiddler crabs scurrying about.  Part science, part local lore, part culinary, and through and through marvelous.  The captain was attentive, courteous, thoughtful, prepared, and lively.  Well done from start to finish.  Capt Barry, we will be back!
(3)  We loved this tour.  Definitely not your run-of-the-mill tourist experience, and well worth the money.  Capt Barry goes out of his way to entertain, engage, and teach.  The kids had a great time and can't stop smiling.  They're already asking about our our next trip with Capt Barry.  Go!
(4)  We had the BEST time! Heard so many good things and thought we should give him a try.  So glad we did.  I have never laughed and smiled so much!  He knows the area, knows what he is doing and showed us some VERY interesting things.  He is just a neat guy all around!  I have lived all over the country, seen a lot of bays, mainly San Fransisco Bay, and Captain Barry was BY FAR the best tour guide ever!  He made our Chincoteague Island trip feel like we were somewhere so perfect that EVERYONE should be there!

    So if you are looking for something fun to do, with kids, or without, I highly recommend seeing Captain Barry and his Back Bay Cruises for a fantastic time!

Snow, Nuts, Papa John's

It's nearly 11 a.m. and it's still 19 degrees outside..  a little nippy.  It's grey and overcast, and the clouds have been slowly lowering in the west; the tops of the Flatirons are shrouded in clouds, mist, and light snow. We're having small flurries here in town - they started falling as I was waiting for the bus to go walk Rosie. Since it was so cold, both Rosie and Lucy got short fast walks - 15 minutes apiece, but without the usual moseying about and tons of sniffing everything we encountered.  I had my sweater, coat, scarf, and Santa cap on (not to mention the gloves and wool socks), so I wasn't really chilled - but the dogs were, and neither owns a coat, therefore the short brisk walks.  My kits are watching the squirrels clash over the two piles of nuts - the same sized piles of the same nuts - but the outside kids get quarrelsome.  Since it is winter, I feed them nuts with a higher fat content at this time of the year.  They are getting a mixture of pecans, walnuts, hazel nuts, Brazil nuts, peanuts and a little dried corn...  And they will happily go through 2 pounds or more per day, so I usually put out 3/4 pound twice a day, in two different spots.
   I guess that I won't be eating Papa John's Pizza any more.  I placed my order yesterday at 3:25 p.m., walked over a block to the store and found out they had moved.  Walked back home, called the store, was promised free delivery.  Waited.  After an hour, I called the store again, and was on hold for 10 minutes before I was able to speak to anyone.  I was informed that the first driver had been in a wreck and totaled his car on the way to my delivery, but that a second river, with the original food was just leaving.  I got my meal delivered at 5:10.  It was cold.    No more Papa John's....   And I was never contacted by anyone about the fiasco on 6 December, not by anyone local, nor by corporate.  I'm disappointed.
   My cousin Aleda's husband, Cap'n Barry Frishman, is currently working in the Dagami area of Leyte Province in the Philippines.  This is a video of the destruction that occurred there during Typhoon Haiyan:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhbfWHtlk5I    Barry is staying with a foster family, and is sharing food with them, eating rice three times a day....  He's a good man.

Free Cat Adoptions at the Humane Society of Boulder Valley

The Humane Society of Boulder Valley is making the adoption of any cat 6 months old, or older, available at no cost - FREE - through December 31, 2013.  They currently have 53 cats and kittens available for adoption.  - And I personally know of two more available to a good home. -  Any of the cats at the Humane Society may be viewed at:  http://www.boulderhumane.org/animals/adoption/adopt_cats   I personally know of two cats that were feral, and have been a tamed that are available for private adoption, also.  A young (less than 4 months old) orange tabby - I believe I was told she is a girl; and an adult male Siamese seal point with crossed blue eyes.  The current owner (and tamer) will pay to have the Siamese neutered - this lady has tamed multiple feral cats, but is in the process of moving, and doesn't want any of her feral colony left behind.  You can contact me via the "Comments" button on this blog, and I will convey the message to Judy, the cat owner.  Once, again, if you live in, or near, Boulder County, Colorado there are free adoptions at the Humane Society of Boulder Valley through 31 December; and I know of two once feral kitties that need a forever home.
  In the meantime, the full body scan of my youngest brother-in-law, Kent, showed a normal body; the doctors are astounded, because they had assumed the tumor growing in Ken's brain had metastasized from another area in his body.  Nope.  - Kent was always the one who had to do things the longest, most difficult way....  -  The MDs have now sent the biopsy of his brain to the Mayo Clinic, in hope that they might have seen something like this before.  So the entire family is still set in a "wait and see" mode, which does nothing to lower the levels of anxiety and stress in the immediate family.  I can't say this will be a restful Christmas and New Year's.
   Also, Cap'n Barry Frishman has made it to the Philippines and is hard at work with his team.  If you're interested in what's happening in the rebuilding of the Islands, please feel free to visit the group's page -  http://helpventures.org/   -  once there, you can click on the Blog button and see what the guys have been up to...  And they are always doing good, all around the world.  Barry is a specialist in digging and drilling fresh water wells.

Photos from Captain Barry's Back Bay Cruises

Clamming

Pulling crab pots

Captain Barry explaining a crab's life

Looking for clam sign

How to handle a crab -  everyone gets involved!

I have no idea what this young man is holding...  a jellyfish?

Captain Barry's Back Bay Cruises

Captain Barry Frishman was not born on Chincoteague Island, but he is one of the best Chincoteague Watermen on the island.  Barry has worn many hats throughout his career - he is a Red Cross volunteer and is present to help at almost all major events: he was in Sri Lanka in 2004 after the tsunami, and he and his wife spent more than two years in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake.  His great passion is water, fresh or salt, and his wife.   He has been a tugboat captain, and an oysterman, and he travels around the world to dig and repair fresh water wells in Africa, South America, Asia and the Caribbean.  His wife, Aleda, is a lawyer interested in women's services, and, together, they helped found We Advance (www.WeAdvance.org), an organization that provides free medical care, educational opportunities and community outreach programs to the needy in underdeveloped countries.
   Cap'n Barry owns what Chincoteaguers call "a party boat" - it's got a flat deck and is on two pontoons, and there are awnings to protect you from the sun and weather.  You're welcome to bring a cooler along during your (usually) two hour trip.  Barry gives two types of trips, and both are fabulous (speaking as a passenger): the Sea Life Expedition that generally runs four times a day, and the Champagne Sunset Cruise.

   The Sea Life Expedition is a wonderful example and hands-on look at the everyday experiences in the life of a Chincoteague Island Waterman.  It's fun, interesting, and entertaining.  You're invited to join in and share all the experiences, or you can sit back and document it with a camera.  The expedition will employ all of your senses - sound, touch, taste, and smell.  During this trip you can: dig for clams; pull up crab pots; learn how to handle crabs; go shell collecting; find, identify, and handle jellyfish; see hundreds of bird species; and haul in a trawling net and learn to identify all the marine life that's been caught.  This trip is the real deal for getting your hands dirty and your feet wet!
   The Champagne Sunset Cruise leaves the dock at 6:30 in the evening.  Your own coolers are welcome. Cap'n Barry will take you and the boat out to a Chincoteague Bay Paradise, where you can watch the sunset colors vary and disappear, just like your worries and cares.  In the water, on a quiet evening, you'll be overcome by a sense of relaxation and your appreciation of nature will intensify.  It's one heck of a good cruise. ** Please note: Due to alcohol consumption, this cruise is restricted to adults.  If you wish to bring someone under age, you may do so, but you must pay for the rental of the entire boat.**
   Cap'n Barry provides Coast Guard approved life jackets for children and adults.  Following Coast Guard regulations, the boat can hold only six guests.  What should you wear and/or bring?  Shorts and tops, or bathing suits with a cover-up; on the Sea Life Expedition, you might wish to have water shoes, or old worn out shoes that can get wet and muddy, where there are shells; it is always cooler on the water, and a sweatshirt or light jacket might be useful in the early morning or on the Sunset cruise.  Most definitely bring sunblock and a hat or visor, possibly sunglasses.  If you're bringing small children who like to splash, a towel and a change of clothing is suggested.
   Captain Barry's Back Bay Cruises are one of the best hosted adventures on the island. His boat leaves from the dock at The Chincoteague Inn at 6262 Marlin Street, on Chincoteague (just off Main Street).  To make reservations, please call   (757) 336-6508.  Plan ahead and make reservations early - Cap'n Barry is extremely popular.  See his website at:  http://www.chincoteague.com/captainb/index.html

My Cousin Aleda

First, don't forget to turn your clocks back one hour, either before you go to bed on Saturday night (my preference), or as soon as you get up Sunday morning. It's "Fall Back" time!

   If my brain seems a lot more scattered than usual, please forgive me. I just learned that my first cousin has metastatic cancer. Our mothers were sisters. Both of our maternal grandparents died from cancer; and both of my cousin's parents died from cancer. Aleda is younger than me; she has a wonderful husband; she has children; and she has grandchildren. After she married Barry, she returned to school and worked doggedly for her law degree; she specializes in representing women and children, and has done a great deal of work without pay in Third World countries, fighting for womens' rights. Her husband, Barry Frishman, gives tours around Chincoteague and Assateague, teaching tourists about marine, marsh, and island ecology. The only thing they own is Barry's boat (Captain Barry's Back Bay Tours); they rent a mobile home and a friend has loaned them a vehicle to drive. Aleda and Barry traveled to Haiti after the last earthquake, and have been spending their time shuttling between the two islands. Barry is a volunteer worker who digs and builds fresh water wells for all those who need them - in Haiti, and in the Third World countries he visits with Aleda. Barry is also an American Red Cross volunteer, and Emergency Team worker. Before returning to the States this past spring, Aleda always felt tired and achey (on top of her severe asthma). After tons of testing, it was found she had all sorts of internal parasites; but she kept having weird reactions to the medications that were supposed to cure her... More and more tests. A PET scan finally turned up a mass in her lymph glands. She was scheduled for a biopsy early last month, but another mass was found that encircles a major nerve and two arteries - they are now going to do the biopsy on November 9, a week from today. Then she'll have meetings with the Docs the day after Thanksgiving... I am upset and greatly worried.

Aleda ("Missy") and Barry Frishman on Chincoteague

Chincoteague Photos: Tuesday after Sandy

Aftermath of Sandy; Tuesday morning on Chincoteague

 

Maddox Boulevard Tuesday morning

 

Looking towards the mainland across Chincoteague Channel, Main Street

 

Barry is working his fanny off, helping folks - here he is with a National Guardsman, doing his official Red Cross duties

 

Chincoteague Update; the SS Bounty

Most of Chincoteague Island is now without power. Water is still rising. They have sustained winds of 40 to 45 mph; and are expecting gusts up to 80 mph. Captain Barry Frishman, my cousin's husband, has been out twice in today's storm. First he went down to the southern tip of the island and checked on their rented mobile home. This morning, the water was at the second step, and below the floor level. He says that the water has risen enough that he's preety sure the floors are now awash. This afternoon, (even though under a curfew) Barry went out to try and help some of the guys with their boats... He returned saying that several have been lost; the worst problem is that the piers and moorings have all vanished underwater.

Cousin-in-law Cap'n Barry Frishman having a snack by candle light this evening on Chincoteague

 

The bridge and causeway are definitely closed

 

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And I can't believe that a captain and a crew of 15 were out in Hurricane Sandy in the big sailing ship, the S S Bounty! It's a replica of the original Bounty, and it is seaworthy. But this is a hurricane!! The US Coast Guard was able to remove 14 crew members at one swoop. A 15th crew member was pulled from the water two hours later, but is being called "non-responsive", having arrived at a hospital. The captain is still missing. The ship has been declared lost.