Beach reopens

(Assateague Island National Seashore Facebook)

Beach Reopens at Assateague Island National Seashore after closure due to Unexploded military ordnance (Maryland)

Berlin MD-Effective 9 AM, Thursday August 4th, the regular Lifeguarded Swimming area at North Ocean Beach in the Maryland District of Assateague Island National Seashore is now open as normal.

This area had been closed due to the discovery of fragments of old military munitions on the beach. During the 1940s this area was used as a test range for US Navy missiles and bombs. Debris from this program was buried on the island in the 1950s and occasionally shows up on the beaches. Unfortunately, six different pieces washed ashore on Saturday and Sunday of last week, necessitating the closure.

Assateague Island staff has been working closely with the Worcester County Fire Marshal, Ocean City Bomb Squad and the Dover AFB ordnance disposal unit over the last few days. The assistance of all three of these organizations has been greatly appreciated by the National Park Service. All material found on the beach has now been safely disposed of. We have found no new material since Sunday afternoon. 

Visitors are reminded to not pick up any unknown metal objects found on the beach or in the surf. If you find something, please notify the nearest employee of Assateague Island National Seashore or Assateague State Park. Do not pick up or carry any of these objects as they are potentially dangerous due to explosive or propellent residue.

Portion of Assateague beach is closed

 

Beach Closure at Assateague Island National Seashore due to Unexploded military ordinance (Maryland)

View 7/31/22 news release:

News Releases - Assateague Island National Seashore (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)

View WMDT news story:

Beach Closure at Assateague Island National Seashore after decades-old bomb fragments washed ashore - 47abc (wmdt.com)

Reduced speed limits

 (WBOC)

BERLIN, Md.- Effective immediately, the National Park Service has lowered vehicular speed limits on several portions of Bayberry Drive within Assateague Island National Seashore.

View full news story:

Assateague Island National Seashore Announces Reduced Speed Limi - WBOC TV

Assateague Pony Shot During Deer Hunt

BERLIN — Assateague park officials said a wild horse was apparently shot during a two-day deer hunt. The horse was a 28-year-old bay mare, Assateague Island National Seashore officials said, and park rangers are looking into who may have shot the horse.

“Regardless of whether the shooting was accidental or not, the failure to report the incident violates National Park Service regulations and we intend to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law,” Chief Ranger Ted Morlock said in a news release. The statement said a hunter found the dead animal on Jan. 15 and reported it to park rangers the next day.

Park officials allow several gun-hunting seasons a year to control the barrier island’s deer population, but do not permit the hunting of its wild horses, instead using contraceptives to keep their population on the Maryland side to about 125 animals.

The National Park Service is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the responsible individual. Persons with information about the incident should contact Chief Ranger Morlock at 410-629-6055, or by email at ted_morlock@nps.gov. All information provided may remain confidential.

www.worcestercountytimes.com

Body Discovered On Assateague Still Unidentified

(Dec. 3, 2010) Investigators are still trying to determine the identity of a man whose body washed up on Assateague Island four weeks ago.

A park ranger found the body Nov. 6 while patrolling a remote stretch of Assateague Island National Seashore near the north end of the island. The body was badly decomposed and clad only in a pair of jeans and a belt when it was found in the surf.

Cpl. Jon Johnson of the Worcester County Bureau of Investigation, the lead detective working the case, said the body did not match any current missing persons cases from the area.

Investigators continue to check with law enforcement agencies in the region when new missing persons reports are made. Johnson said no new reports filed in the weeks since the body was found matched the description.

Police described the body as an adult white male, approximately 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighing between 140 and 160 pounds.

The body was clothed in Levis denim blue jeans and a black Patagonia belt.

The body was sent to Baltimore for an autopsy at the Medical Examiner’s Office to make an identification and to determine the cause of death.

The condition of the body when it was found prevented police from determining whether foul play was involved.

The medical examiner has not yet completed the examination of the body so police are still waiting for those results, Johnson said Tuesday.

The area where the body was found is considered one of the most remote areas of the park, located almost seven miles north of the state park and two kilometers south of the Ocean City Inlet.

The area can only be reached by boat from Ocean City or by traveling along the sand in a vehicle.

www.oceancitytoday.net

Entrance Fee To Assateague Waived For Saturday

ASSATEAGUE -- Assateague Island National Seashore Superintendent Trish Kicklighter announced that in recognition of National Public Lands Day, the entrance fee will be waived for all visitors to Assateague Island National Seashore on Saturday, Sept. 25.

The fee waiver applies at both the Maryland and Virginia districts of the National Seashore.

"This is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the National Seashore at a great time of the year," said Kicklighter. "Fall flowers are blooming, the weather is perfect, and the island is less crowded than during the busy summer season."

National Public Lands Day is an annual event celebrating service and recreation at more than 1,600 parks, refuges, and other public lands throughout the nation. Visitors to Assateague and other areas are encouraged to help out during their stay by volunteering in public service projects. Stop by the Maryland District Ranger Station to see how you can participate.

www.easternshorenews.com