CHINCOTEAGUE, Va. — Crewmembers from Coast Guard Station Chincoteague helped enforced the safety zone Wednesday at the 90th Annual Pony Swim between Assateague and Chincoteague islands off Virginia's Eastern Shore.
Thousands of spectators gathered for the event both on shore and on the water.
The Station Chincoteague crews used the 24-foot Special Purpose Craft-Shallow Water boat for the event.
The annual event gained international recognition after Marguerite Henry's children's novel "Misty of Chincoteague" was published in 1947, and the subsequent release of the 1961 film "Misty," based on the book.
See more pictures HERE
8 comments:
Does the Fire Department reimburse the taxpayers for the Coastguard costs?
3:10. Really? You're worried about local Coast Guard costs for supporting this 90 year old local tradition? What better task do you think the Coast Guard should have been doing for this couple of hours? Get a life.
Glad the ponies were safe.
Really, why should taxpayers foot the bill for a local fund raiser for a bunch of Firebugs? They certainly should reimburse the federal government. If a guy took out the boat for a joy ride to impress his girl, you would be calling for his head, and reimbursement, but since it is a 90 year tradition it is ok?
6:47. Absolutely it's OK. One of the primary roles of the Coast Guard is the safety of boaters. And tons of boaters show up to watch the Pony Swim. And that "bunch of firebugs" have been caring for the welfare of those Ponies for decades. Those ponies are a National Treasure and the Chincoteague Fire Department deserves nothing but praise for their efforts.
National treasures belong to the public, and if sold than it is stolen property, they are not only firebug but dealers in stolen property! Sounds like Eastern Shore criminal behavior as usual.
Not being from the shore, nor living there anymore, it sounds like the firemen have been illegally taking the horses and selling them for so long, that the National Wildlife Foundation, or the National Park Service just feels it is a loosing battle. But it really looks to be that the firemen are stealing living animals from the protected Seashore.
Just try and take a few seashells off the beach there and see how fast your arrested!
What a bunch of idiotic comments. The firemen are not stealing anything. They own the herds. The pony auctions keep the herds from over population and disease. Money raised contributes to veterinary care. I'd rather see this approach than the approach used on the Maryland herds where the mares are shot with birth control darts. I really don't understand the negative and uninformed comments here. Very sad.
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