New Life at Sunrise: A Wild Encounter on Assateague Island
New Life at Sunrise: A Wild Encounter on Assateague Island There’s something about the hush of dawn that makes you feel like the only person on earth. On this particular morning in May, that quiet had wrapped itself around Assateague Island like a soft blanket. The salt air was cool, the sky still streaked with the last hints of night, and the marshes near the campsite glistened faintly with dew. I had no grand plan—just my camera and the hope of catching the early light over the Atlantic. Assateague, for those who’ve never been, is a barrier island that straddles the coasts of Maryland and Virginia. It's famous for its wild horses—descendants of colonial stock that have adapted over generations to the island’s windswept grasses, sandy shores, and marshy inlets. It's one of those places that feels raw and untouched, like stepping into a slower, quieter world. As I stepped out of my tent that morning, I noticed fresh tracks in the sand—evidence that wildlife had passed through w...