Bill and I had a wonderful time teaching our Winter’s Beauty at Chincoteague and Assateague a few weeks ago. We had a few surprises, very different light than last year – and still got some wonderful photos which I thought I’d share with you today.
Our big surprise for the weekend came when we drove out to the beach at Assateague National Seashore on Friday afternoon to check out a few spots we planned on visiting during the workshop. What we found was that the entire beach area was closed due to significant damage from the storm a few weeks before. When we were getting 28” of snow in Bethesda, they were getting heavy rain and wind at high tide in Chincoteague – which basicly wiped out the Assateague beach. The Fish and Wildlife Service is hard at work restoring the beach and expect to have everything restored and open by Memorial Day.
Here’s what it looked like where we were planning on going for sunrise on Sunday morning.
![Assateague National Seashore Construction © 2016 Patty Hankins](http://www.beautifulflowerpictures.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/2015_feb_chincoteague.jpg)
Assateague National Seashore Construction © 2016 Patty Hankins
So we knew we needed to find a new place for sunrise – and we found a great spot along one of the canals which allowed us to take some different photos in a place we’ve been to many times before.
My other big surprise for the weekend came when I looked at my photos when I got home. All of my favorite photos from the weekend were colors and scenes reflected in the water. Last year I mainly photographing broad landscapes with emphasis on the colors in the skies.
Here are a few of my photos of reflections at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge
Saturday morning in the marsh
![Chincoteague Reflections © 2016 Patty Hankins](http://www.beautifulflowerpictures.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/2016_02_chincoteague_marsh_sunrise_5294.jpg)
Chincoteague Reflections © 2016 Patty Hankins
Saturday afternoon along Wildlife Loop
![Chincoteague Reflections © 2016 Patty Hankins](http://www.beautifulflowerpictures.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/2016_02_chincoteague_wl_loop_pm_5417.jpg)
Chincoteague Reflections © 2016 Patty Hankins
![Chincoteague Reflections © 2016 Patty Hankins](http://www.beautifulflowerpictures.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/2016_02_chincoteague_wl_loop_pm_5459.jpg)
Chincoteague Reflections © 2016 Patty Hankins
![Chincoteague Reflections © 2016 Patty Hankins](http://www.beautifulflowerpictures.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/2016_02_chincoteague_wl_loop_pm_5471.jpg)
Chincoteague Reflections © 2016 Patty Hankins
Sunday morning in the marsh
![Chincoteague Reflections © 2016 Patty Hankins](http://www.beautifulflowerpictures.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/2016_02_chincoteague_blue_morning_marsh_5483.jpg)
Chincoteague Reflections © 2016 Patty Hankins
![Chincoteague Reflections © 2016 Patty Hankins](http://www.beautifulflowerpictures.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/2016_02_chincoteague_blue_morning_marsh_5496.jpg)
Chincoteague Reflections © 2016 Patty Hankins
![Chincoteague Reflections © 2016 Patty Hankins](http://www.beautifulflowerpictures.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/2016_02_chincoteague_blue_morning_marsh_5481.jpg)
Chincoteague Reflections © 2016 Patty Hankins
![Chincoteague Reflections © 2016 Patty Hankins](http://www.beautifulflowerpictures.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/2016_02_chincoteague_blue_morning_marsh_5493.jpg)
Chincoteague Reflections © 2016 Patty Hankins
![Chincoteague Reflections © 2016 Patty Hankins](http://www.beautifulflowerpictures.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/2016_02_chincoteague_blue_morning_marsh_5482.jpg)
Chincoteague Reflections © 2016 Patty Hankins
I always love visiting Chincoteague in the winter – and this year was no exception. I’m already looking forward to visiting again next year. I haven’t finalized the dates yet for my 2017 Chincoteague workshop – chances are it will February 3-5, 2017. Drop me a note if you’d like to among the first to hear the workshop when I get everything figured out.