Posted September 22, 2016 | Updated April 16, 2019

We went to Kiptopeke State Park its first full day back open after tropical storm Hermine, and found little evidence it was affected much at all. People were fishing off the pier, the beaches had families spaced out along them and it seemed like an utterly perfect place to spend our Labor Day holiday.

For me Kiptopeke State Park is a favorite tent camping park. For Kevin, it was his first time to this gem of a park nestled along the shores of the Chesapeake Bay. 

The swimming beach caught our eyes first. 

Everyone there was having fun. We walked along doing photography and met a good many people relieved the storms rains had finally abated.

The surf during Hermine likely brought in more interesting beach debris than is normal. There were horseshoe crabs everywhere. The breeze was still brisk, making the dune grasses relaxing to watch. I'm always photographing seagulls and got some good shots with ease. By just throwing a couple dead crabs in the air, they came! When the clouds are looking amazing, silhouettes of birds back lit by the sun are always worth pursuing. They don't have to be close-ups, they just have to look elegant and distinct against the sky.

If you are willing to have people stare, a bag of chex mix lures them nicely. Throw a handful up and snap away. I use the burst shot feature which takes 30 photos per second. I always find some nice shots among the hundreds I take.

Now the pier is interesting. 

I don't fish, but love watching others hauling them in. A sign says you do not need a *fishing license to fish from the pier, but you do if you fish from the non-swimming beach on the other side of it. That's one of those things we just don't know much about, but sure seems like a nice draw to go there if you are on a tight budget one fishing season. I was there when a nice looking flounder was hauled in.

One thing we love to do is meet new people, especially if they are having fun doing something we'd like to know more about.

I knew the basic chicken leg method of crabbing, but not the interesting twist I got to see. A family was crabbing and fishing and showed off for us. One used a chicken wing on a long length of twine for casting, and had a net. That's the way I know. One was using a woven rope basket baited with a chicken wing inside. The third was casting a round net with weights along the edges. He did it for me and his first throw was one of perfect precision. He was casting beyond his other family members, as their chicken wings were luring in crabs and fish, so he was after what lingered beyond them unseen. That's clever team work.

There were dogs having fun there too.

I laugh, as we now make sure we photograph dogs on leashes while in the state parks. I do snap the others, as they know nothing of park rules, but it is nice to see at least some people follow them. It's been a joy to see dogs all summer having **beach days. We have an elderly blind dog that can no longer fully enjoy nature, but someday there is a Frisbee catching dog in our future.

As the day got on, I sent Kevin off hiking and continued to explore the beaches.

Realize, we are real people with a slice of life's troubles that many can relate to. I have a bad back, and when it begins to hurt, sometimes I'm only fit company for nature. I needed some chances for sitting and admiring the bay and getting reacquainted with this beach on my own schedule. Seagulls and waves go a long way when paired with some over the counter pain relievers. 90 minutes later and a few hundred photos (honest, most were burst shots to freeze the surf waves) I was good as new.

The trails were very nice.

Many have names of birds that you might likely see at the park. There are two boardwalks to the beach and one is accessible to everyone. It was hard to believe that there was such an extensive forest there. I am sure it is one of few places that you can be hiking through a forest and hear the waves of the Chesapeake Bay in the background. The trails are very easy other than the stairs that lead to the beach and I am sure in the right season you can hear thousands of birds chirping along with a few dear hanging out in the distance.

We do know the bridge tunnel fee to get to the Eastern Shore may be a barrier to getting there often, but you really do need to get there every summer.

In season produce is some of the best in Virginia and can be bought at roadside stands along Highway 13. The silver king corn they grow there is the sweetest corn to ever pass my lips, and tree ripened means just that on the Eastern Shore. When you open the car door 30 feet from the fruit stand and immediately smell the peaches, that's truly what tree ripened ought to mean.

Chincoteague and Assateague Islands and their wild horses are another reason to go, but I've found Kiptopeke State Park is my favorite place to spend the most time. Use it as base camp, relax on the park's beaches, learn to crab and cook them over the camp fire (the camp store sells all you need, just bring chicken wings). Catch some sunsets and maybe even some fish, but do go check out this wonderful park. If it is new to you, you will love it!

 

Visit our Facebook page "Virginia Through Our Eyes," and we will give some photo by photo commentary on how we got a few of the more spectacular shots at Kiptopeke State Park.

Stay tuned to Bob and Kevin's series on Virginia State Parks to learn more cell phone photography tips, these images were all taken with a cell phone camera, and we are excited to have them get to know Virginia one park at a time.

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Posted September 22, 2016 | Updated April 16, 2019

Editor Note: *No fishing license is required from the pier, but a valid Virginia saltwater fishing license is required for fishing from the shore. Those pier fishing who are over 16 and do not have a Virginia saltwater fishing license must, however, register for the free Virginia Fisherman Identification Program. Pier fees apply (adults, $3/day; children, $1/day). The south beach is great for beachcombing and surf fishing, but a Virginia saltwater fishing license or Maryland license with a valid Virginia FIP number is required.

**The south beach is open to swimming, pets, fishing, crabbing and boating.