Janes Island Quest
On June 24th we headed to Janes Island in Crisfield. We spent some time reading and answering questions about crabs in the nature center. Then we headed out to try to catch a few of our own. The kids didn't want to stop crabbing and asked to go back again.

Wye Island Quest
On Wednesday June 25th we ventured to Wye Island. All of the trails were very unique and each gave us something different to experience. We especially enjoyed the Jack in the Pulpit trail with the Osage trees. It felt like we were in a haunted forest. Wye Island is peaceful tranquility just off of route 50. We didn't know this still existed. We are glad that we had a chance to experience this area.

Pocomoke Quest
On Sunday June 22nd we headed to Shad Landing for the Pocomoke quest. We were able to kayak around Corkers Creek to locate letters in order to solve an answer to a question when we returned to the camp store. This is a beautiful park and our first experience with kayaking. We had a great time and plan to return soon!

Janes Island
This was our first trip to Crisfield. We headed here after finishing our adventure at Shad Landing. What a beautiful area. Although it was hot inland, it was cool and breezy here - just delightful. My daughters learned a lot about the Maryland Blue Crab through the information provided. Then we headed out to try our hand at it. It only took about 10 minutes before we caught our first crab. We caught 3 in all, only 1 being of legal limit, but it was the thrill of the catch that my girls loved. Staff was very friendly and helpful. Area was very clean. Would definitely visit again.

Tuckahoe Quest
Wish I had learned to use a compass for this adventure. The weather was hot and sunny. The lake trail through the woods was beautiful and we are looking forward on returning again in cooler weather. The form was a little tricky, but we did our best and were glad to complete this adventure. We will definitely be back.

Martinak Quest
We completed this adventure before heading on to Tuckahoe. We live only about 1/2 hour from this park and have not visited here before, and boy have we been missing out. There was a lot of walking here as you really need to walk the entire park to find out all the information to complete this challenge. The water area was beautiful. The fitness trail was very nice. The picnic areas are a great place to visit for a picnic and play area for the kids. Definitely would recommend a visit here even if you aren't going to camp. We had a nice surprise in the bathroom with a skink running around, which gave us a great funny memory from this park.

Assateague Quest
No question, Assateague was our most exciting adventure due to a wonderful experience with the ponys. My girls and I have gone to the state park to swim every summer for years, and I never knew what was just beyond the parking lot at the campground. WOW! We definitely want to come back and camp here and take advantage of all this area has to offer. The nature center was informative, clean and the rangers friendly. There were so many activities for the campers. The bike/walking trail was nice, and even though it was hot today, the breeze from the ocean made it pleasant. We did see a large group of ponys, who were frightened by a passing car, and they all ran toward us and around us as we quickly huddled together...and all I can say is "THANKS FOR THE AWESOME MEMORY."

Wye Island
This was our last Quest to complete. What a hidden treasure this area is. This is only about 1/2 hour from where we live and we never knew it was here. Trails are beautiful. Especially liked the beach at the end of Jack in the Pulpit. My girls would like to come back to play/picnic here. We are already planning another trip here to explore the other trails.

Assateague Quest
We spend alot of time at Assateague, but we have never explored it in such a way! Some of the clues were too difficult for the adult members of our team. Fortunately, we had the smart children along, who solved many of the clues and the ""mystery"" word at the end. We always love to see the wild ponies, and we saw several in the campground. We saw several deer, as well. It rained much of the time we were there, but eventually the weather cleared and our team enjoyed the beach!

Janes Island
This was our team's first visit to Jane's Island-- and I think it is unanimous, we will go back! We enjoyed learning about the Maryland Blue Crab and had great fun catching about 9 of them! Our youngest team member was the only one to catch a ""legal"" crab. We caught more males than females, and even caught a crab with one front claw! We had a nice picnic lunch in the pavillion near the canal. We also enjoyed the campstore, which sold some favorite treats enjoyed by our team-- roasted cashews and Itzakadoozie popsicles! We ended our visit by climbing the observation tower and exploring the boat ramp and docks.

Pocomoke Quest
Our team spends alot of time boating on the Pocomoke River, and Shad Landing is one of our favorite stops. However, this was our first time exploring the Pocomoke River in a canoe. Our team was divided between 2 canoes, as we paddled the Corker's Creek Trail in search of letter clues. Canoe #1 was the ""lookout"" group and Canoe #2 was the ""recording"" group (and back-up to the ""lookout"" group.) When we completed the Corker's Creek Trail loop, and arrived back at the boat landing area, Canoe #2 announced that we were ONE LETTER SHORT! It looked like the team was going to have to paddle Corker's Creek a second time! Then, as Canoe #2 was setting off for lap number 2, the ""lookout"" group in Canoe #1 announced that they had played a trick on the ""recording"" group in Canoe #2, and that they did have the missing letter! (Apparently, the team members of Canoe #2 missed that letter while facing navigational challenges posed by one of the less experienced paddlers!) After returning to the campstore, and solving the challenge, we enjoyed a picnic lunch-- and our team's ""usual"" ice cream sold in the camp store!

Martinak Quest
Martinak Park is one of the signs we have noticed countless times on our way to and from Ocean City. We have often said that we should stop there sometime-- and finally we did! We really enjoyed our visit in the nature center and found the park staff to be really friendly, helpful and enthusiastic. We were surprised to find a really great boat ramp (which we may return to use in the future.) We explored the campground and found it to be very nice. We were especially entertained by the campers who brought their DirectTV satellite dish with them and set it up next to their camper! We now know that Martinak is a beautiful park that we will visit again, not just a place we always drive by on the way to the beach.

Tuckahoe Quest
"Tuckahoe Park" is another sign we see on the way to and from Ocean City. It is also another place that we will visit again. We were fortunate to have a ""guest appearance"" by Aunt Angela on this part of our quest, as she lives near Tuckahoe Park. The lake is beautiful and the trail was ejoyed by the whole team. The younger members of the team found the old car on the side of the trail fascinating. (I won't tell what color it is!) As it turned out, Tuckahoe became for us a real ""Amazing Race,"" as we arrived late in the afternoon (after completing the Martinak quest) and had only one hour to complete the Tuckahoe challenge before the boat house closed! With only minutes to spare and completed questions and tree leaves in hand, the OLDEST member of the team was elected to run all the way back from the end of the trail to the boathouse to present our proof of completing the challenge and obtain our Passport stamp. Thankfully, the team succeeded! We decided that we will visit Tuckahoe Park again in the future at a more leisurely pace!

Wye Island Quest
We started the Wye Island Quest on Father's Day, but had to abbandon our efforts to make it back in time for dinner with family. We were able to finish up on Tues 6/17, and it was a beautiful day. I think our favorite trail was the Jack in the Pulpit Trail. The Osage Trees were so beautiful and creepy at the same time. We saw numerous bird species, Deer, and a Fox. We continued along the trail after finding the word box and spent some time exploring the beach and marshes along the shore. I think the boys' favorite part about this trail were all the spiders and bugs we found along the way.

Janes Island
This quest was the farthest from our home, but well worth it. A beautiful summer day doing what our whole family loves.... CRABBING! We didn't get many keepers, but it was still a lot of fun. We are definately planning on returning with our canoe for what promises to be a great paddle.

Martinak
I think our favorite part of the Martinak Quest was the Park Staff. It was a pleasure speaking with them and learning from them. They were pleasant, informative, and happy to help us. We also didn't realize how close this park was to our home, and cant wait to return there for a weekend of camping.

Wye Island
Wye Island was a nice hiking area. There were so many dragonflies and frogs! On the way to the big pond, we think we saw a beaver n the little pond on the right. Box number 4 was very well hidden; we almost overlooked it in the foilage. In spite of generous use of Cutter, we still picked up some ticks.

Pocomoke Quest
We really had a blast at canoeing at Shad Landing. Kaite was very leary of the feel of the canoe; afraid it would easily tip over. After Mommy paddled alone awhile, she relaxed and found it to be easy & delightful. What was I thinking when I had the kids switch places so Will could try paddling from the front too? I really thought we were going to end up in the water! We were impressed with seeing so many dragonflies!

Janes Island
We talked grandma into taking the kids crabbing at Janes Island. The questions were tricky for the kids to find answers to, but they finally figured them out. They saw a crane in the marsh area, a whitish jelly fish passing right by where they were crabbing and alot of sea gulls. It was a hot day but, the slight breeze off the water helped. When the boats passed, ""huge waves"" came and the girls got more bites from the crabs. Too bad the crabs were smart enough to know to let go when they were being pulled in. Finally, Erian & KAite caught a 3 1/2 inch male crab. (too small to consider keeping). The ranger ladies were very nice, and extremely helpful. We'll be back another day for more sun, fun & crabs!

Tuckahoe Quest
The adventure at Tuckahoe was fun. We heard the water coming and going, but we never actually found it. We had a great walk and saw lots of spiders. It seemed everywhere we looked, there were spider webs. We also found dragon flies (again), turtles and frogs. The horse flies had no trouble finding us on the way back. We're not certain, but we may have also found some poison ivy; we'll know in a few days.

Martinak Quest
We are so glad to have completed our final quest! Martinak is a beautiful little park. The quietness of the area was wonderful. Two rangers were especially friendly; Amber and Kenny. The kids really liked listening to and interacting with them. The ampitheater was great....I bet some music would sound awesome down at that spot on the creek. The nature center had alot of fun but educational activities; it was hard to break the kids away from them to go complete the quest. We hope to go back for some camping and relaxation another day. We enjoyed all of the parks we went to and look forward to doing PArk Quest again next year! "

Pocomoke Quest
Pocomoke canoe trail was great! We can't wait to go back for the Finale!

Janes Island
We did Janes Island on the same day we did Pocomoke. It was a great day. We caught 3 crabs even though we only needed 1.

Wye Island
Wow this was a tough one because we picked the hottest day of the year to do it :) It really was fun but the kids (7 & 6) were hot early and took some convincing to continue on to letter boxes 3 & 4. THANK GOODNESS these 2 boxes were on nice shady trails. We love letterboxing and have been doing it for about 2 years. It was a beautiful and exciting day. We saw baby toads, lots of dragonflies, a BIG black snake, a bushy tailed squirrel, and finished the day seeing a small fox on the drive out. Thanks Park Quest for such a great adventure.

Martinak Quest
We finished Martinak on the last day~ Whew!! It was a fun challenge with tricky questions!

Tuckahoe Quest
I was a bit afraid that we wouldn't actually get this Quest done. It was our Last Quest to complete on the very last day and we did it!!! It was hot but the kids didn't seem to mind. They played all over the awesome tire park. We loved the Lake Trail and thought the spillway was very cool. Questions were a bit tricky. My 7 year old still says there are 18 tires on the tallest tire pyramid, but the answer was 19! I told him he'll have to take it up with someone at the Finale :) Thanks for helping make our summer a memorable one!!!

Wye Island Quest
This so far, has been our favorite quest. We really enjoyed searching for each letter box and leaving our mark. Mom sure was glad to see marker #10 on trail number 3 - the end was near and it was, whew! We stopped in between trails to fix lunch and were joined by Park Ranger - John Fitzroy. What a wonderful visit we had learning more about his park and ParkQuest. We look forward to seeing him at the finale and plan to come back to Wye Island to bike in the fall.

Tuckahoe Quest
It was on to Tuckahoe after Wye Island. We did not know about these hidden treasures on the beautiful Eastern Shore - although residents of this area did, there were people fishing and picnicing all over the park. The lake trail was breathtaking and answering the questions was a great way to see and learn more about this park.

Martinak Quest
Martinak was our third park of the day. We finished all three upper shore parks (being from the lower shore and wanting to conserve fuel) although it is not recommended. While it was rewarding to say we did it, we were beat. This did not take away from our adventure at Martinak - where camping, fishing and water activities are abundant. We enjoyed some quiet time by the river before turning in our answer sheet to the Park Ranger at the Nature Center. They we setting up for an evening movie and popcorn for those staying at the park. It looked inviting, but it was time for us to head back home.

Pocomoke Quest
We camped three nights at Pocomoke, and were highly impressed with the campsite. We plan to return in the future. Pocomoke was our second challenge and one of our favorites. It was our first time in a kayak, and the trail was beautiful. We were unable to unscramble the word until the last letter.

Assateague Quest
The horses and deer were very active on the day we completed the Assateague Quest. We were amazed to see so many wild animals sharing their home with people. Our chilren loved playing on the beach after completing our challenge.

Wye Island Quest
Our family has done letterboxing in PA. It was fun letterboxing in MD. We all loved swinging on the monkey vines.

Tuckahoe Quest
We enjoyed 2 nights of camping at Tuckahoe. We attended an owl presentation by the naturalists the evening before our quest, and were excited to discover our sticker was an owl. While visiting the parks, we were able to see the real animal to match the quest passport sticker for all 6 parks. The addition of a time restraint made the Tuckahoe quest fun. We made it with time to spare, and the children loved the recycled tire playground.

Martinak Quest
Martinak was our final quest. We had to complete it in the rain as we were returning to PA the same afternoon. We completed six challenges in six days! Thank you for organizing this event. It was one of our most memorable vacations. We were able to try many new things and explore 6 new parks.

Wye Island Quest
Wye Island was a nice hiking area. There were so many dragonflies and frogs! On the way to the big pond, we think we saw a beaver in the little pond on the right. Box number 4 was very well hidden; we almost overlooked it in the foilage. In spite of generous use of Cutter, we still picked up some ticks.

Pocomoke Quest
We have now completed the second quest. We are getting there! The canoe ride was great it was warm but there was a beautiful breeze. We only saw one turtle. We had hope to see more animals. We did get all the letters and unscrambled the word.

Tuckahoe Quest
Off to the second park. This one started off really good, we did our best using the compass. Then off to the trail. We were really enjoying all the trees and bugs. Then the rain came (more like a monsoon). We were soaked! We still finished the quest and the boys were having fun jumping in all the mud puddles.

Wye Island
The third and last one of the day. The rain had really cooled everything off. Wye Island really is a beautiful area. I could not believe how much corn there was growing. It was every where you looked. We enjoyed all the different areas that each quest box was in. We were getting a little discouraged because we were not seeing any living animals (except BUGS). The boys kept finding dead ones like a snake, mole, vulture, and horseshoe crab (we have no clue where that came from). Then our luck changed we saw frogs, deer, bunnies, more bugs and best of all the fox. Hopefully next time we go we will have more time to explore. It has been a long, but enjoyable day.

Janes Island
Little B, Big B, and Daddy B headed across Delmarva to Jane's Island on Sunday June 22. Once again, the staff st the park was INCREDIBLE! They have made this experience so fun and easy for a dad and 2 little ones. We had a heck of a time using a trap, but they crabs werte hitting like crazy on the handlines! Watching Big B's eyes light up when we pulled every crab out of the water made it a family experience of a lifetime. There's nothing like the sense of wonder and excitement of a child!

Wye Island
I'm not sure if the trails are wheelchair accessible, but they were no problem for the big knobby tires on the Radio Flyer. Big B, Little B, and Daddy B were joined by Grandma B as we checked out the supreme coolness of the Jack-in-the-Pulpit Trail, and the tranquility of the others. I'm glad we started with #4 first, it was the most difficult and everyone had fresh legs and was in good spirits, although if we had brought bathing suits, a dip at the end of the trail would have been refreshing.

Martinak Quest
What a great park! It was one of my favorites of this experience, and the Quest was one of the most educational for the kids. I cannot say it enough, but the staff at the nature center was incredibly friendly, welcoming, and helpful. The highlight of the trip came from Bonnie the Box Turtle trying to get Little B's attention. We will be back to enjoy this park again in the future.

Tuckahoe Quest
Right after we finished the Martinak Quest we headed to Tuckahoe..and got caught in beach traffic on 404, be sure you have gas in the tank. On the bright side, we missed being on the trail for torrential rain and lightning, so that was okay. The Amazing Race was a challenge with Little B in her wagon, Big B, Grandma B and Mommy B navigating the slippery slopes with their shorter legs. We turned it in in time (barely)and spent an hour or so doing some fishing....well letting the kids throw lines in the water and reel them in, anyway. All in all a great day Questing.

Janes Island
Janes Island was a really fun Quest. I've loved how helpful all the Park Employees at all the Quests have been; sending us to the right place for our adventures, and being patient and answering all our questions! We remembered bugspray because I remembered Janes Island being incredibly mosquito-y, but we really didn't need it. We saw lots and lots of dragonflies! We crabbed in front of the lookout tower which was really amazing to climb. This was a really neat quest, and I really liked their little nature center.

Pocomoke Quest
About 45 minutes after we left Jane's Island, we arrived at Pocomoke State Park. The kids had a great time in the canoes and finding the letters. It didn't take Bob too long to unscramble them either. Megan really liked seeing a Blue Heron take off from across the water. Once we got our stamp here we headed off to Assateague to try to get three done in one day.

Assateague Quest
When we arrived at Assateague Island, the first thing Megan and Alex did was start taking pictures of the horses in the parking lot. We hiked through the campground and had some fun in the Nature Center watching the Terrapin eat. We saw a Sika deer and it came right up to us like we were long lost friends. The blooming cactus along the bike trail was really beautiful to see. The kids had a great time doing three quests today and 482 miles later, we are gearing up to try to complete the other three tomorrow.

Wye Island
We started our day at Wye Island. I think our favorite trail had to be the Jack in the Pulpit trail. Walking under all the trees to find the letterbox was really fun. There was a box turtle right next to the letterbox when we got there. We saw a herd of deer while doing the Schoolhouse trail and a fox in the road that tried to come right up to the car. The baby frogs and toads were a big hit on the trails too.

Martinak Quest
We went to Martinak after we left Wye Island. The questions were not too hard to find the answers to and everyone had a blast. The mystery ship was a big hit here.

Tuckahoe Quest
Our final quest for the day was Tuckahoe. Actually, this was our final quest period. The tires were a big hit as was finding the car. Much like Martinak, it was really fun to search for the answers to all the questions. We did all six quests in two days and we are all exhausted, but, very happy to have completed them all. Until we found out about this quest, we hadn't even really heard of any of these parks. We have been to Assateague when visiting Ocean City and Megan had been camping on Wye Island to plant Bay grasses with her Environmental Science Club, but, other than that we didn't know they existed. We will definitely be visiting these parks again. Thank you for introducing them to us.

It was interesting to see what others had seen during their quest at this park. We even saw a few turtles swimming in the lake. Can't wait to see what the next part will bring to us.

Assateague Quest
Our daughter was thrilled to see two ponies close up in the campground walk. We then crested the hill to let the kids see the Atlantic and get their feet wet.

Tuckahoe Quest
The lake trail was very nice, we did not end up with time to hunt down the Grist Mill though. Yes, the kids loved the recycled tire playground.

Martinak Quest
After scurrying around to find the answers, the kids got to see a Barred Owl and make an owl craft at the nature center. We camped here overnight in a very nice wooded campground.

Janes Island
The kids were delighted to catch a blue crab. Thanks to the nice staff.

Wye Island Quest
The School House trail was a beautiful walk thru a very old forest, thanks for bringing us here. The Jack in the Pulpit trail was very interesting as others have noted. This was our final quest and the kids were quite tired.

Martinak Quest
After a visit to Tuckahoe and a nice lunch break, we headed off to nearby Martinak. The Nature Center was fun for the boys...they had an owl in residence that day. We also saw a lizard hanging out on the wall outside the center. We learned a lot about Watts Creek and the Choptank on this visit. Our oldest son helped out with the questions and did a great job! As with Tuckahoe, our three little boys enjoyed the playground as well!

Wye Island
We headed out to Wye Island NRMA on a Wednesday afternoon and were lucky to have the whole park to ourselves. Geocaching is a hobby of ours and we would've liked to have coordinates for the 4 letterboxes but following the descriptions were easier than we thought it would be, and fun!

We saw lots of little frogs by the waterfowl pond and a little fox napping on the road in the shade on the way to the final letterbox. We liked the last one the best. The hanging osage trees made the last part of the journey spooky, but fun.

Pocomoke Quest
We turned this quest into a Father's Day camping trip, and it was our first time camping. Luckily it went pretty smooth except for a dead car battery that required a jump start from the Ranger on Sunday morning.

The canoe trip was a lot of fun. Bigg Daddy, Rayzor and Joz went on the quest and collected the letters. Momma, B-rad, Seany and sleeping Baby Evan stayed on land and played at the playground while waiting for us to return.

Bigg Daddy and Rayzor did the rowing while Joz rode in the middle navigating us with the map, pointing out the highlighted plants and trees on the map guide, and collecting the letters for the word scramble. The trip was longer than we thought it would be, but it wasn't too difficult. It was hot so Joz and I didn't mind it when Rayzor splashed us with his paddle from up front.

Martinak Quest
We had a lot of fun touring this great park. The kids especially liked testing out all of the playgrounds to find one of the answers to the challenge. They also got to participate in a Watts Creek fish lesson and caught minnows in a big net that were then transfered to the Nature Center fish tank. We all enjoyed learning about Martinak and the Choptank River environment at the Nature Center as we were getting the last few answers. 4 down, 2 to go!

Janes Island Quest
We had a great time crabbing and camping at Jane's Island. Our campsite was right along the canal and the kids had a great time fishing along it. The Nature Center was fun for the kids and we got to learn a lot about those tasty crustaceans. Once we started crabbing, it didn't take long to land a monster 3 inch ""Jimmy"" with a hand line and the net. The kids took pictures with him and then we brought it inside to show the nice ladies who helped us with the quest. Rayzor let him go back into the canal and we were then on our way to Assateague to finish our last Quest!

Assateague Quest
This was a our final quest and we completed it Saturday afternoon after Jane's Island, where we were camping. As usual the ranger and staff people at the check in location were very friendly and excited to see us Park Quest participants. The park was pretty crowded but we were able to find the puzzle pieces pretty quick. The kids enjoyed the rebus' and seeing the wild horses. We had heard about them before but had no idea they just wandered around the park with no obvious fear of humans or vehicles! Very cool! We will have to come back and camp here to be able to enjoy them more. After we finished we were going to hang out on the beach, but it was just too hot and crowded. We did take a walk up to the beach and dip our feet in. The water was a bit rough but there were plenty of kids and big kids playing in it anyway.

We had a blast participating in the events and visiting the wonderful Eastern Shore Parks. Hopefully some of the other central and western Maryland parks will join in the fun also. We hear there may be a new PQE in the Fall so we will be watching the websites for that!

Tuckahoe Quest
We arrived at Tuckahoe ready to beat the clock. Wow! That was hard! We had to rush pretty quick to get everything done. We saved the compass part until last, and came back to the boathouse only to find we LOST THE COMPASS!! Aaahhhh! Surely we will be fired from the quest. The staff member was very kind and didn't confiscate our passport. The playground was a fun place to relax (grownups sat on the bench and cooled down) when we were finished. This one was a bit too stressful for us! Off now to call the park office about sending them a replacement compass.

Pocomoke Quest
Today we went to Pocomoke SP and LOVED the canoe trail! We had alot of fun spotting the letters, and even a turtle. The playground was a great spot for a picnic and some running around.

Janes Island
We caught 5 crabs today at Janes Island! We were so excited that a couple of times various team members almost ended up falling off the pier! In trying to prevent an escape, Dad Truffle reached down to grab a crustacean, forgetting the all-important instructions to WEAR GLOVES as the crabs can pinch! Well, now we know the reason for that advice! None of us had ever caught a crab before so this was a really fun adventure. Thanks, Park Quest!

Martinak Quest
Martinak was a fun quest. It is a pretty park and the walkway along Watts creek was very scenic. We saw quite a few little lizards. The park staff was very friendly and we really enjoyed talking to the Americorps staffer and learning about the Americorp program as well as hearing his duck and goose calls. Mom loved the garden outside the window of the visitors' center. It was very peaceful little space.

Assateague Quest

Today was a great day to travel to Assateague Island. We started at the Ranger station and then had a very nice walk through the campground. We saw a hog-nosed snake and some very pretty birds.

We tried to pick out which would be the best loop to camp in when we come back. After a quick ride to the other locations on the hunt, we returned to the Ranger station for our sticker and some play time on the beach.

As a bonus, my son was able to complete his birding log for a Boy Scout badge! The Quest was very well organized and the directions were spot on.

Pocomoke Quest
The canoe quest was one of our favorites. It was the first time our daughter had ever been in a boat, let alone a canoe. We saw a turtle handing out on a tree limb over the water and lots of Dragonflies. It wasn't too hot and the morning on the river was pretty relaxing.

Janes Island
Can you believe it, 30 minutes on the pier and we nabbed a pretty good size male crab! That kind of ended this quest a little early so my daughter got to catch a little learning show they were putting on at the nature center.

From Team Scharch
Assateague Quest
Our final Quest was Assateague on Sunday afternoon. We come here quite often to visit the beach. It is well worth the drive and hike down to the water. This quest was fun and figuring out the clues took the whole family! Good thing the book gives you a bit of help! We stayed at the beach until dark and cooked hotdogs and smores over the campfire on the beach. The ocean was COLD at only 60 degrees but everyone got wet anyway. The sunsets here are speculator.

Pocomoke Quest
We did the Pocomoke Quest on Sunday morning and it was perfect. Not to hot when we left at 10:30 and we did the paddle in just about an hour. The canoe trail was very peaceful, we only saw 2 other boats on it. The river section was a bit scary to the ""non-canoers"" in the bunch but even the passing boats slowed down for us so there were no big waves to tip us over. Finding the letters was a bit tricky and it's a good thing there were some sharp eyed kids on board otherwise Mom and Dad would have missed some. We had fun trying to guess the word as soon as we got more then two letters. We didn't even get any bug bites but loved the dragonflies that kept flying around the boat. After returning the boating supplies and getting our pass stamped, the ice cream and rest at the nature center was well appreciated. We loved it here and have actually made reservations to come back and do our first ever camping outdoors experience in July."

Tuckahoe Quest
Our first quest was Tuckahoe on Memorial Day. It was lots of fun and the kids had a blast looking for the answers. We got there late but decided to try and get it all done in an hour before closing time. Wow, ended up running back and forth and got quite a few strange looks from the other Memorial day celebrators! We managed to make it back to the boat house with 1 minute to spare! It was harder to figure some of them out then expected. The lake looks very inviting and we plan on taking our canoe back later. The playground was lots of fun and the boys like the tire swing the best. All in all a great start to the quest!

Martinak Quest
Martinak quest was great except we forgot the bug spray. We now carry spray in the car at all times! We've been to the playgrounds before and is just a few minuets away from home. The park is so nice and peaceful you'd never know how close it is to route 404. The amphitheater pier is beautiful and there was a person fishing who said he's gotten several good sized fish that day. The boys have signed up for the Jr Ranger program at Martinak for this summer and are looking forward to it.

Wye Island
Wye Island was our third quest. Mom and the boys had never been there before but Dad had actually helped out there when he was in school. While looking for the second box we saw a deer in the path and a very cute bunny rabbit. It was super hot so we waited until about 5pm to start the quest and it was quite nice to be there as the sun was setting. I took a great picture from the trail that ends at the beach (but haven't gotten it off the camera yet). The wood trail with the bridges was very cool and the Osage trees you had to duck under on the other trail was like an obstacle course. We did get covered in ticks but it was worth it.

Janes Island
We did Janes Island on Sunday as our forth quest. Again one we had never been too. We really liked it here and are already planning a future trip with our boat and maybe camping overnight. The rangers here were super nice and excited to have us do their Quest. After doing the question sheet and learning a few new things about crabs we went out to the dock. We got lucky and the crabs were hungry that morning and caught three in no time. I almost wish it had taken longer so we would have had a reason to stay longer. Everyone laughed at mom when she started screaming and running away because one of the crabs tried to make a break for the water. (In my defense, I had sandals on and the claws looked just the right size for my toes!) We took them all up in the bucket to the Camp Store to be checked out. We were just shy of the legal size limit with the biggest one and the boys took them back out to the water.

Tuckahoe Quest
We started this quest on a little shaky ground when dad had trouble using the compass. After that, we had fun trying to figure out all the answers. We had trouble with but made it back before 90 minute deadline.

Janes Island
Team islanders arrived at janes island sp around 10am and found it to be absolutely beautiful. Crabbing has been a family recreation forever so we knew this would be right up our alley. we got our book, questions, and crabbing gear. youngest two islanders had no interest in test, since school just ended last week, but were all too ready to catch few crabs. By the time dad and big brother islander got the questions answered younger two already had few in bucket. Two more to do!!!!

Wye Island
We really enjoyed our Quest on Wye Island for Father's Day! Only two of the Islander boys were able to make it and their grandparents joined in the fun. It was a hot day...We saw lots of squirrels, but not the big grand-daddy Delmarva! We also saw several deer, frogs, and a big black snake the youngest Islander almost stepped on! The School House Woods letterbox was our favorite. We found a Tarzan vine just like in the Tarzan movie along the trail. We spent a few minutes swinging. After successfully locating the letterbox, we kept going until we found the water. Our dog swam in the cove after sticks we threw for her. Only advice to offer: check yourself and dogs very carefully for ticks when you return. Another successful Quest completed and time to plan our next adventure at the another park!

Pocomoke Quest
We started our first Park Quest at Pocomoke River State Park. This adventure began just in time to arrive the the park for a picnic lunch (bucket of chicken) before actually starting our Quest. With temps at close to 100 degrees on Sunday, what a great day to be on the water. And believe it or not, it was even better when our canoe flipped over and we were soaked for the remainder of the paddle. No one panicked and we were able to finish the Quest. We saw several water snakes, turtles, and fish jumping all around us! The prothonotary warbler was a treat to see! The Islander boys (Ty, Brock, and Kirby) thought the knees the the bald cypress trees were cool! We worked hard against the current once reaching the Pocomoke River and we witnessed an osprey dive in for a fish. With many, many laughs along the way and soaking wet, it was a great DAY! We can't wait to come back!

Assateague Quest
We enjoyed the afternoon at Assateague State Park. On this quest, we rode along the trail and raced to solve the clues. It was a hot day and lots of people were swimming in the ocean. A great beach day! We went into the Nature Center and saw a screech owl, snakes, and frogs. The Islander boys think the ponies found shade somewhere else because we couldn't find them. We had a lot of fun on this park quest! 2 quests completed and 4 to go...this will be a fun summer!!

Martinak Quest
We did this quest right after we did Tuckahoe, it was much hotter, and took a toll on us. Take lots of water on these hot afternoons. The park is very nice and we will be using the boat ramp and campground in the near furture. The quest was possibly the easiest but you do quite a bit of walking. The kids had lots of fun on the playgrounds which does give adults time to relax. We really enjoyed completing all of our quests, and would suggest for next year having a bonus quest or two. Something that is not required to be completed for the finalee, or do a 6 out of 8 sort of thing. At the start, I did not think my work schedule would allow enough time to get all 6 done, yet all 6 done so quickly, but things do change. Now we find that we wish there were more to do. We had great fun on our quests and hope everyone else enjoys them as much as we did. Good luck, see you Aug. 2nd.

Pocomoke Quest
For this quest we decided to take the whole weekend and enjoy Pocomoke State Park, so we camped at the park for the weekend. We checked in Friday evening and begun setting up our campsite for our weekend adventure. Saturday morning we cooked breakfast over the camp fire. Before setting out for our Corker’s Creek Canoe Trail quest, we started our dinner cooking in the cast iron pot (pot roast w/carrots & potatoes) which would cook all day until we returned from completing our quest. We journeyed to the boat house to begin our quest. Another hot day, but the river soothed our bodies with the splashing of Kayak paddles in the river. (We were advised not to tip our Kayak’s over ~ by the man at the boat house) :) This quest was the most relaxing thus far. When we returned to our campsite, the smell of pot roast lingered throughout our camp loop. Boy was it awesome! We enjoyed the camp pool after dinner, returned to the campsite, turned in early to enjoy a Saturday night storm while in our tents. We couldn’t have planned a better Father’s Day! We plan to go back to the park and take the kayaks all the way down the river to Snow Hill the next time.

Assateague
After having so much fun over the weekend @ Pocomoke, we decided to tackle the Pirates of The Sinepuxent Assateague Quest the next morning. We arrived at the park about 10:00 and were greeted by several wild ponies as soon as we crossed the bridge. What a great way to start our quest. We explored the island looking for X marking the spot, found all of the clues and were able to finish the quest. My daughter really enjoyed see the wild cactus growing along the bike/walking trails, which many were in bloom. We were even lucky enough to see one small deer feeding on a bush. I would definitely recommend visiting the nature center. We saw lots of really cool stuff here. (Another Maryland State turtle, we saw one of these at Pocomoke also.)

After we completed our quest we headed to the beach to cool down where we got to see a ghost crab scrabbling across the beach. It was a great day with an awesome breeze coming off of the ocean. Until the next quest…

Janes Island Quest
Our first quest was Janes Island, not far from home, yet we had never been there. We were pleasantly surprised at how nice the park was and impressed with the facilities.

Crabbing got off to a slow start but picked up; too bad none of the crabs we caught were keepers, no size but caught quite a few. We plan to return to the park for more crabbing and camping in the future.

Wye Island Quest
It was very hot and humid, which made the open trails, Wetland letterbox and Waterfowl letterbox, difficult. The two wooded trails were our favorites. We really though the way the Osage Trees were used in colonial times for fencing was interesting. The kids had quite a bit in school this year about colonial times and were very interested in the history of the trees and the park.

My daughter liked the gnarly old oak tree and we even went past the triple bridges just to see what was down the path. We did see some deer, ducks, cardinals, heron, turtles, frogs, and a snake along the way, and had a good time. We even brought our 6 month old golden retriever puppy on the quest. Already have the next quest set up, see you at the park.

Assateague Quest
After Pocomoke we headed straight to the beach. It was a really pleasant day on the beach looking for the clues. We saw three deer right next to the road and bike trail and they didn't flee. After seeing the campsites right next to the dunes, we may plan a camping trip there as well.

Janes Island
Finished our last quest today! We had a fun time trying to catch a Blue Crab. We didn't have much luck with the pot but we had several grab onto the handline only to either let go or fall through the net just as we tried to get them into the bucket. But we finally caught a young sook. After finishing our quest we drove onto the national seashore state park in Va. to see the lighthouse, the wild horses, and to play on the beach again. Now onto the Finalle!!

Tuckahoe Quest
We did this one before Martinak while we were full of energy still. Good thing we did, we used up the whole time limit. The questions were pretty good and we really had fun on the Lake trail. We saw a chipmunk, squirrels, and an osprey.

Martinak Quest
Another fun-in-the sun day. We did Martinak right after Tuckahoe. Pretty cool mystery ship and the nature center had lots of cool stuff inside. Another great place that looks like we'll be coming back to for some fishing!

Wye Island Quest
Great adventure! We saw the Delmarva Fox squirrel, osprey, a large deer, dragonfly's, frogs, red-shouldered blackbirds, cardinals, and even a complete (but empty) horseshoe crab shell at the end of the trail by the Wye River. Oh yeah, plenty of ticks! It was very hot today and took longer than I expected, but we had a great time. looking forward to the next quests!

Janes Island
Wandering Wootens
Father's Day 2008 was a great day crabbing at Jane's Island. The Fearless foxes and Wandering Wootens were not lost at the dock. Dad Wooten was the first to feel the nibble from the beautiful blue crabs, but Momma Wooten actually pulled the hungry fellow in. With the first caught all of the sudden the other line and crab pots also saw action. We measured, checked the male to female classification then reported in to the Nature Center. After we passed our test the crabs went back into the water. Our version of catch and release. We stayed and enjoyed the park until it was time to celebrate Father's Day with crabs caught by local Chrisfield watermen.

Pocomoke Quest
We had a beautiful day exploring the creek and river. All eyes were open looking for wildlife and yellow clue markers. We saw bright wobblers on our kayak ride. After we gathered the clues the kids were able to answer the question to move to the completion of our task. We later saw a king snake and a water snake by the side of the river. The king snake had trapped the water snake and was enjoying its lunch. We also went to the Nature Center and did the scavenger hunt there. That was informative and interesting for all ages.

Pocomoke/Janes Island Quests
Fearless Foxes
On a beautiful Saturday morning, the Fearless Foxes and the Wandering Wootens set off on the Corker's Creek Canoe Trail. Before we left the marina, we had encountered a water snake and a large red-bellied slider. We entered the swamp and could hear many song birds high in the trees. There were many blooming plants along the way. We were able to see several brightly colored Prothonotory warblers. These little birds are a real treat to see.

When we entered the Pocomoke River, strong winds and current pushed us upriver towards Shad Landing. Along the way we learned about bald cypress and the functions of a swamp. After we returned to the park, we had a picnic lunch, visited the Nature Center where we saw lots of little critters, and then headed to the campstore for ice cream. Before we left the park, some of our group spotted a King snake eating a water snake. It was quite the battle to witness. We can't wait for our next quest!

Assateague Quest
Our last Quest was biking Assateague in search of shipwreck clues. The ponies were curious about our bikes! It was fun. There were tons of ponies around. We liked figuring out the clues. Park Quest is definitely an adventure we would like to do again... so where do we go next year?!

Tuckahoe Quest
This was a great start to our day, and the kids enjoyed the race against the clock. We even saw a kingsnake and a few turtles on the trail. The playground was also a hit with the kids when we were done.

Martinak Quest
This was also a nice area to visit, and we may even come back to fish. We saw a few families who were catching some big ones. The kids spent some time in the Nature Center checking out the books, fish, and displays.

Wye Island
This was our last quest after a long day of hiking, and ended up being the best one yet. We enjoyed all four hikes to the letterboxes, and was able to see a lot of nature up close. Some of the animals we saw were: a wood duck and her babies, a lot of frogs and turtles, king snake, red fox, and the Delmarva Fox Squirrel! We even came across the K-9 Search and Rescue doing some training near one of the sites. After we found the Jack in the Pulpit letterbox, we continued down the path and ended up on a sandy shoreline where the kids had fun resting and looking for more wildlife. Our son, Samuel, even found the remnants of a horseshoe crab. We left at a perfect time because the rain was just coming in.

Assateague Quest
Desc This turned out to be a nice day, with the exception of the heat. We were able to see a few of the wild horses during our quest, and we ate a picnic lunch on the beach while the kids played in the water to cool down.

Pocomoke Quest
We decided to do this one spur of the moment after Assateague. Even though it was 100+ degree weather, we still enjoyed kayaking and taking in the sights.