Chincoteague, 1972

by Bill Duncanin Albums, Familyon Posted on

While the Fisher family was stationed in Dusseldorf, they conspired with the Babcocks to buy adjoining lots in Chincoteague, Virginia. I think the plan was to both have a summer getaway destination that they could also rent out. It may have also had something to do with the Fishers maintaining a Virginia address for the sake of upcoming college tuitions.

In August 1972, the Fishers were in the States for home leave and took a road trip with the Kestenbaums to see the place, I think for the first time. The Kestenbaums were the Fishers’ neighbors and good friends when they all lived in Annandale. The photos in this album document that trip; the captions, when quoted, are from Fred.

The trip started in northern Virginia, I presume in Annandale where the Kestenbaums still lived.

  • Louise and Marge: “Who’s in charge here?”
  • Betsy, Julie, Marge, Louise, Barb, Terry
  • Loading…
  • Loading…
  • “Get In!”
  • Pit stop!
    “We dine in style”

The first stop on the trip, other than McDonald’s, was the beach. From the looks of the waves, I think this may have been on Assateague, the neighboring barrier island that fronts the Atlantic Ocean. The girls seem to have had a good time.

  • “Who’s first?”
  • “Bathing beauties”
  • “Water everywhere”
  • “Break – with bubbles”
  • “The sandpiper”
  • “A Fish!”

Next it was time to check out the property. Evidently the best way to get there was by boat. Unfortunately, some of Fred’s captions in the album have faded so I can’t relay all his comments, but it seems to have been a bumpy ride. In Fred’s defense, I note that no life jackets were deployed…and a good thing because I’m not sure there were enough.

  • “Your friendly captain welcomes you aboard”
  • Smile…or you’ll walk the plank
  • The crew suspects the captain may not know what he’s doing
  • “Lord, he blew it again!”
  • “Some captain!”
  • “It’s just a bit of sand”
  • “Now?”
  • Never mind…we can just walk ashore
  • “You see, these tides can be real tricky and, moreover, this is really – heh, heh – the first time I’ve handled such a large group and…”

One way or another, the boat and all crew made it to the property.

  • “All that for this?”
  • “His homesite, he sez! Wow!”
  • “You mean…?”
  • Louise is skeptical
  • “Mosquitos, hell! – That’s just your acne in the legs. Think air conditioned, woman!”
  • Marty is skeptical, too
  • See? Trees already.
  • “Neighbor”
  • “We’ve got trouble”
  • “View to the left”
  • “Maybe someday…”
  • “Even so,”
  • “people are”
  • “building!”
  • “Back to civilization -“
  • “- greasy fries and all the rest of it. Yuk!”
  • “Well?”
  • “Maybe I should have stayed in bed, but maybe not”

I don’t think the Fisher family was highly impressed by the property or by Chincoteague. They were impressed by the mosquitos, however, which is mostly what I’ve heard about this trip. The Fishers never built a house there, and I think unloaded the property within a year or two. The Babcocks held onto their lot; I’m not sure if they ever built anything but word is that it eventually helped pay for Ann’s college tuition.

One side effect of my hearing about this story of Fred’s Chincoteague land purchase, and a somewhat parallel episode where Dad bought some land on Australia’s Gold Coast (at much the same time, coincidentally) that came to nothing, was that I’ve never been highly tempted to buy land for a second home or summer property anywhere. It’s been challenge enough to keep up a single home.

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