This is our most popular trip — and for good reason! Hop aboard the Bay Hopper and cruise to the magical Assateague Island, home to wild ponies, breathtaking scenery, and gumdrops falling from the sky! (Okay, we made that last one up.)
How did the ponies get there? Did they swim? Can you pet them? Can you feed them? Your knowledgeable captain will spill all the secrets about the island and its incredible wildlife — from the ponies to the birds to the dolphins that love making cameo appearances.
Bring the kids on this one and they'll love you forever. Seriously. Don't overthink it — just book the trip.
Produced by the pros at Blue Bimini, where safety, reliability, and top-notch customer care come standard. Every time.
Departure Location, Parking & Boarding — This trip leaves from MULTIPLE departure points — Uptown (11703 Coastal Highway, next to Food Lion), Downtown Marina (307 Dorchester Street), Ocean Pines Yacht Club (1 Mumford Landing Rd), or Mid-Town (53rd Street, next to Macky's). Please carefully select your departure location when booking. Parking at 118th Street and Ocean Pines Yacht Club is abundant. Mid-Town has a parking lot, and because our trips there are typically 6 people or fewer, usually a parking space is available right in the restaurant parking lot. Parking downtown is sometimes more challenging; there is a free parking lot near the OC Bay Hopper Shed, if that is full then there is usually some street parking available. Look for OC Bay Hopper flags at all locations! For Uptown, Downtown, and Ocean Pines, you will board from a floating dock, which tends to make it easier to get on the boat. From our Mid-Town location you will board from a fixed dock. Depending on tides, this can be a large step up or down into the boat. We're happy to assist, but customers with limited mobility may prefer our floating dock locations.
Departure Time — Please plan to arrive about 5–10 minutes before your trip. If you do not see the boat, please don't worry — we are probably off making memories with another group! Uptown and Downtown locations are staffed by OC Bay Hopper. We typically do not have staff at Ocean Pines Yacht Club or Mid-Town 53rd Street. Our captains are trained to leave ON TIME. If you are running late, you can attempt to contact us but if there are other parties on your trip it is unlikely that we will hold up a trip for you!!!
Bathrooms — Our Bay Hoppers do not have bathrooms onboard. There are available restrooms near all of our locations for use before the trip but we share these facilities with other businesses except Uptown, where the bathroom is inside our Kiosk.
What to Bring — Sunscreen and a camera, snacks and/or drinks for longer trips, and always take into account weather conditions on the water. (Dress in layers if you are not sure!)
Weather — Unless the weather poses a threat to passenger safety (e.g., lightning, high winds) or would make the trip extremely uncomfortable (e.g., heavy rain), the trip will proceed as scheduled. If the captain cancels due to weather, you will be notified and your money refunded. If the conditions are unpleasant but remain safe, we will run the trip. Sometimes if this situation arises we will offer to cancel/reschedule/refund but as long as the trip is safe then our Captains generally want to make this happen!
Trip Minimum — Please be aware that we cannot run this trip if fewer than 4 people book. We will notify you at least one hour (usually earlier the morning of) before departure if the minimum has not been reached and offer a full refund or try to rebook you onto another cruise if you prefer.