The next trip to learn about "Horse Sense and Survival" at Cape Lookout National Seashore is coming next week/Kurt Repanshek

Summer's gone, but trips out to Shackleford Banks to see how the horses that live on the island survive are still being run at Cape Lookout National Seashore in North Carolina, with the next one scheduled for Nov. 19.

This Horse Sense and Survival trip will leave from the Beaufort Visitor Information Center on Thursday, November 19 at 8:45 a.m. 
 The tour is led by Cape Lookout National Seashore Wildlife Biologist Sue Stuska. Dr. Stuska’s intimate knowledge of the horses makes for an exciting and enlightening glimpse into the relationships, behavior, and survival of these wild animals.

Participants will gain an appreciation of all that can be gleaned while watching from a distance. They will understand how to determine an appropriate position and distance for watching that doesn’t affect the horses’ natural behaviors.

“This is a great opportunity for visitors to see and learn about the wild horses,” said Superintendent Patrick Kenney. “The Shackleford horses are an important part of what makes Cape Lookout National Seashore a special place.”

Join Dr. Stuska for a ferry ride from Harkers Island and a moderate-level walking trip to find horses and settle down to watch them. Come prepared for a day in the sun and for walking through dunes and brush in deep sand.

Trips from Harkers Island are likely to include slogging through ankle-deep mud and deeper salt water. Shoes that protect your feet and stay on in the mud are required, as are water, lunch/snacks, bug repellent, sunscreen, sun hat, binoculars, and camera with a telephoto lens in a daypack or shoulder bag.

The National Park Service will offer one more trip this year, on Sunday, November 22. Spaces on the tours are limited and reservations are required. The only charge is the ferry fee: $15 for adults and $8 for children (11 and under). For reservations and to ask questions, call the park at 252-728-2250, ext. 3001.