By Greg Ellison

(Aug. 6, 2020) After spending a lifetime enjoying the aesthetics of Assateague Island National Seashore, the proprietors of Wild Horse Cabanas have turned passion into profit.

Owners Lori Thompson and Gina Servant launched the cabana and beach rental company last month.

“We officially opened the weekend of July 11-12,” Thompson said. “We started the process with the National Park Service at the end of December.”

Among the options Wild Horse Cabanas offers Assateague visitors are private set-ups to accommodate up to a half-dozen guests, with tent sizes ranging from 13 x 13 feet up to 13 x 26 feet. The packages include chaise lounges, bistro table and chairs, beach towels, throw pillows, greenery, an outdoor rug and cooler with ice.

Thompson attributed the business’s genesis to a reverence for Assateague Island dating back to childhood.

“Literally, I spent the last 40 years of my life visiting since I was 12 years old,” she said. “Our family grew up on Assateague.”

Thompson said in addition to paying typical park entrance fees, Wild Horse Cabanas clients are advised about the perks of park membership.

“One of the things that we encourage every single person that visits the park is to pay for a yearly pass,” she said. “We want to encourage them to come back because that’s revenue for the park.”

Before opening last month, Thompson said the couple completed a lengthy approval process with the National Park Service.

“We started the process at the end of December and paid our initial fees in January,” she said. “We had to present them with a complete basic understanding of how our business would run and how we would make sure we took care of the island’s natural resources and wildlife.”

Liz Davis with the National Park Service said Wild Horse Cabanas was approved for a “commercial use authorization” after completing the required vetting process.

“Their CUA was approved this spring and will expire at the end of 2021,” she said.

Davis, Assateague Island National Seashore’s Chief of Interpretation and Education, said the park service authorization functions as a business permit for individuals, groups or entities to pursue commercial ventures related to visitor services.

“We currently have about 35 CUAs, which are good for two years,” she said. “They may or may not be renewed, but a new application is required to renew.”

During the approval process Thompson learned the National Park Service began issuing business licenses in the 1870s.

“It’s certainly not anything new,” she said. “There’s a long history of individuals working with our National Parks to offer amenities for visitors.”

Thompson said in addition to giving a business plan with park officials, the couple was required to outline pandemic preparations.

“We had to develop a covid response and how we were going to make … a safe offering to people,” she said. “Right now, it’s vitally important that we have it.”

Wild Horse Cabanas joins other entities already operating on Assateague Island.

“We have a park concession operating the Beach Hut and Assateague Outfitters rentals,” she said.

Before issuing business permits for commercial activities, the National Park Service assures proposals are minimally invasive without affecting natural resources.

Davis said permits are only approved if proposals are determined to be an appropriate use of Assateague Island National Seashore.

Wild Horse Cabanas’ approach is centered on island preservation.

“With us, we do all the work, so we ensure when they leave everything is cleaned up,” she said. “No holes left on the beach or burning firewood left in the sand.”

Feedback from clients and park rangers has been positive to this point.

“They’re quite pleased, because we leave the beach better than we found it when we are finished,” she said.

When guests arrive, the first step involves an educational component.

“We actually have welcome packets in all of our cabanas that we go over verbally with our guests,” she said. “We give them strict instructions about the horses [including] staying 40 feet away and protecting their food.”

Thompson said the goal is to provide clients with a superior ecological perspective.

“They’re actually getting one on one instruction and … interaction about how important it is to preserve the wildlife and … the beauty that is Assateague,” she said. “We are making sure that they leave only their footprint.”

Thompson and Servant exchanged wedding vows on Assateague in 2013 after Maryland legalized same-sex unions.

“That many times was our refuge to go out to Assateague,” she said. “The absolute last thing that we would want to do is … anything that would hurt the island.”

The couple is taking measures to protect the island and its inhabitants, and that includes fostering several ponies through Assateague Island Alliance.

“We want to do our part and then some,” she said. “Most people will find we’re here to be advocates of the island [and] not here to make millions of dollars on the backs of the ponies.”

Thompson said the new venture was met with skepticism and suspicion by some residents, while others have embraced the concept.

“As many locals that are unfortunately up in arms about it, we have just as many locals that are ecstatic about our service,” she said. “We probably rented to more locals so far than out-of-towners.”

Thompson said the fledgling business booked 20 rentals and catered to more than 50 guests through the end of July.

“We are a mom-and-mom business,” she said. “We’re not a corporation [and] we don’t own 45 blocks of Coastal Highway.”