“A marsh is a whole world within a world, a different world, with a life of its own, with its own permanent denizens, its passing visitors, its voices, its sounds, its own strange mystery.” – Guy De Maupassant, the House of Madame Tellier and Other Stories
Leaving the dock before low tide, we’ll travel to the backwaters of the Lowcountry. Exploring the creeks on a rising tide, we travel along the soft mud banks and spartina grass. This is an amazing 2 hour nature tour with an opportunity to photograph a variety of wildlife. Egrets, herons, spoonbills and other wading birds patrol along the water line. Osprey, bald eagles and pelicans keep a sharp eye out overhead for an easy meal at the water’s surface. Oystercatchers, sanderlings and dowitchers move along the oyster beds poking into the soft mud.
During this tour, you’ll learn about the various animals that make up the marsh. Zooplankton, shrimp, crabs and mollusks, fin fish, and sharks all play a vital role. We’ll search to catch glimpses of diamondback terrapins, alligators and juvenile sharks as they cruise the murky shallows.
While we’ll have an opportunity to spy dolphins playing in the sound, a rising tide just past the day’s low is the best opportunity to witness strand feeding. This technique involves dolphins creating a massive surge of water onto a mud flat, stranding baitfish on the banks, along with themselves. Its an amazing sight to behold in person, and Hilton Head is one of the few places in the world you can observe it.
This is a tour geared to the nature lover. We take in all aspects of the environment, learning along the way.
You’ll be aboard our spacious Carolina Skiff Ultra Elite with just your group, up to 6 passengers. Your Captain is also a Lowcountry Master Naturalist, which brings a unique perspective in our tour. Having a private tour ensures you’ll get a great view no matter where you sit. Social distancing at its finest!
What to bring: sunscreen, hat, jacket (watch the weather!), refillable water bottle (filtered water provided), camera, questions.
