Vanishing Mile Isle Beachcomber Tour
Description
Enjoy a two-and-a-half-hour adventure on your own private boat. Your Master Captain will guide you safely through the Calibogue on a falling tide to the isle. This mile long sandbar is exposed for only a couple of hours per day, allowing beachcombers the chance to collect sand dollars, seashells and the occasional shark's tooth. We’ll stop along the way to look for wild dolphins playing in the sound. We’ll share information about the island, the salt marsh and the surrounding ecosystem. Your Captain is also a Lowcountry Master Naturalist, and will assist you in identifying the various shells, mollusks and other invertebrates to be found on this tour! This is an ideal outing for families and small groups. With up to 6 passengers, there’s plenty of room onboard and a comfortable seat for everyone.
Tour Options
Itinerary
On the way to the Mile Isle, we’ll cruise past the iconic red and white striped lighthouse. The Harbour Town Lighthouse is a lighthouse at the Harbour Town Marina at Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. It was privately built and is a private aid to navigation.
We’ll continue down the beach line of Daufuskie, looking for wild dolphins as we go. Daufuskie Island, located between Hilton Head Island and Savannah, is the southernmost inhabited sea island in South Carolina. It is 5 miles long by almost 2.5 miles wide – approximate surface area of 8 square miles.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Service animals allowed
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- This trip does require some level of mobility, as it involves stepping down onto a step and wading in two to six inches of water
Reviews(123)
Captain Mark was great. He knows the area and he was great with our teenage girls. We got to see many dolphins, learned about the ecosystem, and took home some sand dollars. Was the favorite part of our stay in Hilton head for one of the girls.
Such a wonderful tour! Mark was extremely knowledgeable of the area, and the local wildlife. He was great with kids, and spent time showing my 7 year old all the different sea creatures on the disappearing isle. We were able to collect sea shells galore. We will definitely be returning. I could not recommend this tour enough!
Thank you so much, Brianna! The sandbar tour is truly my favorite outing. Watching kids discover the incredible variety of life on the sandbar is one of my favorite parts of the tour, and I'm glad your they all enjoyed getting up close with the sea creatures we found along the way. Vanishing Mile Isle is such a special place because every trip is a little different. Between the shells, wildlife, and ever changing tides, there's always something new to discover. Thank you for trusting me to be part of your family's vacation and for taking the time to share your experience. I truly appreciate the recommendation and look forward to seeing you all back again soon!
Captain Mark was great! I really enjoyed this private tour to Vanishing Isle. Our family had a great time exploring and hearing about the local area.
Thank you, Valerie! The sandbar tour is truly my favorite excursion, it's always a little different! Really appreciate you coming out, looking forward to seeing you again soon!
Core memories made! Captain Mark was so kind and knowledgeable! Our kids found so many sand dollars! We enjoyed seeing and learning about all of the wildlife and the history of the island. It is clear that Captain Mark loves what he does. I would reccomend this tour over and over! This is a one man business and not a huge corporation. Captain Mark knows his stuff and did everything to make our family vacation enjoyable!
Thank you so much for this wonderful review, Aubrey! "Core memories made" may be one of the nicest compliments I could receive. I'm thrilled to hear your family enjoyed the tour! Watching children discover wildlife, shells, and all the little things that make our waterways special is one of my favorite parts of being on the water. I'm glad you enjoyed learning about the local wildlife and history as well. I truly love what I do, and I feel fortunate to get to share this incredible ecosystem with families from all over the country. Thank you for recognizing the value of a small, owner-operated business. Every tour means a lot to me, and I do my best to make each experience personal, memorable, and tailored to the people on board. I sincerely appreciate your recommendation and hope your family comes back to Hilton Head so we can make a few more core memories together!
We had a great excursion with Mark! Had fun finding shells and creatures on the sand bar and we spotted lots of dolphins. Mark shared a lot of info about the local ecosystem and even some about the real estate! He took us to a cool natural oyster shell heap as a little bonus on our way back. Definitely a more personal experience than a big boat with a huge group. Highly recommend!
Thank you, Whitney! So great getting you guys out to explore. The sandbar tour is truly my favorite experience, as we get to see so many different things! Really appreciate you coming out and look forward to seeing you again soon!
This was our second time taking this cruise and the experience was even better than the first!! FANTASTIC time and Mark is so accommodating and knowledgeable!! Highly recommend!! Thanks Mark for yet another fabulous time!!
Thank you, Janene! So great to see you guys again. I really appreciate you coming out and exploring the sandbar, it's really my favorite tour! Looking forward to seeing you soon!
This trip is one of the best we have taken! Captain Mark does a wonderful job in engaging everyone on the trip and adding education about the wildlife and the island.
Thank you, Jessica! The sandbar tour is truly my favorite tour. It always offers so much to see! Really enjoyed having you and your family out on the water exploring, looking forward to seeing you again!
Our adventure to the Vanishing Mile Isle with Captain Mark was definitely a highlight of our week! He was super knowledgable about the area, the waterways and the creatures that we encountered while on the sandbar. We were not rushed and got there before the bigger tour boats so had it all to ourselves for awhile! We were without children (14 and 11 years old) and my parents. My parents stayed on the boat with Capt. Mark and they enjoyed hearing more about the island and all it offers. We also saw several dolphins. We would definitely book this tour again! Thank you, Capt. Mark!
Thank you, Kristin! Really appreciate the kind words. Had a great time with you guys, and I'm glad we were able to have the sandbar to ourselves before the big tour boats arrived and turn it into a miniature version of Coligny beach. It's a much more peaceful encounter this way. I hope to see you all again in the near future!
Captain Mark was very friendly. I would recommend this trip for a small group, It was very personal and a great experience.
Thank you so much, Heidi! I appreciate you coming out on the water and getting a chance to explore. Small boats are the way to go! Looking forward to seeing you next season.
Our "Vanishing Island Adventure” with Captain Mark was truly unforgettable! He wasn't just a captain; he was an incredible guide, sharing fascinating insights about the marine ecosystem. The Vanishing Island was brimming with life – we found countless sand dollars, vibrant sea stars, and even horseshoe crabs. Captain Mark's informative commentary enhanced every discovery, explaining the unique features and behaviors of each creature. His passion made the entire trip an immersive, educational, and exhilarating experience. Another high was when Captain Mark went out of his way to bring us close to a pod of dolphin. We loved every moment of the trip!
Thank you so much for the kind words, Jim! I really enjoy getting the opportunity to show off the area around here, and I'm so glad we got to experience all we saw on this trip. Really enjoyed having you all out on the water with me and look forward to seeing you again soon!
