My family thoroughly enjoyed our trip with Captain Jim on the Island Explorer Dolphin and Nature Cruise. It was conveniently located on the dock at the Old Oyster Factory restaurant (a great place to eat).

They have a great Zodiac-type boat and a large deck boat. We took the Zodiac-type boat. The waters of Broad Creek are serene and beautiful. There were numerous birds and great scenery. It wasn't long until we found dolphins. Capt. Jim was able to get very close to the dolphins and the kids were thrilled.

As our trip continued we saw lots of beautiful homes along the waterway and eventually we came to the Calibogue Sound. Along the way the captain kept us entertained and educated with great stories about local nature and happenings.

We'd highly recommend this cruise to anyone who wants to see dolphins and nature up close in Hilton Head Island.

A BREATHTAKING EXPERIENCE!

The tour guides are very informative and knowledgeable. Each of us had our own kayak. We're paddling along in the calm, quiet harbour, listening to the tour guide... admiring the unbelievable beauty of it all. We see egrets, crabs, and here they come! The dolphins arrive as if it were a rehearsed show just for us! They come in pairs, triplets, all ways. They dive, swim, spin, and once, they even attempted to spit on my son! It was an incredible adventure my family and I will never, ever forget!

We took the 2-hour tour with Outside Hilton Head. This was more expensive than renting the kayaks on our own, but since we hadn't been to the area before, we thought a tour would be a useful. In retrospect, if you are experienced kayakers, you may find it a better value to rent the kayaks and go out on your own.

We couldn't have wished for a better day: no wind, bright sunshine, and about 70°F. The marina made it easy to get in and out of the water, and it was easy paddling suitable for all ages and experience levels. You would probably want a bottle of water.

We saw a lot of birdlife, including three types of herons and a large group of penguins, and our guide was full of information about the area and the wildlife. Once we got out of the marina and into the open water, we saw the local dolphins swimming nearby. We paddled a little further toward harbour town and into another channel.

Our group consisted of about 10, and we had a choice of single or double kayaks.

Outside Hilton Head run these and a variety of other tours, as well as kayak rentals from the South Beach Marina and another location on Hilton Head. The busiest time is obviously in the summer, and we were told they might run a reduced schedule in the winter, so it would be wise to call ahead.

Excellent weather. Spotted numerous dolphins and birds. While returning from our tour of the island's coast, two dolphins sped along with us under the bow of the boat! For more info on the tour and its operator, see their website at Adventure Cruises

Cruising on the Vagabond was quite an experience for our whole crew. When buying tickets, someone asked about the likelihood of spotting dolphins. "We haven't had a cruise in over 3 years that hasn't seen a dolphin," came the reply. Well, true to their word, we weren't 10 minutes out of Harbour Town before the captain announced some dolphins had been spotted. We spent a good bit of time viewing three different groups of dolphins, including a mother and her calf. The captain spent the entire time sharing his extensive knowledge of dolphins and other sea creatures. We spent a little while observing a shrimp boat in action, then proceeded to cruise out into the open ocean before turning around. The captain narrated much of the trip, detailing information about the islands, life on them, and of course the ocean and sea life.

A word about photographing dolphins. While we saw a lot of dolphins doing a lot of things, I was unable to get a decent picture because of shutter lag time, even worse since I was using a digital camera. By the time I spotted a dolphin breaking the surface, trained the camera, and snapped the shutter, the dolphin was going back under. If you go on the cruise with the expectation of getting a great dolphin picture, you might be disappointed. If you go to watch the dolphins in their natural environment, you won't be.

The Vagabond has a good deal of seating, and we found being on the top deck, above and behind the pilot house, a great place to observe from. There is a snack bar with cold beer, soda, and water, as well as candy bars and other snacks. There are the obligatory T-shirts and hats, and they also sell several different sizes of stuffed dolphins. When boarding the boat, a picture is taken, and you are given the opportunity to purchase prints when disembarking. The cruise leaves from Harbour Town in Sea Pines plantation, and stays out for an hour and a half. We paid $19 per adult and $10 per child, and I believe it was well worth it.