While visiting the low country, I signed up for a two hour marsh kayaking tour with COA and I am so…read moreglad I did! It was my first time kayaking in costal waters but I felt very comfortable with our guide. She was very familiar with the waterways and educated on the local wildlife. The tour was amazing! We had perfect weather, calm water, and several site points. It was cool seeing the pluff mud marshes up close! Please note: COA is located off Folly Rd which happens to be a main road to Folly Beach. Thankfully I did the 9:00am slot, because there was bumper to bumper traffic along Folly Rd by the time the tour ended around 11:30pm.

Captain Matt was AWESOME- knowledgeable, confident, made us feel safe, it was such a memorable trip…read morefor our family of 4, and worth every penny. Something that could've been mediocre turned into something we'd love to do again and again because of Captain Matt and his expertise, shared knowledge, and relaxed boat. We did get lucky, but he helped us see the dolphins, pointed out birds, slowed down to let us take it in, and he also took care of time management so well too. All the things! We saw dolphins so close to the boat, herons, storks, some people got sand dollars from the island too. I highly recommend this company and Matt based on our phenomenal experience- Yes, you drive down a bumpy rocky road to this business- but it's worth it! Trust me.

Coming prepared is important. Besides a bathing suit, it would be wise to have a long-sleeve shirt…read moreand hat (or a huge tub of sunscreen), some sort of water shoes, and some way of protecting your devices. I got a watertight bag for my phone. They say they'll store your keys, but they didn't remind me and in my haste to hit the water I somehow floated the entire distance with my super expensive electronic car key in my pocket, which neither fell out nor was any the worse for wear, miraculously. You have to pay to get into the state park where this endeavor begins, which in total brings the cost to around $40 a head or so. Which for me was not bad given the experience. I received help getting the tube down to the water and they had some watercraft at the end to gently bump me to shore. They say floating down the river takes two hours; it doesn't seem that long a distance but it is a slow-moving river and my trip took around two and a half hours in the water. Obviously, you can slow yourself down or speed yourself up. The shores of the river were verdant, with frequent houses and docks and a lot of signs saying to stay off of various people's private property (fair enough), but I still managed to find a bit of beach for a brief respite, and the trip ends at a sandbar. Various powered watercraft whizzed by, but they mostly just caused some pleasant waves. Conditions will vary, but I found the water immensely pleasant on a summer day, and on the water I didn't have a huge mosquito problem (I did apply repellent). The depth was such that during much of the trip I was actually floating and could not touch the bottom, but there were certainly places where you could. The inquiring mind wonders whether alligators, snakes, bull sharks, or some other river monster is hiding beneath the murky water, but I observed no such creatures (as a one-time Australian, there's no way I'd get into an Australian river where I couldn't see what was around me). The bottom was mostly sandy, but did occasionally have branches and things, and water shoes do help. I underestimated how much time my legs would spend out of the water and did not apply sunscreen to them; I wish I'd either done that or just carried sunscreen in some container. The end area had brightly colored trip employees to shepherd you in using watercraft, as well as a volleyball net and picnic area for those so inclined. A bus brings you in short order back to where you started. A trip through the surrounding countryside suggests a pastoral, relatively natural environment, and driving through it I always wished there were more tourist opportunities to experience this unique landscape and dodge the heat. Turns out, this is the place.

Been here many times. The larger the group the better. Lots of fun. Pro tip... If the time you want…read moreis sold out, it doesn't really matter. Just get a ticket. Meet your friends and launch when you're ready.

First experience on a jet ski, and our guide (think it was John but for some reason Matt is popping…read moreinto my head as well) made it a great one! Super easy to book online (and fill out some online waivers beforehand). Each rental costs total of about $200 for a single rider. We met at a boat ramp, and there was a quick intro of how to operate the jet skis (quite easy, so no worries!). There's was a compartment on each ski to keep our phones as well but we kept our other things like flip flops, keys, etc. in his truck. The marshlands were the perfect place to ski-- calm waters and maze-like twists and turns made it really fun and easy to ride at top speeds. We spotted many dolphins as well. (You're it going to see them jump up or their faces, more like their fins, but it's neat to know they're hanging out so close-- Crazy!). For those adventurous enough, you can "jump waves," and he'll take you to the ocean and give it a go! I just watched because I was curious, but it is really choppy! Got a little nauseated, so cruising around the marshlands was definitely great :D John was super nice, looked out for us all, and was enthusiastic and funny. He took photos of us and sent them afterwards as well. And wear a bathing suit, because you're going to get wet! This was a great experience as a solo adventurer but would make a fun date or family outing too!

My daughter and I had a great trip to Charleston and it was made even better by Dolphin…read moreWatersports. They provide the life jackets and the fun. Mark, the owner, took us to hunt for sharks teeth and (not pictured) sand dollars! We even saw a few dolphins. He was super knowledgeable about the area. Honestly, if I lived there this would be a monthly treat for the whole family. Book! You won't regret it.

Kicking off this review by making it clear that kayaking was not my idea of a vacation day well…read morespent. Sure, I consider myself somewhat outdoorsy ... I like hiking and biking as much as the next gal ... but I was NOT stoked on kayaking for four hours through potentially alligator-infested waters. But keep reading ... because my experience with Water Dog Paddle Co. totally changed my mind. From the initial booking process to the communication before we actually even got on the water, Ryan was great! He sent us a pin with the exact location we'd be embarking from ... and made sure we had his phone number if we somehow got lost along the way. He also pushed back our planned launch based on the tides, so we would get the best experience possible out on the water. You do have to sign a waiver, but Ryan walks you through all the details once the whole crew has arrived. As I mentioned above, I was scared about coming across a gator ... but Ryan explained he can count on one hand the amount of times he's seen one while on a tour, and reassured us that they don't usually venture out into the salt marshes. Water Dog provides all the gear you need ... life jackets, kayaks and oars ... plus water bottles for your group once you're actually out on the water. Once you're actually in the kayak, Ryan is an amazing tour guide. He's been paddle boarding all over the world, and he told us all about his travels in between pointing out some of the incredible South Carolina wildlife. We even saw two dolphins during the tour, which was an unforgettable addition to an already awesome day. I will say that kayaking is not as easy as everyone says it is. I got stuck in the reeds several times because it's kind of hard to stop once you get started ... but my fiancé pulled me out by my oars and helped get us back on track. Thankfully - I did not fall in the water. That was my number one concern ... and I managed to come away mostly dry. At the end of our kayaking voyage, Ryan gave us each a Water Dog sticker ... and explained the story behind the company's name (no spoilers! You have to book a trip and find out for yourself). He also took several pictures of us while we were kayaking ... and emailed them out to us within one day so we could post the photos if we wanted to! That was a nice touch, considering the last thing you want to be focused on while you're kayaking is pulling out your phone to capture the memory. I would definitely recommend booking a tour with Water Dog Paddle Co. the next time you're on Seabrook or Kiawah Island!

We had a great day on the water this afternoon with Ryan. He is clearly passionate and…read moreknowledgable about the area and the sport. He made it super fun for all ages. We were paddle-boarding through the marshes along pathways that would barely have fit a kayak. He made an effort to point out unusual bird nests and great facts about the area and wildlife. We all really enjoyed our guide's cheerful conversation and relaxed way of engaging the group - and he took lots of fun photos we are eager to see tomorrow! Beautiful way to spend an afternoon in the area.

We wanted to experience a harbor cruise while in Charleston. I checked Yelp and found Charleston…read moreHarbor Tours which had good reviews. So I booked our tickets online. I was pleasantly surprised to find free street parking. We boarded the boat and headed out in the harbor. It was a beautiful night on the water and bonus, we got to see the sun set. They played a little music but mostly the captain gave us history of the harbor. We saw some old military ships and a couple of forts and went under the suspension bridge. They sell snacks, alcohol, soda and ice cream. I ordered a Pepsi and a chocolate chip ice cream cookie. And bonus, there is a bathroom on board. The staff was friendly. I would take another cruise with Charleston Harbor Tours.

The sunset cruise was beautiful and the staff were all very nice and helpful. I do feel like the…read morecruise was overbooked, and it was hard to move around or even find a bit of railing to lean against and not be in someone's way. This is a management problem, not a crew problem, unless the crew owns the boat. It was also hard to hear the narration once the crowd of people started talking. What I could hear was well-presented and interesting.

I took my dad out on the water for his birthday, and Joe made it very memorable. He's the new…read moreowner, and is a wealth of experience and good conversation. There are kayaks for sale, but we just came for the guided tour of Shem Creek and a peak out into Charleston Harbor. The whole time we never felt rushed or anxious about safety. Joe showed us maps before we left and built the tour around what we wanted to do. He even extended our time on the water when our pace was a bit slower than planned. We had a great time and I can't wait to get back to Mt Pleasant to get out on the water with him again.

The best. We needed a kayak trailer. Fast. Joe took care of everything. Including loading the…read morekayaks and training us. He didn't have to do any of that. And he's nice! Love this place. Trust them.

We went out with Cpt Will on a small boat with four other passengers. We got the VIP treatment!…read more It was a chilly morning but the weather was just beautiful. We saw dolphins and combed a beach for sea shells and fossils. We learned a lot of history about the area and the dolphins were certainly a real treat.

My wife and I took the Morris Island eco-tour this morning with Captain Will. What a wonderful way…read moreto enjoy the area, learn a LOT about the wildlife here, and see areas of the Folly Island and Morris Island that you can't experience any other way! Worth every penny we spent and then some, and we were able to gather some delightful shells and even a starfish from Morris Island. Best of all, we saw two families of dolphins just relaxing along the way, and it was clear that they recognized the boat and were happy to swim along with us for a while. Don't miss your eco tour and Flipper Finders is a great way to go!

When deciding on what night to enjoy a boat rides opted for Weds as the extra ticket cost seemed…read morejustified to cover the cost of a few adult beverages. Sadly, they were unprepared and my friend and I could only enjoy 1 beverage because they ran out within 35 minutes of pulling away from the dock and 15 of this minutes were spent under cover due to heavy rain. Perhaps in the future you allocate 3 tickets per person and you bring in enough seltzer and beer to accommodate for that. Not like it cannot be used the next night

Last night's Margarita Monday sunset sail was so fun! Though tickets are usually $35, ladies get…read more$15 off for this sail, which is 2 hours and includes complimentary bottled water, sodas, snacks (chips&salsa, mini taco things, cookies), and margaritas! They also have a cash bar for beer and wine. The staff (only 2 of them) were fun and upbeat. Of course when you're on a catamaran with 20-100 people and only one person is serving margaritas from a beverage cooler, it's gonna be slow-going, but after the initial line weans down its easy to get a drink (until it runs out...which it did less than halfway through the trip)! Because of that, the captain took $2 of the price of Pinot Grigio...nice, but not the same as complimentary margaritas. The best part was climbing up top with my girl friends to sit near the sails! The different view and having to duck when they jived the sails made it more unique. Though it was raining in other parts of Charleston all day, we got lucky with nice, cool weather (though light cloud coverage did block the sunset a bit). We definitely want to come back in the future! The Palmetto Breeze takes off from Red's on Shem Creek at 6:30 (when the dolphins are OUT). It's probably best to buy your tickets online before the day of the event, but we were able to snag some spaces/pay the captain on the dock. Oh, and don't forget to take a picture behind the captains wheel and blow the conch shell.