Cross Island Cruises at Shelter Cove Harbour
Private dolphin, sunset and strand-feeding trips on Calibogue Sound, led by a Lowcountry Master Naturalist captain from Shelter Cove Harbour.
Book Cross Island Cruises
Live availability for each trip.
Booked through FareHarbor, the island operators’ own booking system. HHI.com may earn a commission.
- Trips: private, your group only
- Group: up to 6 guests (private dolphin tour)
- Captain: Lowcountry Master Naturalist
Cross Island Cruises runs small private boat trips from Shelter Cove Harbour & Marina. The boat is yours alone, so the captain can take the group where the dolphins are rather than keep to a fixed loop. The captain is a Lowcountry Master Naturalist and talks through the ecology of Calibogue Sound and the marsh as you go. Reviewers single out Captain Mark, praising his knowledge, his patience with children and the way he keeps a respectful distance from the wildlife.
Cross Island Cruises Trips
Private dolphin tour: about 90 minutes on the water, watching dolphins feed and play, with manatees, sharks, rays, turtles and birds on some days.
Private sunset dolphin cruise: the same trip timed for the evening light.
Strand feeding tour: a trip to see dolphins drive fish onto the mud banks, a behavior Lowcountry dolphins are known for.
Vanishing Mile Isle tour: a visit to a shell-covered island that guests describe as an entire island of shells.
Book a date below, or call. Trips leave from the harbour at 1 Shelter Cove Lane. Other dolphin trips from the same dock are listed on the harbour page, and the island-wide options are in our Hilton Head boating guide.
More at Shelter Cove Harbour
Shelter Cove Harbour & Marina: HarbourFest, Tuesday fireworks over the water, free family shows, dolphin tours, fishing charters, kayaks and boat rentals.
Dolphin Seafari at Shelter Cove Harbour: a family-run 90-minute dolphin cruise on Broad Creek from $40, plus donut mornings, sunset and fireworks trips.
Captain Mark's Dolphin Cruise: narrated dolphin, sunset and Tuesday fireworks cruises on the Holiday from Shelter Cove Harbour, Monday to Saturday.
Outside Hilton Head at Shelter Cove Harbour: kayak and paddleboard rentals, guided kayak tours, dolphin tours, fishing and pontoon rentals, how to book.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Cross Island Cruises trips private?
Yes. The trips are chartered by your group alone rather than shared with other passengers.
Where do Cross Island Cruises trips leave from?
From Shelter Cove Harbour, at 1 Shelter Cove Lane on Hilton Head Island.
What is strand feeding?
A feeding behavior in which dolphins herd fish onto a mud bank and lunge out of the water to catch them. Cross Island Cruises runs a tour to watch it.
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