Native Son Adventures, Shelter Cove
Private tiki-boat dolphin tours, fishing charters and custom days on the water with Captain Byron Sewell, from Shelter Cove Marina.
Families write about how much one trip holds: dolphins up close, checking a crab trap, hunting for shark teeth, a swim off the boat, and fishing that turns up sharks and big stingrays.
Book Native Son Adventures
Private trips for up to six on the tiki boat or the Island Girl and Kahuna, with live availability.
Browse 8 activities
Booked through FareHarbor, the island operators’ own booking system. HHI.com may earn a commission.
- Where
- Slip H, Shelter Cove Marina
- Group size
- private trips, up to 6 people
- Run by
- Captain Byron Sewell
Native Son Adventures is Captain Byron Sewell’s outdoor company, working out of Slip H at Shelter Cove Harbour & Marina on Hilton Head Island. Every trip is private, for up to six people, which is the main difference from the bigger dolphin boats at the harbour: the boat goes where your group wants, at your pace.
Tiki Boat Dolphin Tours
The best-known trip is on the tiki boat, a thatched-roof pontoon. The dolphin and adventure tour looks for dolphins and adds the hands-on parts children remember: pulling up a crab trap and throwing a cast net. It runs from a short 90-minute outing to most of a day. A sunset version doubles as a reggae cruise, and the boat has a platform to swim from.
Fishing Charters and a Day with a Native
Fishing charters go inshore, nearshore and offshore, for three to eight hours. A Day with a Native is the custom version: pick three things you want to do on the water, fishing and dolphins among them, and the captain builds the day around them. Our Hilton Head fishing guide covers the seasons and what bites when.
Fireworks Cruises and Surf Camps
In summer the tiki boat goes out on Tuesday nights to watch the HarbourFest fireworks from the water. The 2027 dates are not announced yet; the first fireworks night is expected around June 8. Away from the harbour, Captain Byron also teaches surfing: lessons for all ages and summer surf and adventure camps for 8- to 18-year-olds, on the beach rather than the creek. Book online, or call to plan a custom day.
More at Shelter Cove Harbour
Outside Hilton Head at Shelter Cove Harbour: kayak and paddleboard rentals, guided kayak tours, dolphin tours, fishing and pontoon rentals, how to book.
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 Hook at Shelter Cove Harbour: a 70-foot party fishing boat with 5.5-hour offshore trips, inshore shark fishing and a Tuesday fireworks trip.
Shelter Cove Harbour & Marina: HarbourFest, Tuesday fireworks over the water, free family shows, dolphin tours, fishing charters, kayaks and boat rentals.
The Shelter Cove Harbour shops & restaurants directory: every restaurant, shop and service around the marina basin, with parking and satnav tips.
Hilton Head fishing, season by season: inshore redfish, deep sea trips, surf fishing, free piers and crabbing, plus licenses, bait shops and charters.
What reviewers say
Families write about how much one trip holds: dolphins up close, checking a crab trap, hunting for shark teeth, a swim off the boat, and fishing that turns up sharks and big stingrays. Captains are praised by name for being patient and good with children of every age. Booking is described as smooth, with clear details ahead of time, and the summer surf camp gets the same enthusiasm as the boat trips. Several reviewers are on their second or third trip.
Frequently Asked Questions
Updated
How many people fit on a Native Son Adventures trip?
Up to six. Every trip is a private charter for one group, whether it is a tiki-boat dolphin tour, a fishing charter or a custom day.
Where do Native Son Adventures trips leave from?
From Slip H at Shelter Cove Marina on Shelter Cove Lane. Parking at the harbour is free.
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