Gearing Up for our Favorite Season

Fall in Charleston is wonderful.

Throughout September, the air temperature begins to drop to a perfect 80 degrees during the day, while the water temperature is still warm enough for swimming. The dolphins are very active bulking up on fish so they can survive the winter, which makes our Dolphin and Morris Island Tours more exciting than ever. The sun's UV rays are not as harsh on the skin for kayaking or paddle boarding, and paddling near dolphins is a highlight of anyone's trip on the marsh. The crowds also become less and less as kids start back up in school and summer vacations come to an end.

The fall brings smaller size tours, beautiful weather, changing colors in the grass and tree lines, playful dolphins, and various migrating birds. Being on the water anytime of day is exciting as you no longer need to avoid the midday heat or sunburn. Even the boat traffic simmers down, especially during the week days. Enjoy being out on the water in quiet stillness while a guide talks about feeding birds or how oysters are harvested.

Charleston Outdoor Adventures is open daily (including Sundays) year round. It's never to early to start planning your next adventure!


-Anna

Consider Us Featured

Hookin' a sweet red fish!

It's not every day that a film crew shows up to Bowens and tells you that they want to do a shoot with their host, a few kayaks, and dolphins. Coming soon to CNN HLN is a show called The Social Life. From what I gather, each episode will feature a city with the best things to do and best places to eat, with their host posting about it on his social media accounts.
After a fun kayak tour between Morris Island and Folly Beach, we also got to do a little fishing.

Over Labor Day weekend a lovely lady named Jenny who hosts FurReal TV came on a Morris Island Tour to get some amazing shots of dolphins and Captain Joe. 100% Success. This was a very fun experience and we hope to be on many various shows in the next few years!

Be on the lookout for the Charleston episodes and for some good shots of COA on it! You'll certainly recognize the Morris Island Lighthouse, Derek, and a few of Captain Joe's favorite dolphins.

Why the Twilight Paddle is so Amazing.

I was asked recently what my favorite tour was and the response was easy. The Twilight Paddle is not only a romantic activity, but also a perfect tour for any adventurer at heart.  The sunset on Bowens Island can be amazing. You are lead on a two hour paddle either on kayaks or paddle boards as the sun is going down, and get back about 15-20 minutes before it fully sets, that way we are not paddling in the dark.
Since the sun is going down it is a bit cooler outside and the stronger winds will have also started to die down. The ambiance of the back estuary is extremely peaceful and quiet. There are moments when silence fills the air and the only sounds are birds dipping into the water and the wind stirring through the grass.  The most amazing is when dolphins come right up next to your boat and leave only ripples in the water as they swim away. The beauty of the estuary that we paddle through is unmatchable.

Along with the Twilight Paddle, we also offer Sunset Charters. During an hour and a half trip of over 10 miles through the estuary, relax and enjoy the peace while dolphins play around you. This is an enjoyable and unforgettable ride for people of all ages including young children.



Hope to see you here soon!
-Anna

Tripp leading his tour back to the landing with the sun slowly setting behind

Full Moon Tours - April 26th at 7:30pm

Last year we started doing full moon tours and they were a huge success.  It is time to start bringing them back again!  The first full moon tour will be this month on Friday, April 26th.  This is a two hour tour. We begin the tour at 7:30pm just before the brilliance of the sunset 7:57. You will be led out into the estuary by an excellent naturalist for a two hour adventure into the tidal flats behind Folly while being lit by the moon.  Both kayaking and paddle boarding will be an option.  Continue scrolling for pictures from last years May full moon tour.  I hope to hear from you soon!

Your choice of kayak or paddle board

Everyone can paddle board! Start out on your knees, and then stand up!

Sun setting over our sea kayaks

Full Moon from a tour last May

Your link for more information on our tours!

-Anna and Jackson

Location: such a Small but Powerful Detail

Dolphins gliding closely with us as we paddled

Charleston Outdoor Adventures is fortunate to have many wonderful attributes. Great staff, excellent equipment, over 50 years of combined experience and a wealth of knowledge about the estuary and wildlife that surrounds us just to name a few. Today I wanted to highlight one in particular; Location.
The office sits just over the spartina grass with great views of the estuary. As you keep walking, you go out on a dock that sits over Folly Creek and has some of the best views of the sunset that you can ask for, especially when it reflects off the water. Folly Creek, with its minimal boat traffic, provides easy access to multiple tidal creeks that give shelter and are home to many various birds, crabs, and fish. With the Maritime forest in the background, just standing on the dock you will see Pelican, Double Crested Cormorants, Terns, Black Skimmers, Egrets, Heron, Wood Stork, and even Dolphins passing by underneath you.

Now imagine being back in one of the smaller creeks in a kayak or on a paddle board, quietly paddling, and one of these magnificent animals is within feet of you. Now you are able to study this bird more closely, while listening to your guide keenly explain their history, way of life, or special characteristics.
Picture yourself tucked away among the oyster beds in Kings Flats Creek, as the sun is setting, and the tide is dropping. A group of pelicans are resting on the water, when without warning a pair of dolphins surface within feet of your boat. This was an experience I was able to share with Amy and Tony this past week. Choosing to come to Charleston for their 40th wedding anniversary, these two were an excellent couple to paddle with. While standing on the landing after our tour was over, Tony said, "That was magnificent. Thank you so much."

Tony and Amy sharing a tandem

Come have your own magnificent experience. I, and everyone at COA would love to be a part of creating wonderful memories for you and your family.

-Anna, chasing sunsets and taming dolphins daily.

Dolphin under the shining sun with Pelicans following from above

Easter and Paddle Boarding

This weekends weather

Woooo We are open on Easter Sunday!! The weather is looking beautiful for this Easter weekend. I love a sunny day that isn't super hot yet. Even more exciting is that my mom is coming down from NY.  She will just barely be escaping winter storm Virgil, and keeps telling me how 60 degrees is going to feel like a sauna to her. She's a master gardener and scientist extraordinaire so come on down to meet her! The schedule is still very open, so definitely call to book a tour or rental! Which leads me to paddle boarding.








Paddle boarding rules.  Simple as that.
You are on a super sturdy board, which are all the new 2013 models since COA only offers the best. This means that you start out very well balanced, and with a bit of core and keeping your weight in your toes you are cruising across Folly Creek! Don't worry though, you begin on your knees and get the hang of your paddle first. In fact, if you don't feel comfortable you can stay on your knees as long as you like! This past Sunday, on my day off, I ended up on Bowens Island anyway and took out a paddle board. In West Ashley it was beautiful, sunny, and warm.  On Bowens it was beautiful, sunny, warm, and windy.  Wind is something you want to be careful of when you decide to take out a paddle board. I went out anyway but stayed on my knees the whole time since paddling standing up with the wind was too hard.  Still super fun and a great work out.  I made my way into one of the back creeks where I was out of the wind and just laid out in the sun.  I highly suggest this for any deep thinking or relaxing on vacation.

I want to take YOU out on a paddle board tour.  Don't worry if you've never done it before, you'll get a lesson before we go out and then I'll go at your pace. Check out that weather again for this weekend.  Not too windy! Call me up!!

-Anna, Your active adventurous naturalist

Charleston Outdoor Adventures Days part 1

Folly Beach Sunrise

I woke up extra early this morning (which was easy because I somehow fell asleep at 7 last night) and made it all the way to the Folly Beach Pier to catch the sunrise.  It was a beauty. Cloudy enough so the pink really came through at dawn.   Luckily, the weather only went down to 50 last night, so it was nice sitting out with my travel mug of coffee. This was a great sign for the morning in front of me, as today was our annual Adventures Days.  I stopped at the Lost Dog Cafe for an awesome sausage, egg, and cheese croissant to go and some delicious coffee on my way to Bowens Island.

My favorite picture from the day

Casey from Tides

Monty looking excellent.

This year, our Adventures Days is really special because it was almost like a grand reopening for us.  "Bigger and Better" is a true statement after the fire last August.  We have more kayaks, more paddle boards, and a new 12 person charter boat to go with our current 6 passenger boat.  The Tides and Vendue Inn each sent a few of their front desk and concierge personnel to come on their own tours with us. COA likes to give back to the community, and especially those who help the visitors of Charleston find out about us and place reservations. By nine o'clock we had 6 people on our dolphin boat tour with Joe, 5 on our kayak tour with Tripp, and 2 on our stand up paddle board tour with Little Bill.

I was just kidding that your smile would break the camera...

I went out on the kayak tour with 4 guys from Vendue, and Brian from The Tides. We swung by the old shrimp boat, cruised past the dock, and landed ourselves in King Flats.  The tide was super high so we didn't have to worry about knocking into oysters and could see clear over the spartina grass. The weather continued to be great too. It was finally warm enough to work up a sweat, but still comfortable with the breeze.  The water was like glass and we just coasted on top.

All smiles here! This was just before you went dolphin chasing

On the way back in we were finally graced with the presence of dolphins.  Swimming right in front of us and then under us. We caught up with Will and the paddle boarders right before heading to the landing.  At the same time Joe was pulling in with his charter.  Apparently, "dolphins had been following us from the beginning", Joe said, they were "cruising right for us". Next time I better keep my ears open from the get go!

We all came back together just before the dock

Even with the early start, I thought today was fantastic. I'm excited for Part 2 tomorrow!!

Thanks for coming out Tides and Vendue Inn!

-Anna, your most bubbly naturalist

Twilight Paddle with Mike and Louise

 At four o'clock Mike and Louise got out on the water to begin their sunset kayak tour being led by Will.  Barely leaving the landing we were suddenly accompanied by a pod of at least 5 dolphins swimming just to the north of us.  Their tails were coming high out of the water which means that they were diving deep to eat some delicious fish. We were able to drift with them for a bit and watch as their skin glistened off the late sun every time they came up for air. 

We made our way across the glossy water over into King Flats Creek where we paddled upstream so that we could take the current home. Mike and Louise are quite the pair.  Mike was a 7th grade science teacher for 35 years and Louise has been in pharmacy for 50+ years.

All the way from Southern Wisconsin, this was their first time visiting the south east coast, staying at the Residence Inn for 5 days before going down to Hilton Head to stay with friends. Louise raved about the breakfast that the Residence Inn offered every morning. They thoroughly enjoyed walking around downtown and the tour they took of one of the downtown mansions. Their favorite restaurants so far were Hominy Grill and Fleet Landing. 

They were an excellent couple to paddle with.  Being a retired science teacher, this was the perfect birthday present for Mike.  At 65 years young, Mike strolled the estuary while asking great questions so we were able to really delve deep into Will's expertise of the three cohesive eco-systems that we are surrounded by. 

 

 
 With the breeze at our backs, we easily paddled in as the sun set low under the clouds.  It may have been only 50 degrees on the first day of March, but it was certainly nice paddling weather.

A Beautiful Friday Afternoon with the Williams Family

As the sun was high in the sky on this beautiful afternoon, the Williams family came out for a nice paddle across Folly Creek.  Mom and dad were visiting their daughter and son who attend College of Charleston.  Luckily, their classes finish early on Fridays, so taking a kayak tour was just the answer. Tripp ruled the estuary and led the pack showing off all the wildlife wonders with his famous question and answer technique.  And boy did this family know a ton! It was a fantastic tour with a great family.  Mrs. Williams is a middle school teacher up in North Carolina, and I bet her kids are going to love these pictures on Tuesday! 

Mom and daughter.  How cute!

Tripp starting out the tour

Learning about the 4 building blocks of our estuary system

Dad checking out the scenery solo

Being led by their son, what a great family!