Hilton Head lovers....

[cgcw]

For the dolphin cruise -- what is the age limit on that? Our youngest will be 5 and can swim like a fish, but is that old enough? Not looking to push any limits -- only wanna do what's safe!

Our youngest DS was 17 months old the first time we did a dolphin cruise with Capt. Scott.

In fact, we also did a beach combing trip that year and last summer, Scott brought up how he remembered my DS digging sand on the Dufuski Island beach while we hunted shells. It's funny how we remembered that, but I never expect Scott to remember something like that.

If you book through Disney, Scott has the child size life jackets on his boat so there is no need to bring your own.

Is it July yet?? Reading all this makes me anxious.

 

[Tanya]

Regarding the dolphin cruise.... Is there anywhere where I can get more info on Scotts?????

Just trying to gather some info for our trip at the end of May!

 

[WDWNewbie]

Has anyone done the kayaking (or is it canoeing) activity on the Marsh?

My daughter and husband are interested (she'll be 10 when we return this fall) and I'm wondering if people felt it was worth the money.

 

[cgcw]

Regarding the dolphin cruise.... Is there anywhere where I can get more info on Scotts?????

Just trying to gather some info for our trip at the end of May!

Here's Scott's website:
http://www.lowcountrynaturetours.com/index.htm

Our first trip, Scott did the trips for Disney. We had an awesome experience with him.

The next summer, another company was doing the trips for Disney. We had a terrible experience and just by luck, tracked Scott down in the Shelter Cove Harbor as he was boating through.

Disney must have known they were missing out because before our next trip, Scott emailed me to let me know that he was again contracted to do all of the tours for Disney.

I don't want to use the word "guarantee" that you wouldn't be disappointed on a dolphin tour with Scott but I will say I'd be really surprised if the experience wasn't awesome. There is nothing like having a dolphin approach the boat or swim right next to the boat. It truly is nature at it's best. And, Scott has the respect for nature that we've seen other neglect.

We are certainly looking forward to seeing Scott again in July. Last summer, he took us shark fishing. It was a very incredible experience and we're looking forward to doing it again.

One other thought. This is just our personal experience & opinion but we don't do the dolphin tours anymore. If still offered (because of Dufuski Island) we plan to do the beach combing trip again in July. To us, it's the best of both worlds. Beach combing is scheduled at low tide. On the way to the island, we see dolphins along the way, just like a regular dolphin tour. But then we anchored up at Dufuskie Island and got off of the boat. Once on shore, we are able to walk up and down the beach. My kids have held live star fish and sand dollars gallor. They love to save them and toss them back into the water. Last summer, my DH found a dead heron and a friend of Scott's with us that trip went and got the bill of the heron for my son as a keepsake. We've seen lots of different sea life - crabs, worms digging their holes, a crab which popped out at my DS & I , my DS has swam right up to a heron. It really is amazing and to us, we'll worth the extra $$'s over the cost of the dolphin tour.

 

[Laurabearz]

Has anyone done the kayaking (or is it canoeing) activity on the Marsh?

My daughter and husband are interested (she'll be 10 when we return this fall) and I'm wondering if people felt it was worth the money.

Last year I went kayaking on the marsh twice... once alone and once with my two girls (i was in a double with 1DD and the tour leader had my other dd in a double kayak) We came withing 3 or 4 feet of several dolphins on the second trip.... it was amazing.... but even if we hadnt had come so close it is still a wonderful activity. The bugs onthe bouy was really cool amoung other things

 

[Kathy2130]

Does anyone know when the fireworks start? We will be at HH the last week of June...

Thanks!

Kathy

 

[TW1]

Does anyone know when the fireworks start?

Usually after 9 pm Maybe even closer to 9:30. And, yes, it is a very good display.

 

[Tanya]

Thanks for all the information... I am actually going to check out Scott's website now!...
Can't wait --- we are going May 22 ---- Hopefully my parents are coming too.. It's me (37), DH (37), DD (5), DS (just shy of 2)... My mom said she has to play it by ear because too many people need her right now... My aunt has ovarian cancer and has chemo sessions... My grandfather is doing better after his surgery.... so hope all goes well - my mom of all people needs this vacation the most... I bought her and my dad an airline ticket but she said she will have to let me know the last minute....

Thanks again!

 

[Cruise04]

Sorry if this was already asked but when in the spring does the BBQ and fireworks start or is this something they try to do year round?

 

[gopherit]

Our youngest DS was 17 months old the first time we did a dolphin cruise with Capt. Scott.

In fact, we also did a beach combing trip that year and last summer, Scott brought up how he remembered my DS digging sand on the Dufuski Island beach while we hunted shells. It's funny how we remembered that, but I never expect Scott to remember something like that.

If you book through Disney, Scott has the child size life jackets on his boat so there is no need to bring your own.

Is it July yet?? Reading all this makes me anxious.

Thanks for the reply -- good to know I won't have to haul lifevests down, too!

I am intrigued by the beach combing trip -- did you find good shells on that? My kids would think that was cool. Of course, they would also think the dolphins were cool too, but if they could come back with shells as keepsakes, that might be a better deal in the long run. Also I halfway wonder how well I could keep my kids calm in a boat if we sidled up beside some dolphins... I can see it now, my dd leaps up to pet "Flipper" and falls in! (Can we "tether" the kids in the boat, lol?)

How soon in advance do you recommend booking a tour? And is one time of day better than another? (For example -- more summer thunderstorms later in the day might mean a risk of cancellation, is mid-day too hot, is early morning best, etc.) We're going in August.

THANKS!

 

[TW1]

I am intrigued by the beach combing trip -- did you find good shells on that?
Also I halfway wonder how well I could keep my kids calm in a boat if we sidled up beside some dolphins...is mid-day too hot, is early morning best, etc

We did the beach combing once and did enjoy it. Though we did not find an abundance of really fantastic shells, our daughter did find one perfect conch and it sits proudly in her room. Honestly, we enjoyed the boat trip and the walk on the quiet beach as much as the actually beach combing.

Concerning the dolphin trip, you should have seen us JUMP and grab our kids by their shirt-backs when a dolphin pulled up right next to us. It was exactly as you stated. They were up and half out of the boat like a shot. The law states you cannot touch or feed the wildlife and Capt Scott will insist you follow this law. But that doesn't keep kids from lunging over the side for a VERY close look.

Time of day? Day of week? Well, Wednedsay is Members day which gives you 10% off per person. In summer, crowds are similiar every day of the week. Time of day can make a difference considering the heat, but zipping around out on the water can produce a nice breeze and there is a canopy on the boat for shade. Enjoy!

 

[Cruise04]

Concerning the dolphin trip, you should have seen us JUMP and grab our kids by their shirt-backs when a dolphin pulled up right next to us. It was exactly as you stated. They were up and half out of the boat like a shot. The law states you cannot touch or feed the wildlife and Capt Scott will insist you follow this law. But that doesn't keep kids from lunging over the side for a VERY close look.

Or very excited adults I would imagine as well!!!! That would be me - DVCer goes overboard on dolphin trip from excitement!!!

 

[cgcw]

I am intrigued by the beach combing trip -- did you find good shells on that? My kids would think that was cool.

We have bags of sand dollars & star fish we've found on the beach. We've found more that the kids "rescued" by throwing back into the water. One year we found several welk that we had to toss back in because they were still alive. The rules are that unless it's dead, you can't remove it from the beach.

 

[gopherit]

The rules are that unless it's dead, you can't remove it from the beach.

Considering our 10 hour car ride home in the summer heat -- if it ISN'T dead when the kid picks it up, we all MIGHT BE by the time we get home!

P-U -- nuthin like sealife roasting in the August sun... No thanks!

I used to live in SC and visited the beaches there every year (but not HHI, so I'm still clueless there!) At Kiawah Island, we found lots of sand dollars, but they were all still VERY much alive. Cool to see, but as you said, if it's living, let it live! So I assume then that the sand dollars you found were already dead? And the conch vacated?

We have also found ooodles of conch up at Lewes Beach (Delaware), but much to the kids' (and my DH's) dismay, something always "beats them to it" (such as a conch! ) We all got a great laugh last summer when DH thought he had found this great medium sized conch in perfect condition... he was carrying it around ,bragging about his awesome "find"....until the "owner" came to tell him he had found it first!

It was a medium-sized hermit crab... with a super-sized attitude. <a href='http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb008_ZSzeb04242US' target='_blank'><img src='http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/16/16_5_13.gif' alt='Hermit Crab' border=0></a>

Hmmm, I'll have to find that picture somewhere.... <a href='http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb008_ZSzeb04242US' target='_blank'><img src='http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/29/29_1_9.gif' alt='Lol' border=0></a>

And thanks, folks, for the input! So Wednesday gets me the member discount -- now, do I make my reservation straight with Scott, or go through Disney? Help this HHI newbie!

And with a group of 5 (3 dolphin-lungers aged 10, 9 and 5 and two adults holding them by the seats of the pants), should we do the dolphin or the beach comber? Feel free to cast a vote!

 

[cgcw]

And thanks, folks, for the input! So Wednesday gets me the member discount -- now, do I make my reservation straight with Scott, or go through Disney? Help this HHI newbie!

My suggestion would be wait until you get there. You'll have an idea of what the weather is going to be like during your stay. Based on experience, there's nothing like getting caught in an afternoon thunderstorm and trying to outrun it on the boat. That little bit of drizzle certainly stings as it's hitting you in the face. Although Broad Creek (which is where the dolphin, beach combing & kyacking is done) may not sound big, until you see it, you can't imagine. It's nothing like the creeks in our neck of the woods.

And with a group of 5 (3 dolphin-lungers aged 10, 9 and 5 and two adults holding them by the seats of the pants), should we do the dolphin or the beach comber? Feel free to cast a vote!

There has been talk since we met Scott of the beach combing not being offered any more because of the location on Dufuskie Island. So, I guess that would be the first thing to figure out. The other thing is the cost. IIRC, dolphin tours were $30/person. Beach combing was $50/person last year. For a family of 5 (even if they jump overboard ), it's comparing $150 to $250 (plus tip if you decide to).

Personally, there is no comparision. We'll be doing the Beach Combing if offered this summer.

 

[cgcw]

So Wednesday gets me the member discount --

Just want to mention the discount is on the dolphin tours only. I don't believe the beach combing is offered that day because of the discounted dolphin tours. A lot of people take advantage of the savings.

 

[Tanya]

Just wanted to let you guys know that I had emailed Scott to ask what times the Beach Combing tour was and to see if he suggested that my mom not come because she is afraid of getting seasick!....

Anyway - he said for the Beach combing tour, they only go out during low tide so it would change daily and also depend on when you were going down... Also - it only goes out once on that day.

Hope that helps!

 

[kaw1106]

I have read this whole thread before I ask this question. Are the fireworks everynight or just certain nights? Do you veiw them from the resort or beach house??? :thewave:

 

[Judique]

I have read this whole thread before I ask this question. Are the fireworks everynight or just certain nights? Do you veiw them from the resort or beach house??? :thewave:

The fireworks are usually held on Tuesday nights and you view them from the resort as they are set off in Broad Creek from a barge just off Disney's pier. You can see them from the boardwalk, Live Oak Lodge, Community Hall area, Shadow's Point, and from some of the villas. They do not let you on the pier during fireworks. Enjoy! They were very beautiful last summer.

 

[Laurabearz]

We are less than 2 weeks out from our trip and I wanted to thank everyone who particpated in this thread!

To all the First time visitors to HHI, I hope you all have a wonderful time. It really is a wonderful place to relax and spend great time with your family. Relax... take it all in, stroll about... veg....

I CANT WAIT!!!