South Carolina Dolphin Watching: Top Spots to See Dolphins
In South Carolina, federal law forbids swimming with wild dolphins under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Yet you can still observe these animals closely through organized boat trips and tours in locations such as Hilton Head, Charleston, Myrtle Beach, and Edisto, each offering unique ways to encounter dolphins while adhering to protection rules.
By Robin Howard
Make friends with dolphins in South Carolina.
The U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act safeguards dolphins, making it illegal to swim with them in the wild. Even so, South Carolina provides numerous opportunities to observe dolphins from a respectful distance. Several tour operators conduct dolphin-watching excursions that let you see these animals up close without breaking the law.
Hilton Head
Dolphin Discoveries runs a two-hour boat trip that accommodates a maximum of six passengers. The company promises a dolphin sighting on each tour and has given names to some of the more sociable local dolphins, including Big Bob, Blackbeard, and Little Baby Stripes.
Sonny C. Charters likewise ensures dolphin sightings on its 90-minute dolphin and nature tour. The journey goes from Broad Creek to Calibogue Sound, providing ample opportunities to observe the bottlenose dolphins that inhabit the region. From June 13 to August 18, Charters also provides a special two-and-a-half-hour Dolphin, Fireworks, and Nature-Lover Cruise.
Dolphin Encounters Near Charleston
Charleston Outdoor Adventures invites you on a 90-minute dolphin eco-tour or a sunset dolphin cruise. National Geographic Magazine included this operator, which also runs paddle board and kayak tours, among its top summer weekend adventures. The tours explore the waters around Folly Beach, a spot where dolphins engage in play and strand feeding.
Kiawah Island Golf Resort provides a dolphin encounter excursion as well. You can board the resort's eco-tour boat for a trip through Kiawah's creeks and inlets, where you are likely to get a close look at the numerous dolphins residing in the vicinity.
See Dolphins in Myrtle Beach
At Crazy Sisters Marina on Murrells Inlet, you can board the Osprey, the dolphin watch boat operated by Blue Wave Adventures. The Osprey runs seven days a week from March through November, and Capt. Mark Collins & Amy Collins estimate an overall dolphin contact rate of 85 percent.
For a closer encounter with dolphins in Myrtle Beach, reserve a Jet Ski excursion with Thomas Outdoors Watersports. This 40-mile round-trip adventure lasts about two hours, and the dolphins come so near that you might even get splashed. Thomas Outdoors Watersports also offers a private two-hour tour that includes a dolphin watch T-shirt.
Dolphins at Edisto
Botany Bay Ecotours provides 75-minute dolphin boat tours from March 1 to October 31, along with private and special group tours. While Botany Bay cannot promise a dolphin sighting, it does guarantee that you will learn many interesting facts about dolphins and the waters of the ACE (Ashepoo, Edisto and Combahee Rivers) Basin.
To see more dolphins in Edisto, visit the marina on Big Bay Creek. The water near the marsh in this area is a favored gathering place for dolphins, and viewing them from this spot costs nothing. Bear in mind that autumn is typically the optimal season for dolphin sightings in the area.
