bulls island ferry

I had originally signed up for the Sunday Beach Drop but received a call Friday evening that it had to be canceled due to lack of participation (boo!). I choose to change my reservation over to the regular Saturday ferry service instead of canceling all together and am so glad I did. My husband and I had a wonderful time. Our guide, Olivia, recommended taking several trails in the interior of the island rather than heading straight to the beach. This way you really get to fully appreciate the beauty and ecology of this pristine area. The walk was long, over six miles round trip but it was worth it (my husband and I are both plus size but were able to do this walk with minimal issues). There are many more opportunities to view birds and other wildlife as well as alligators, especially if you turn onto Alligator Alley. The beach was beautiful beyond words; the trail we took ended at the Bone Yard and I can't describe what it was like coming out of the maritime forest and stepping onto the beach. We ate amidst the remnants of a forest past and took our time strolling down the beach, enjoying the sun, sounds of the ocean and shelling before returning via the Beach trail to the dock for the trip back. A few tips for winter: 1-DO NOT underestimate the need for layers, the boat ride is quite chilly and we had 50-60 degree weather, there is almost always a breeze on the island as well. 2-Do take sunscreen and plenty of water. Don't assume that cooler weather means that you won't get sunburned or that a 20oz bottle of water will be enough (1 liter per person is what I suggest). 3-bring a blanket or towel, it can get a little wet on the open air boats. 4-Do not let cooler weather deter you from taking this trip, if you have the opportunity GO! My husband and I have been to Charleston many times and this is one of the best experiences we have ever had. 5-Always take "the road less traveled".

Recommend you call to reserve a spot in advance; they use the credit card to hold your spot but don't charge it until you arrive. We did not make reservations but there was still just enough room on the small boat for all who showed up so it was no problem. There was no one at the parking lot but the sign said to pay on the boat so we walked out to the end of the pier and it was several minutes before the two staff finished preparing the boat and unlocked the gate and greeted those of us waiting. There was an unpleasant restroom at the parking lot but it was usable. The boat ride was great, saw dolphins along the way. On the island you walk down a trail from the dock and come to the only restroom on the island, which was cleaner than the one at the dock. We happened to be there one of the two weeks of the year that bow hunters are allowed to camp and hunt deer, so the island was not as deserted as it normally would be and we were told that certain large areas of the island were off limits to us, reserved for the hunters. Fortunately the most scenic areas were open to us and we enjoyed those. From the dock to the beach is about 1.5 miles, then turn left to go to the Boneyard which is an area of dead trees in the surf, a starkly beautiful place (I took lots of photos). On the trail between the dock and beach we saw several alligators, and in the middle of that trail is a turnoff to the Turkey Walk Trail where after walking through woods we came out at the ponds and saw more alligators. The boat guides assured us the alligators would not bother us if we used common sense, and we did walk past one of them, but another one was large and we were too chicken to walk past it. It was thrilling to see 14-15 alligators in one place, mostly in the water. The boat was back at the dock to pick us up by 4pm as promised. Great way to spend a day! Bring a small backpack with lunch, water, hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, camera, toilet paper, bags to pack out your trash, and wear good walking shoes. It is a federally protected wilderness area so there is no development, no gift shop, no snack bar, just nature. Just make sure you skip the weeks when the deer hunters are there if you want to see more of the island.

Thanks so much for your review! Your comments about the tides are so relevant. While Bulls Island and the accompanying ferry ride offer an enjoyable experience at any tide, if the Boneyard Beach is your objective, a low tide (or near) during the part of the day you are there is important.I'm working on a site revamp right now (I'm combing through the site to make sure that we're providing the most accurate information about the refuge and our offerings as possible) and I think that a tide chart and note about the tides would be helpful.Many thanks,Kari Crolley Coastal Expeditions

I highly recommend that you enjoy the full day stay on the island. On the trip you will be enlightened on the local ecosystem including many interesting details of the plants and animals. Our guide Olivia was very knowledgeable, a good presenter and very well spoken. Since you cannot purchase items on the preserve, you will need to bring water, a small knapsack, food, and a small folding hiking stool would be handy. Bug spray is essential. The walking distances might be tiring for some,and a bike would be an excellent way to tour the island. Boneyard beach is an eerie yet beautiful spectacle. We saw bald eagles and practically tripped over the gators on the Turkey Walk. We found the trails to be poorly marked at the beach. We were restricted to certain areas only due to the annual deer hunt, but still it was an excellent experience. It is a nature lover's paradise, and the Bull's Island Ferry team will make sure you enjoy your trip to Bull's Island.

Costal Expeditions is a great company. Olivia was great a great guide on our trip. She had an abundance of knowledge about the area and answered any and all questions. I would suggest going for the whole day. Be sure to bring the mosquito spray.

Went on full day tour, Had a good time in spite of the bugs ( take lots of bug spray ) The highlight was the young lady ( her name escapes me) the naturalist was extremely friendly and was even smarter. She answered all the questions, and was full of info about the areaThe only drawback, And this has nothing to do with the tour company , is the island could use more signs, it all starts looking the same after a while and some paths were not marked

Bulls island is a pretty cool experience. We spent a full day and hiked about seven miles. We had beautiful weather in early October. Our route was Sheepshead Ridge Road to Alligator Alley to Boneyard Beach to Beach Road to Turkey Walk to Middens Trail (out and back) to the Ferry. On the way over, we saw American Oystercatchers feeding on oysters, dolphins strand feeding, and a dolphin with her calf. On the island, we saw a lot of birds, shells, and alligators. We took a hiking break near Beach Road for lunch and spent about an hour swimming. I’m not a birder or sheller and I was really impressed by all the rare birds, unique shells, and the variety of the ecosystem. The middens along midden trail also reinforced the history of the island. The bugs were manageable, but it wasn’t peak season and we were bathed in DEET. The alligators weren’t intimidating and the ones blocking our way on the trail slipped back into the water once we were about fifty yards away. The naturalist Olivia was passionate about the island and an engaging speaker. She did a great job of providing information in an educational and informational manner. I’ll be coming back.

I took the ferry for a full day tour of Bull's Island. The staff were very friendly and knowledgeable. The island is absolutely beautiful. We found a 10 mile loop to go on and had a grand time with it. Definitely allocate a full day as there is much to see and bring PLENTY of bug spray.

A wonderful half day exploring and hiking around Bulls Island. I will be the first to say that I am not an outdoorsy person, this trip may have changed that. As it would turn out, I chartered a private boat ride to the island being the only people who booked for the 9am departure time. The crew was wonderful, pointing out all the wildlife and dolphins we passed on the way to the island. Olivia and the entire staff were great, asking us what our plans were for the day, how long we were planning on staying and if we had everything we needed for our excursion, offering the water and bug spray for purchase on the boat. Olivia showed us the best path for what we wanted to see (the boneyard and maybe some alligators) and said that we should have no problem making that work in 1/2 a day. Unfortunately, it was high tide when we were on the beach so we didn't get to make it all the way out to boneyard due to not being prepared to wade through some water. Walking back we took Olivia's advice and took Turkey Walk for the chance to see some gators. It did not disappoint, we passed about 10 of them sunbathing and relaxing. I cannot wait to come back, I will definitely plan better - trying to make it to boneyard at low tide and stay for the whole day. I highly recommend this excursion to anyone looking for a great time exploring the sights and sounds of nature.

What a great several hours. Chris captained the boat & Brie did a great job of being available, approachable, & full of interesting knowledge about the area & life on the island/coast. We had a fabulous time walking, shelling, bird watching, & taking in the sites. When we had questions, we found Brie & she always had the answers. Well worth the tine and money.

We had a wonderful day of exploring and hiking along the well maintained trails on the island. Plenty of wildlife to observe including alligators and a bald eagle. The beach was amazing and the Boneyard beach was worth the hike.Be prepared for a lengthy walk to the beach from the dock....about 11/2 miles, but this is not your typical stroll to the beach. You will pass several small ponds that have all kinds of waterfowl and we actually saw several alligators laying quietly in the ponds.Gates, our guide, was very informative and obviously enjoyed what he was doing. He stopped several times on our trip to the island to explain the life cycles of the oysters and the shrimp. We were lucky enough to see several dolphins in the shallows of the bay.Overall ...it was a great day

The Bulls Island Ferry tour was a great experience. You meet at a dock in the morning and pay with cash or credit card when you enter the ferry, which is a really simple but relatively modern looking boat and is completely open with an awning to block the sun kind of like a giant party barge. There is a table full of bones, skulls, shells etc. found on Bulls Island and there is bench seating all around. Our tour wasn't crowded, and the atmosphere was pleasantly casual. The whole trip was an experience without a lot of expectations which I found to be really nice. That being said, the guides were incredibly well informed and certainly worth listening to and interacting with. Gates was sort of the lead tour guide and Captain. He told us about the marsh, the history of the island, the fact that it was part of a wildlife refuge that houses the greatest expanse of undeveloped Eastern coastline, and the effects that Hurricane Hugo had on the island while watching for and pointing out wildlife (American Oyster Hunters, Dolphins, and a little Shark that I didn't see. Crap!)It was about a 20 minute ride to the island. Now when you get there, you're basically on your own and you're given plenty of information as to what to explore. You've got about a mile walk to the beach and the landscape changes from foresty, to marsh, back to forest. Note there is only one set of bathroom's about 10 minutes into the walk. You can explore whatever you want, but most people head to the beach, which is empty except for your tourmates so walk 10 minutes in one direction and you're most likely completely alone. Hurricane Hugo left dozens of skeletons of massive trees on the beach due to erosion creating a "boneyard beach." Look around the beach and you'll find dozens of sand dollars, and other little exciting beach things like various crabs. I think there was an option to head back at noon or at 4pm. We opted for 4pm and somehow the time flew by. By the way incelement weather to the extent of at least rain didn't really seem to effect this trip as there were patches of rain that came and went. I remember waking up that morning to pouring rain and thinking is this thing on? Yes it was, and it was totally awesome later that day trying to hide in the woods with raincoats on during a little shower. We dried out just fine in the sun to come. On the boat ride back we had the first mate, Olivia, who drove the boat on the way to the island, give a presentation on the wildlife found on Bulls Island via the pile of stuff on the table in the center of the boat. It was really relaxed and flowed really well as if unrehearsed and included plenty of questions for the audience (which was now very small as many had gone back at noon). She showed us how to identify various animals by the features of their skulls and bones. I realized at this point that Gates and Olivia weren't so much acting as paid tour guides and really just enjoying their passion/hobby with strangers which must have been what was so refreshingly relaxed about the whole trip and experience. I can definitely recommend this trip to anybody with a sense of adventure, and the legs to walk a couple miles.

We booked the trip online--and didn't have to pay until we were there in person. We were a little worried that we were in the right location because there isn't really any signage, but there are brochures. A phone call sort of calmed my nerves. Other couples there solidified our location. The trip out to the island was nice and quick. Gates and Olivia were great and friendly. High tide in the morning, low tide later, so we were able to see a lot of oysters. I have a tendency to be a bit of a nervous nellie, so when we were told be there by 4, because they'll wave bye to us at 4:01 --it really caused us to quicken our pace! In under three hours we walked up Beach Road to the Atlantic and were bored, so took Big Pond Road to Lighthouse Road to Alligator Alley. We swung by Moccasin Pond, Pools 3 and 2. Then, we went on Sheepshead Ridge Road to the Observation Tower. Mosquito spray is not enough for that section! We were eaten alive! After running through that section, we continued on Sheepshead to Old Fort Road back to the picnic area where we finished our food and drink. We were the first back to the boat and requested to see the dolphins--the whole reason for the trip. We were not disappointed! We saw a momma and her calf and a male. It was so awesome! Gates was really accommodating to our group!

The ferry ride was fun and the people leading the tour were knowledgable and nice. It was nice to get info about the island and surrounding nature, then go off on our own. It was amazing to have a beach to ourselves. We got some great shells and saw some interesting birds. We also spotted some gators. Definitely bring bug spray!! The bugs were awful on the trails, which is to be expected. It's all worth it when you get to the beach, though.

This is our 3rd. or 4th. time visiting Bulls Island, the first time being 30 years ago! The crew on the boat made it a very informative ride to and from the island. This was our first time that we made it up to the "Boneyard", and it was both eerie and awesome at the same time.