OUR TOURS

Crystal Coast Ecotours offers full, half-day and two hour personalized tours of secluded barrier islands, sea grass meadows, backwater sounds, marshes, near-ocean waters, and the Cape Lookout National Seashore. On our full and half day ecotours participants can explore the hidden natural treasures of the Crystal Coast through shelling, clamming, exploring, birding, crabbing, snorkeling, seining (pulling nets to catch young fish), dolphin watching, fishing, and wild horse watching. You will definitely get your feet wet! We aim to provide exciting experiences for individuals and families that will create lasting memories of nature's beauty.

Our ecology tours are uniquely planned by consultation in advance with participants (up to six guests) and last 4 hours (half-day) or 7 hours (full day). The tours are paced so that excursions will be relaxing and experiences can be relished. The 7 hour tour can also involve a climb to the top of the Cape Lookout Lighthouse. Throughout the ecotour Captain Jess explains interesting aspects about the events of the day. His education and 30 year career as a marine biologist has enabled him to learn much about coastal North Carolina. Capt. Jess's experience as an educator and his love of nature also fuel his desire to share the unique beauty of the area and the wonders of its marine inhabitants.

For those who just want to see the natural beauty and historical landscape by boat we also offer 2 hour tours. As you are planning your trip to the Southern Outer Banks do not miss out on the opportunity to see the beautiful natural resources that make this area one of the most unique and best kept secrets along the coastal United States. Reserve your adventure with Crystal Coast Ecotours and let us provide for you an experience you will never forget.

DISCOVER THE CRYSTAL COAST

BOAT TOURS
Enjoy seeing the beautiful Crystal Coast and its wonderful historical locations from the water. Crystal Coast Ecotours can take you through calm waters of the Rachael Carson Reserve which offers scenic views of salt marshes, birds, ponies, maritime forests and sometimes, even dolphins. Along the way you will see the unique waterfront of Beaufort, North Carolina's third oldest town and one that has retained many of its beautiful buildings. You can also schedule tours that will take you to see Fort Macon, which was built to protect Beaufort Inlet and is one of North Carolina's most visited state parks, or a tour of Cape Lookout National Seashore. Capt. Jess will offer his knowledge of the history and culture of the area, as well as talking about its natural beauty. Time your boat tour to experience a beautiful Crystal Coast sunset.

DOLPHIN WATCHING
North Carolina's 2.3 million acres of brackish waters and its productive fish nursery areas offer prime habitat for dolphins to live and raise their young. Some researchers feel North Carolina has a specific inshore dolphin population. You can experience the exhilaration and awe when these large mammals surface nearby, glide along-side our boat or even sometimes jump completely out of the water. If we are lucky we are even able to get clear pictures of their playfulness. When seas are calm we can even hear them come up, expel water, and breathe. During the summer these intelligent animals will take their young into backwater nursery areas, where food is abundant and predators scarce. During the fall and early winter dolphins will move out of our estuaries into the near-shore ocean waters, hunting the millions of fish migrating from North Carolina's shallow sounds.

Dolphins can be seen in North Carolina's waters almost year-round. Crystal Coast Ecotours will take observers to areas where dolphins are usually common. Our vessel, Lucky Dog, can quickly maneuver and is fast enough to get a good view of these special creatures. While observing the dolphins Capt. Jess will explain interesting aspects of their life history and his experience with their conservation. Seeing dolphins near your boat on a Crystal Coast Ecotour is a wonderful experience.

BIRDING
Coastal North Carolina is renowned for bird watching. Over 400 species have been identified in the area. Our habitat diversity and location near the midpoint of the United States Atlantic coast allow us to see birds both associated with warm and cold climates. The almost tropical waters of the Gulf Stream just off our coast also provide opportunities to observe birds one might not see otherwise. Birds of all sizes, shapes and colors can be seen along the extensive barrier islands, maritime forests, marshes, sounds, and near-ocean waters of the Southern Outer Banks. Major migratory routes for numerous water birds lie just off our coast, with some birds venturing near inlets. In the fall, land birds are known to migrate southward along North Carolina's barrier islands. During winter frequent flocks of waterfowl are commonly observed along our waterways. Many waterbirds, such as brown pelicans, terns, oyster catchers, skimmers, and gulls nest during spring/summer in the habitats of the Crystal Coast.

Crystal Coast Ecotours is equipped to take you to secluded observation areas and can easily navigate the shallow estuaries to provide ample birding opportunities. Let us help you experience some of the best bird watching in the eastern United States.

FISHING
Come to the Crystal Coast and experience some of the best fishing along the Atlantic seaboard. North Carolina has the largest complex of estuaries (brackish waters) of any of the United States. Our state also has an extensive shoreline and numerous barrier islands, all of which provide prime habitat for many types of inshore fishes. From bluefish to black drum, or speckled trout to Spanish mackerel, the Crystal Coast offers opportunities to catch a great variety of fish. Crystal Coast Ecotours has all of the necessary equipment for a fun, light-tackle near shore fishing experience. The Lucky Dog, a 20-ft., center console, V-hulled boat, offers plenty of space and stability. Capt. Jess has an ample supply of rods, reels and baits. We specialize in teaching individuals or families about fishing techniques. Capt. Jess enjoys sharing his 40+ years of recreational fishing experience and his passion for the sport with others. He has studied fish his entire career and has taught fishing classes to people of all ages for several years.

Let us help you hook your own "catch of the day" on a fun fishing excursion with Crystal Coast Ecotours.

WILD HORSE WATCHING
Come to one of the few places in the United States where wild horses roam free on secluded barrier islands. These horses are one of only three known populations in the world containing genetic evidence of ancestors from horses brought to the New World by Spanish explorers. The wild horses of Shackleford Island are unique icons of the Crystal Coast and are only accessible to see by boat. They have successfully adapted to life in the harsh environment of a barrier island where food and water are sparse, and yet they produce new foals each year. These horses are such a treasured natural and cultural resource that they are protected by their own act of Congress. To see one or several of these magnificent animals in a pristine setting is truly a memorable vision. Crystal Coast Ecotours will cruise the 10 miles of beaches along Shackleford Banks searching for the 100 plus horses that live there.

In the areas the horses frequent Crystal Coast Ecotours can anchor the Lucky Dog and we can set out in search of the horses by foot. From a safe distance (these are wild horses!) one can photograph and see the Banks horses roaming freely along maritime forests or tidal flats. Crystal Coast Ecotours will gladly provide you with the opportunities to see these impressive animals that are a true jewel to the Crystal Coast.

SHELLING
Transform a simple walk on a secluded beach into an exciting journey discovering a kaleidoscope of nature's beauty. The shores and beaches of the Crystal Coast are some of the most desirable areas for shelling along the Atlantic coast. Shackleford Banks, Core Banks, Sand Dollar Island, and Bird Shoal Island offer many miles of prime shelling that are only accessible by boat. These pristine beaches have a great diversity and abundance of shells for collectors. Cockles, clams, coquinas, whelks, olives and baby ears are but a few of the over 1,000 kinds of mollusks (animals living within the shell) that live in North Carolina.

Crystal Coast Ecotours can easily provide access to many of the best shelling beaches. Along the journey Capt. Jess, with his marine biology background, can help identify shells and tell about the creatures that were once living in those shells. He can provide interesting information about the role these mollusks play in the environment. The pace is relaxing and the beauty unmatched. A simple walk down the beach will never be the same after a shelling expedition with Crystal Coast Ecotours.

CLAMMING
Come experience what fishermen and locals have enjoyed in Carteret County for generations - the thrill of searching and catching your very own clams for dinner! Carteret County is renowned for its tasty clams. Crystal Coast Ecotours will take you to areas that are only accessible by boat where the waters are clean, the area is filled with natural beauty and clams can be harvested. We will provide all of the gear necessary to catch these delicious bivalves. Captain Jess provides instruction on how to "dig & feel" the clams with your clam rake and then retrieve them from the ground. You will have the opportunity to experience the exhilaration of harvesting your own clams for the first time. Throughout the adventure, Capt. Jess will draw from his 30 years experience as a marine biologist and explain the biology and ecology of what you find while exploring. He might even share some of his favorite recipes as you consider how you will prepare your clams for dinner! This is one of many ways to have a wonderful time on a Crystal Coast Ecotour.

CRABBING
The blue crab is North Carolina's most important commercially harvested species. More people ply the waters of Pamlico Sound and its tributaries to commercially catch this crusty crustacean than any other aquatic animal in North Carolina. The biology of blue crabs is like a fairy tale, with their "fingernail painted" red-tipped clawed females (sooks) carrying batches of fertilized eggs to spawning areas near inlets, and the larger blue-tipped clawed males (jimmys) preferring fresher waters to scavenge and mate. Amazingly, the blue crab will literally burst out of a confining shell when its mass has outgrown its skeleton. This renewed creature is soft for several hours, until enough minerals have been absorbed from the surrounding waters, when it miraculously becomes hard again.

Crystal Coast Ecotours has their own crab pots allowing participants to experience the thrill of harvesting crabs the way the local watermen do. We also have crab lines that can be fished from our boat or the shore, providing the opportunity to catch your very own crab with a dip net. Additionally, we can pull nets (seines) through grass beds or tidal creeks which will capture juvenile blue crabs and other creatures. Throughout the crabbing adventure Capt. Jess will explain the biology of the blue crab, describe the vital role they have in our estuaries, and tell how important they are to North Carolina coastal communities. Come encounter one of North Carolina's most important estuarine resources, the blue crab.

SEINING AND CAST NETTING
Most people do not know that the shallow brackish creeks and bays of North Carolina serve as a nursery area for 90% of the fish and shellfish species harvested commercially in the state. Most of the fish that are important to our commercial and recreational fisheries spawn in the ocean and their young make these areas their temporary homes. High salinity submerged grass beds also offer vital nurseries for numerous species of fish and shellfish. At any point in time during the summer one can catch literally hundreds of young fish with one swipe of a seine net. Crystal Coast Ecotours can provide the opportunity for people to experience these spectacular kindergartens of the sea. We can easily take participants to areas containing grass beds or shallow creeks. Feel the excitement of sampling the water the way marine biologists have done for years using a seine net. Touch with wonder the hundreds of young fish, crabs, and shrimp that live in those very waters. Listen as Capt. Jess interprets the experience, describing the fascinating organisms observed, their habitats, and their social and ecological importance. Also available are several sizes of cast nets for those who would like to try their hand at catching fish in this unique way.