Hilton Head SC - Would you take the boat?

[Blue Crabber]

Hey everyone,

Well, in a couple of weeks we are off for vacation on Hilton Head Island. Head down with my wifes extended family about once a year. It looks like we will be driving this year, so i suggested we take that boat along. My wife didn't like this idea. She said we go for the beach and to be with family. But i say, everyone gets tired of the beach and needs a brake sometimes and they all love being on a boat.

She also thinks that it will cost to much. (Looking at an extra $200, can't rent a boat for that much for 1 day let alone having it all week!)

I would love to check out the island from the water. Would not head out into the ocean, just the bays behind the island.

So, if it were you, would you take the boat?

If you live in the area, are there any good spots to tube and ski? I have been looking at the NOAA maps a little.

Not sure that i am going to win this one, but thought i would gather some info just in case.

Thanks all!

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: Hilton Head SC - Would you take the boat?

If you will be there for a couple weeks..Oh yes I'd say drag her down!
I spent a week on HC for work (yes work..) and the beach is nice and all, but a few days of it and well...It's beach..

BUT..Imagine seeing dolphins right off shore behind the breakers? One or 2 trips on the boat will make for a lifetime of family memories....Remember "life's better on a boat"


Can't help much about ramps or any other info..I will be driving into Charleston myself next week, wish it was for vacation

 

[flaMtneer]

Re: Hilton Head SC - Would you take the boat?

We've thought about taking our boat a couple times and I looked into ramps etc a while back. Actually don't remember the details but I seem to remember that there is only one public ramp on the island. The primary issues were ramps, parking the trailer when I'm not boating, and local water knowledge.

Not much help, I know..but your comment about tubing got my attention: Last time we were there I picked up a local magazine and there was an article about a local girl who was tubing during a lower tide. The tube swung around and ran over an exposed oyster bed which literally SHREDDED the tube and she was thrown onto the oysters and severly injured. A couple of her friends from the boat jumped out to help her and they were cut badly too.
Just something to be aware of - I wouldn't have thought about it since it's something I don't have to worry about on the lakes down here.

 

[nlain]

Re: Hilton Head SC - Would you take the boat?

Take boat, get charts and study them, plenty of mud and sand bars to get stuck on, plenty of good water to boat in without getting stuck, you will have a 6 to 9 foot tidal swing to deal with, there are Oyster bars as well that you can see at low tide, if you have gps get chart chip for it. A link to SC DNR, boating, fishing information: http://saltwaterfishing.sc.gov/boatlandings.html
Hope it is of some help. I cannot give any first hand info of the area, I live South of there in Ga, I have driven to HH many times and have seen both high and low tide views for the waters from the road. You can see Porpoises swimming in these waters and there are some nice from the water views that all would probably enjoy.

 

[nlain]

Re: Hilton Head SC - Would you take the boat?

I looked at the site in the link, there are a couple marinas that have transient slips and boat ramp on HH.

 

[Blue Crabber]

Re: Hilton Head SC - Would you take the boat?

Thanks for all of the info guys! Sadly, we will not be taking the boat this time all though I know that i will regret it.

I am working on warming her up to the idea for the next time!

Thanks again, appreciate all of the advice!

 

[slmiller1]

Re: Hilton Head SC - Would you take the boat?

Live here in SC and although the idea seems tempting, you're asking for more trouble than it's worth-The salt water will eat up your boat. Lastly, if your thinking of taking it out more than a mile or 2, the seas get to be 4-6 feet

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: Hilton Head SC - Would you take the boat?

Was in HH Sunday night & Monday...Geez the afternoon rainstorms were huge, thought about ya BC and was wondering if you were out in it getting a "I TOLD YOU SO!" lol

 

[Blue Crabber]

Re: Hilton Head SC - Would you take the boat?

Was in HH Sunday night & Monday...Geez the afternoon rainstorms were huge, thought about ya BC and was wondering if you were out in it getting a "I TOLD YOU SO!" lol

No, we are not down there yet. Will be arriving this Sunday and staying until the following one.

However, had we been down, I probably would have been out and as you said, got the famous last words of "I TOLD YOU SO!"

I plan on doing some "scouting" while i am down this year as we will probably be back down next year of the following one. I would only stay in the back bays and not venture out into the ocean. Going to check it out and see if it would be worth it for next time. If I think it will, i may be able to slowly warm my wife up to it while we are down this year. Then again, maybe that is just wishful thinking!

Thanks again guys!

 

[dingbat]

Re: Hilton Head SC - Would you take the boat?

Unless you have local knowledge of the area most of those coastal back bays are going to be nothing but trouble for an outsider. Charts are useless. All it takes is one good storm and everything has changed.

 

[Blue Crabber]

Re: Hilton Head SC - Would you take the boat?

Good to know, thanks dingbat!

 

[ckone0814]

Re: Hilton Head SC - Would you take the boat?

I plan on doing some "scouting" while i am down this year as we will probably be back down next year of the following one. I would only stay in the back bays and not venture out into the ocean. Going to check it out and see if it would be worth it for next time. If I think it will, i may be able to slowly warm my wife up to it while we are down this year.

Good plan. FWIW, it's not HH but we just spent a week boating/fishing the sound in the Outer Banks and it sounds like similar water. I gotta tell you it definitely was not all fun and relaxation. Not knowing the water and the constant wind made it tough. We had no kids, no family, beach was secondary, etc., so it was OK but when we do the "family beach vacation" in August the boat is staying at home. We'd take it out once, maybe twice and it would be more like work, not much fun.