Morris Island Boat Tours & Lighthouse Adventures* – Charleston, SC

*Shared and Private charters available. See below for available tooth-hunting guide options.

Departure times are flexible and adjusted for incoming/outgoing tides.  Check with us for exact times prior to departure or to discuss alternate times.

*For everyone's safety, boats will not stay at the island upon beach dropoff due to unpredictable currents.

 
Looking for a Morris Island boat tour in Charleston, SC that’s more than just a quick sightseeing cruise? Our 4-hour Morris Island trips from Shem Creek in Mount Pleasant blend everything people love about the Lowcountry into one unforgettable experience: dolphins, shells, shark teeth, a remote beach, and iconic views of the Morris Island Lighthouse – all with a local captain who knows these waters like home.

*HUNT GUIDES:  All trips will have a first mate review and show each party what to look for, courtesy of LowCountry Coastal Excursions.  This first mate will stay with the boat during your hunt.
YOU MAY ADD A PRIVATE SHARK TOOTH & FOSSIL GUIDE FOR THE DURATION OF YOUR TRIP FOR $250 (4-hour),  $200 (3-hour), or $150 (2-hour).

For everyone's safety, boats will not stay at the island upon beach dropoff due to unpredictable currents.
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Closeup of a black shark tooth in wet sand surrounded by shells on a Charleston sandbar beach

Why Morris Island Is Charleston’s “Shark Tooth Island”

Morris Island is an uninhabited barrier island at the mouth of Charleston Harbor, famous for its wide, uncrowded beaches and incredible shell, shark tooth, and fossil hunting. Travel writers and fossil-hunting blogs routinely call it one of the best spots in South Carolina for finding shark teeth and marine fossils, with visitors reporting everything from small teeth to megalodon fragments.

Because it’s only accessible by boat, most visitors never get to experience it on their own. That’s where we come in.
On every Morris Island trip we:
  • Ride through quiet tidal creeks and marshes on the way out.
  • Watch for bottlenose dolphins and seabirds feeding along the sandbars.
  • Land on a remote stretch of beach where you can explore, relax, and hunt for treasures at your own pace.

Morris Island Boat Tours from Shem Creek – What’s Included

Driftwood-strewn beach on Morris Island with the Morris Island Lighthouse in the distance near Charleston, South Carolina

Scenic Boat Ride Through
Shem Creek & Charleston Harbor

Your adventure begins on beautiful Shem Creek, where shrimp boats, pelicans, and waterfront restaurants create one of Mount Pleasant's most iconic views. From there, we cruise through winding tidal creeks and into Charleston Harbor with incredible views of:
  • The Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge
  • The Charleston skyline
  • Historic Fort Sumter in the distance
     
Along the way, your captain shares stories about Charleston's history, local wildlife, and the barrier islands that make the Lowcountry so unique. Keep your camera ready because dolphins are often spotted during the ride.
 

Beach Time on Morris Island – Shells, Shark Teeth & Swimming

Once we land on Morris Island, you’ll step off into a world that feels completely removed from downtown Charleston:
  • Search the high tide line for shark teeth, fossils, and shells
  • Walk the shoreline, explore tide pools, or just spread out a towel and relax
  • On warmer days and safe tide conditions, you can wade or swim in the shallow surf
     
We’ll show beginners how to spot shark teeth and where to focus for the best chance of finding them. (No digging or metal detectors – just ethical fossil collecting from the surface, following SCDNR guidelines.) 

*Private Charter Upgrade: Want a more personalized fossil-hunting experience? Guests booking a private charter can add a dedicated shark tooth and fossil guide (subject to availability) who will work exclusively with your group to help maximize your finds.
 

Explore Morris Island at Your Own Pace

After arriving at Morris Island, you'll have plenty of time to enjoy one of Charleston's most beautiful and undeveloped barrier islands.
  • Search the shoreline for shark teeth, fossils, and seashells.
  • Walk the beach, explore tide pools, or simply relax with your toes in the sand.
  • During warm weather and favorable tide conditions, enjoy wading or swimming in the shallow surf.
     
We'll gladly show first-time visitors where to look for shark teeth and share tips to help you find your own prehistoric treasures. (No digging or metal detectors. All fossil collecting follows South Carolina Department of Natural Resources guidelines.)
Want an even more personalized experience? For private trips add a shark tooth & fossil guide, subject to availability, to explore the island alongside your group.

Important to Know
 

For the safety of our guests and vessel, the boat does not remain pulled up on the beach during your island visit. Because of changing tides and strong currents around Morris Island, your captain keeps the boat in nearby safe water and returns at the scheduled pickup time. This is standard practice and allows everyone to safely enjoy the island while knowing your transportation is always close by.
 

Iconic Views of the Morris Island Lighthouse

Standing just offshore, the Morris Island Lighthouse has guided mariners since the 1800s and remains one of Charleston's most recognizable landmarks.

From Morris Island, you'll enjoy some of the area's best lighthouse views. Whether you're visiting at sunrise, midday, or sunset, you'll have plenty of opportunities to capture unforgettable photos.

Our captains are happy to recommend their favorite photo locations and will position the boat for incredible lighthouse pictures whenever conditions allow.


Dolphins, Birds & LowCountry Wildlife

Your adventure begins on beautiful Shem Creek, where shrimp boats, pelicans, and waterfront restaurants create one of Mount Pleasant's most iconic views. From there, we cruise through winding tidal creeks and into Charleston Harbor with incredible views of:
  • The Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge
  • The Charleston skyline
  • Historic Fort Sumter in the distance
     
Along the way, your captain shares stories about Charleston's history, local wildlife, and the barrier islands that make the Lowcountry so unique. Keep your camera ready because dolphins are often spotted during the ride.
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Choose Your Morris Island Adventure

4-Hour Beach Day & Sunset Option

Want more time to wander, dig through shell piles, or just sit with a cooler and enjoy the view? 
- Everything in the 4-hour tour, plus extended island time
- Slower pace for serious fossil hunters and photographers
- Optional sunset timing, with golden-hour lighthouse views and a sunset ride back through the harbor
*Ideal for: couples, small groups, or anyone who wants a slower, more immersive Lowcountry experience.
 

Custom Morris Island Trips for Families, Groups & Celebrations

Because we’re a small, local company, we can adapt Morris Island trips to match what your group wants:
- Birthday parties or celebrations on the beach
- Combo trips: dolphins + shark teeth + a sunset cruise
- Family photo sessions or engagement photos with the lighthouse backdrop
- Add-on options like inshore fishing before/after Morris Island (tide and schedule dependent)

Private Shark Tooth & Fossil Guides are available upon request.  Our knowledgeable guides will walk around the island with you to help find and identify teeth, fossils and shells.  Each party will receive a tooth guide to help identify the species.  Guides are $150-$250 per party, please call us for availability.

Tell us what you’re envisioning when you book, and we’ll help build a custom Morris Island itinerary around your time window and the tides.
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Morris Island vs. Crab Bank –
New Rules & Better Fossil Hunting Options

If you’ve been on one of our Crab Bank shark tooth tours in the past, you may have heard about new rules from the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR):
  • Metal detecting, digging, and excavation at Crab Bank are now prohibited and being actively enforced. 
  • As of January 1, 2026, enforcement also covers the collection or damage of fossils, with penalties tied to S.C. wildlife protection laws. 
  • Crab Bank is a seabird sanctuary with seasonal closures (traditionally March 15–October 15, now extended into November for nesting protection). 
     
Because of these changes, Crab Bank is now primarily a bird-watching and viewing-from-the-boat destination. It’s no longer appropriate for active fossil or shark tooth hunting.

Morris Island is the natural upgrade:
  • Still accessible by boat for shelling and surface shark tooth hunting
  • Known locally as one of the best “shark tooth islands” in South Carolina ]
  • Offers a wider, more walkable beach and a better overall “beach day” experience
 

What to Bring for Your Morris Island Boat Tour

Use this as a simple checklist section:
- Comfortable sandals or water shoes
- Sunscreen, hat, and sunglasses
- Refillable water bottles (and drinks/snacks – BYOB where legal)
- Beach towel or lightweight chair
- A small bag or container for shells and shark teeth
- Weather-appropriate layers (light jacket in cooler months)
 
We’ll provide the boat, safety gear, local knowledge, and a great playlist – you bring the curiosity.
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