Disappearing Island Dolphin and Sandbar Cruise

Calibogue Sound and the creeks around Hilton Head hide a small natural wonder: a sandbar that rises out of the water as the tide drops and is known locally as Disappearing Island, or Vanishing Island. This cruise, run by Lowcountry Watersports from Palmetto Bay Marina, is built around it. You board a small boat with a licensed captain, head out onto the water looking for bottlenose dolphins, and then ease up to the sandbar, where passengers step off for roughly twenty minutes to wander, paddle at the edge and look for shells, sand dollars and starfish. The total outing takes about two hours, and the boat holds a maximum of forty travelers. The appeal is the contrast with the island's other cruises. A standard dolphin trip keeps you aboard; this one lets you stand on a piece of beach that, hours later, will be underwater again. It suits families with school-age children, couples who want something more physical than a sunset sail, and anyone who enjoys beachcombing. Dolphin sightings are common in these waters, though wildlife is never guaranteed, and the sandbar stop depends on tide and weather. Meet at 86 Helmsman Way at Palmetto Bay Marina and look for the Lowcountry Watersports flag near the check-in office, past the Black Marlin restaurant.

Know what the stop involves. Guests must be able to step down about one to two feet from the boat onto the sand, and moderate fitness is expected, so the trip is not recommended for people with limited mobility or back problems, or for anyone with serious medical conditions. The boat is not wheelchair accessible, although service animals are allowed.

Children must be accompanied by an adult, and infants ride on laps. Bring water shoes or sandals you do not mind getting wet, sunscreen, a hat and your own drinks and snacks; the experience does not provide a packing list, but those are the items visitors most often wish they had.

Plan for the weather. The island portion depends on tide and conditions, and one visitor reported that the sandbar stop was cancelled and the company rebooked them on a dolphin-only trip with a partial refund. Start times are chosen when you book, and free cancellation is offered up to a day before the trip, which is useful on a coastline where afternoon storms can appear quickly in summer.

In the cooler months the water is chilly and the breeze on the boat is sharp, so bring a layer; the sandbar is still there, and the light is lovely.

Treat it as a half-day of water and sand rather than a quick cruise. Many families combine it with a beach afternoon at Coligny or a marina dinner nearby. If you only have time for one boat trip and want the most sightseeing from the deck, the Harbour Town dolphin cruise is the better fit; if you want to put your feet on a sandbar in the middle of the sound, this is the trip.

Remember that this is one dolphin-watching option among several on the island, so choose by what you most want to do: ride, wade, sail or steer.