Crystal Coast Ecotours
Crystal Coast Ecotours
5
Boat ToursEco ToursSightseeing ToursPrivate ToursDay Trips
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About
Provide customized tours of nature exploring pristine barrier islands. We host private parties looking for the wild horses of Shackleford Island, combing some of the best shelling locations in NC, taking people clamming, birding, looking for sand dollars, pulling a beach seine, snorkeling, family fishing, searching for dolphins, sea turtles, and crabbing.
Morehead City, North Carolina
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Awards
Travelers' Choice
2024
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
489 reviews
Excellent
486
Very good
3
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0
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0
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sirjohnwhitcomb
Roanoke, VA57 contributions
Jul 2020
We did a 3 hour tour with Captain Jess and enjoyed our time, but it flew by. I highly recommend going for no less than 4 hours if at all possible, you'll be glad you did. He started off with a prayer before we headed out and that was a real blessing. Jess has a lot of knowledge of the area and has lived here for a very long time and makes the trip very interesting and informative. My recommendation is to take a snorkel and enjoy a remote island with shallow crystal clear water, it is amazing; we collected sand dollars there and I could have stayed for hours it was so beautiful. Hope to be able to spend some time with Jess again one day Lord willing, maybe next time for fishing. He does book up quickly, so making reservations a couple weeks in advance will help, we wanted to go out with him on our last two trips to EI but he was booked, so I got in touch with him a couple weeks before we stayed and secured a spot. Cannot recommend enough, we had a great time.
Written July 19, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your nice comments. I am glad that you had a good time with Crystal Coast Ecotours and I enjoyed sharing the beauty of the area with your family. There is so much natural beauty to experience here. The last few weeks, the waters at Cape Lookout have looked similar to the Caribbean. and many folks have snorkeled (we provide gear). I also hope to spend some additional time with you and your family. Maybe even catch a fish together. Thank you for going out with us.
Written July 24, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Laura W
Arlington, VA54 contributions
Jul 2020 • Family
Our group of three adults and three children joined Captain Jess for a fabulous 6 hour tour of the shoals and nearby islands reachable only by boat. A retired marine biologist, Captain Jess describes the environment and its inhabitants with passion. I was so impressed with the abundance of life and the crystal clear beaches and water. We saw four huge sea turtles, confirming one as a loggerhead! A large pod of dolphins feeding, the wild mustangs on Shackleford Island, birds, birds, birds and shelled for sand dollars and conch! We walked along a mile or so stretch of beach with no other people! It was truly transporting. My 9 year old was keen to catch a fish so Jess magically made that happen too! Don’t miss this educational and inspiring adventure when in the area. The experience and natural beauty will restore your faith in what is possible when we take measures to protect the health of our ecosystem!
Written August 1, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you very much for your kind review. I am glad our ecotour together allowed you to escape the busy work world you and your friends are a part of. The natural beauty of the area is one of North Carolina's treasures. The day you and your friends experienced was indeed special with the beautiful water and all the natural wonders we experienced. It was a pleasure meeting you and your daughter and going out once more with your friends and their family. Thank you again for your compliments. If you come south again, I would love to host you once more.
Written August 15, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
shalkiotis
Hillsborough, NC6 contributions
Sep 2020
Scheduling time with Captain Jess’ Crystal Coast Ecotours has become a favorite tradition for our family's vacations to the Crystal Coast, especially for our grandchildren ages 7 – 10. Although Capt. Jess is a marine biologist with admirable experience advocating for the conservation and protection of our coastal resources, (in my opinion) he is above all a talented teacher at heart. During our outings, he watches for and takes advantage of those teachable, impactful moments for the boys to help instill in them a love and appreciation for the beauty and wonder of our coastal ecosystems. And of course he does this while also engaging the rest of us in a remarkable overview – including the challenges - of the waters and islands that are part of our coastline.
From watching dolphins gracefully following our boat, seeing the majestic wild horses that inhabit small islands, and fishing for Spanish Mackerel on Shark Island; to searching magnificent shelling spots for sand dollars and conches, and finally to simply enjoying boating in the Crystal Coast’s sparkling waters, with the sun and wind in abundance, this trip is a must-do for anyone who appreciates the beauty and diversity of our coastal resources. Captain Jess is simply the best!!!
From watching dolphins gracefully following our boat, seeing the majestic wild horses that inhabit small islands, and fishing for Spanish Mackerel on Shark Island; to searching magnificent shelling spots for sand dollars and conches, and finally to simply enjoying boating in the Crystal Coast’s sparkling waters, with the sun and wind in abundance, this trip is a must-do for anyone who appreciates the beauty and diversity of our coastal resources. Captain Jess is simply the best!!!
Written October 21, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Wow! Thank you for your kind review and nice words. I am grateful I have had the pleasure to spend time with your family and share some of the natural treasures of the area. Your words captured exactly what I strive to do with folks when they go on a Crystal Coast Ecotour. It is truly a blessing to be able to experience the wonders of the Crystal Coast with families like yours. I do hope we will be able to go out again in the future. Stay healthy.
Written November 2, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Paul F
3 contributions
Oct 2020
Four of us went this past Oct on a one day tour with Eco Tours and Capt Jess. We had been at th e beach for two weeks and our experience was mixed to say the least with regard to our stay on Oak Island. We decided to book a tour, and it was a beautiful day. On the way out of the harbor at Morehead City, he gave us a running account of the history, development and other points of interest. I was impressed with his knowledge and found that to be most interesting. My wife and the other two with us wanted to hunt shells, and I wanted to fish. He was able to accommodate both objectives. I caught some 3 ft 6 inch fish (maybe the 3 foot is a typo, but the 6 inches is quite accurate). It was a great day, my wife said the best. Lots of new memories and a new friend in Capt. Jess. We are going again.
Written November 11, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your kind review. Thank you also for making that long drive from Oak Island to the Crystal Coast to try out an adventure with Crystal Coast Ecotours. I am glad you enjoyed our trip together and that your family had a good time with lots of good memories. I would love to host your family again if you come this way. Happy Thanksgiving.
Written November 26, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
NorthStar65937405735
1 contribution
Sep 2020
The Crystal Coast Ecotours are the BEST adventure when visiting the North Carolina beaches (Emerald Isle, Atlantic Beach, Indian Beach, Morehead City, Beaufort, NC, etc.). This is our 3rd excursion with Capt. Hawkins!! Our family went on an amazing 6 hour tour! Capt. Hawkins takes you to the best places! He always gives us the choice of what we want to do and then gives us suggestions to make our trip even better!! We experienced so much during our tour. We saw about 75 dolphins, a sea turtle, lots of fish, the wild horses, went fishing in the ocean, found beautiful unbroken sea shells (as big as our hands) on an uninhabited island, explored a sandbar, found sand dollars, saw a horse shoe crab and many other little sea creatures and saw the Cape Lookout light house! Capt. Hawkins is so knowledgeable and told us all about the amazing natural wonders that we experienced on our tour. Capt. Hawkins helped our 4 1/2 year old grand son land a huge fish! He was so kind and wonderful to our grandchildren and everyone in our party! All the grandchildren had a blast and learned so much about the ocean (and the grownups also had fun and learned a lot too!) If you have one thing to do while on vacation, choose THIS ONE! You will never regret the wonderful memories and beauty of the ocean that you experience with Capt. Hawkins.
Written September 9, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you very much for your review and for your kind words. I truly appreciate folks like yourself wanting to go out with Crystal Coast Ecotours multiple times! There are many natural treasures here and I am grateful that we were able to experience just a few of them. Experiencing such things through young children make it even more special. Thank you for conveying words that describe exactly what I aim to do on an ecotour with folks. As always, if you come back this way, I would love to host you again. Stay healthy.
Written November 3, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Stacye H
1 contribution
May 2020
I called to see if Captain Jess was available for a tour during our upcoming trip to the Atlantic Beach area. He answered upon receiving the phone call. Although he was unavailable that weekend, he took the time to give me great information. He not only instructed me where to purchase local fresh seafood, he informed me of what was in season and how to cook it! He is very knowledgeable of the area and gave me enough information to go on our own adventure to find less crowded beaches, calm shores, wild horses and "critters" in the Shackleford area. He recommended several beach accesses as well. I really hope that we will be able to "catch" him on our next beach trip! Thank you Captain Jesse!!
Written May 19, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for taking the time to post your thoughts on Crystal Coast Ecotours. I hope to take you out for an adventure exploring nature one day. I am glad my suggestions were helpful! Come back again.
Written July 24, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Escape754001
9 contributions
Jun 2021 • Friends
Captain Jess arranged an excellent tour for us with Captain Tony. We had an amazing day on the water - wind in our hair, sea spray in our faces and smiles on our faces. We had a great time learning about and seeing the wild horses, the barrier islands, horseshoe crabs, sand dollars and Cape Lookout. Captain Tony was very informative, personable, made us feel safe on the water and even welcomed our pup! I would totally recommend this afternoon tour on the water… it was a great addition to our vacation on Emerald Isle.
Written June 30, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Crystal Coast Ecotours is grateful for your positive experience with us. Thank you also for your kind review and recommendation for fellow travelers. We are happy that you enjoyed your time with Capt. Tony, as he constantly strives to provide an excellent experience on a Crystal Coast Ecotour! Thank you for choosing us as part of your family vacation. We would love to host you again!
Written July 2, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Katherine O
18 contributions
Oct 2020
Wow! I am just so thankful that we randomly found one of Captain Jess's brochures on our first visit to Atlantic Beach in 2017. We did a half day that year and loved every minute. When we booked a return trip this year, I immediately contacted him to make plans again.
This year we came with our 2 year old daughter and two of our best friends. We decided on the full day because we wanted to see horses, find shells, the guys wanted to fish, and my husband loves bird photography. We did it all! It was a spectacular day! My daughter started out a little fearful since she had never been on a boat, but by the end of the day she was saying "again again" and then the rest of our trip she pointed out boats and checked to see if it was Captain Jess. She loves horses and nature in general and though she is young, she will have memories of this day. We're making a photo book because she keeps wanting to see photos.
We saw at least 100 dolphins, some close to the boat and playful and she was in heaven. We saw tons of horses, found amazing shells on Shark Island, touched a jelly fish, found a new bird for my husband (and he had countless opportunities for other great photos). The guys caught several fish and had a lot of laughs.
We went during Covid and, though I was disappointed to see lack of concern in a lot of businesses in the area, Captain Jess had a science based plan in place to keep everyone safe. I'm not at all surprised because he has an amazing science background and taught us so much on both of our trips. I sure hope he doesn't ever want to retire because I'll still be begging him for another trip!
Thank you Captain Jess! Our friends said this was their best beach trip ever after we got back and, though I have lots of wonderful family beach trip memories, this is my favorite trip we've ever booked while on vacation on the coast.
This year we came with our 2 year old daughter and two of our best friends. We decided on the full day because we wanted to see horses, find shells, the guys wanted to fish, and my husband loves bird photography. We did it all! It was a spectacular day! My daughter started out a little fearful since she had never been on a boat, but by the end of the day she was saying "again again" and then the rest of our trip she pointed out boats and checked to see if it was Captain Jess. She loves horses and nature in general and though she is young, she will have memories of this day. We're making a photo book because she keeps wanting to see photos.
We saw at least 100 dolphins, some close to the boat and playful and she was in heaven. We saw tons of horses, found amazing shells on Shark Island, touched a jelly fish, found a new bird for my husband (and he had countless opportunities for other great photos). The guys caught several fish and had a lot of laughs.
We went during Covid and, though I was disappointed to see lack of concern in a lot of businesses in the area, Captain Jess had a science based plan in place to keep everyone safe. I'm not at all surprised because he has an amazing science background and taught us so much on both of our trips. I sure hope he doesn't ever want to retire because I'll still be begging him for another trip!
Thank you Captain Jess! Our friends said this was their best beach trip ever after we got back and, though I have lots of wonderful family beach trip memories, this is my favorite trip we've ever booked while on vacation on the coast.
Written October 21, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I have been equally blessed to meet and spend time with your family. Thank you for your kind review and thank you for continuing to want to spend part of your hard-earned vacation time with Crystal Coast Ecotours. Thank you also for allowing me to have fun with your wonderful daughter. We did indeed have a special day. Seeing the peregrine falcons was an experience I will never forget, in addition to tracking down the reddish egret and all the other experiences you described. I thoroughly enjoyed by day with your family and friends. I hope to see you in the future. Stay healthy.
Written November 2, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Dante Recondo
3 contributions
Jul 2020
As a group of six, including teenagers and a nine-year-old, Captain Jess provided a fun and informative four hour trip. I had given him a custom itinerary that involved a trip to Cape Lookout. Capt. Jess is a fountain of NC coastal knowledge, from local history to conservation biology, and we all learned a lot during the trip. We had so much fun snorkeling in the clear (!!) water off Cape Lookout, hiking in the dunes, fishing in the bight (caught some spot, spanish mackeral and lizardfish as schools of baitfish jumped out of the water around us) saw the horses at Shackleford and even saw a sea turtle. There's so much out there to experience, and you never know what you're going to see. I highly recommend Captain Jess as your local guide to the area.
Written August 4, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
It is always a blessing to be able to combine learning/fun on an adventure. We truly did have an adventure with all the things we experience. I enjoyed hearing from your husband about how he stayed at the Casablanca house, experiencing the dancing and joy that that house must have often experienced. The Village at the Cape is a wonderful remnant of special people and special times for those that stayed there. Thank you very much for your kind review and for going out with Crystal Coast Ecotours. It was a pleasure meeting you and your family.
Written August 15, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Compass52967951530
2 contributions
Jun 2021
This was our fifth time to Emerald Isle and our fourth time with Captain Jess. Every time we've gone it's been the highlight of our trip. We were able to experience so much all in one day. Some of the highlights include seeing dolphins and the horses of Shackleford Banks up close. The day we went out the weather was a little tricky but he did a great job avoiding the rain and keeping us safe (and dry).
Written June 13, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for your kind words and for wanting to go out with Crystal Coast Ecotours again and again. We are honored that you consider an adventure with us the highlight of your vacation. Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts for others. As always, would love to host you again if you come back next year! Take care.
Capt. Jess
Written July 2, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
I have tried calling/ emailing this business but with no reply. Have others had luck booking by phone? Both numbers on the website reach voicemails and no one gets back
Written August 21, 2018
I have spoken to Captain Jess many times by phone and email. It can sometimes take days for him to respond. He has cut back on the number of days he does tours to spend time with his family. Don’t give up. His tours are great. I’ve gone out with him twice this year.
Written August 22, 2018
ter83kat
New Bern, North Carolina
What are your tour fees -1/2day etc. I have 2 granddaughters 10 and 11 arriving in late June I think they would enjoy this activity.
Written June 4, 2016
Fees are shown on their website under "Reservations." If you'd like a tour in just a few weeks, I'd advise contacting them soon. This is a popular activity during the summer months!
Written June 5, 2016
Hello, my family of 6 will be in Morehead City in late April, what could we expect to see at that time in the area?
Thank you
Written February 20, 2016
Don C
Pine Knoll Shores, North Carolina
I have 5 adults and 5 grandchildren 6 and under. Can you accommodate that many? How far advance notice do you need?
Thanks,
Don Carson
Written June 25, 2015
From the Crystal Coast Eco-tours website:
"The Lucky Dog is insured to take up to 6 passengers, excluding the Captain, and has all the required federal safety equipment."
Written July 31, 2015
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