Shelling Adventure: 3-Hour Shelling, Shark Tooth Hunting & Island Hopping Eco Tour

You board at the Emerald Isle Boat Ramp, cruise the ICW and slip under the Emerald Isle bridge into Bogue Sound. From there we hop from island to island. Some stops are shelling spots, where sand dollars, Scotch bonnets and whelks wash up along the shoreline. Others are shark tooth spots, where the sand hides dark fossil teeth that are easy to walk right past. Want a sharper eye on the hunt? Add "Need Help Shelling?" when you book. Between stops, you're back on the boat with the breeze in your face, watching the marsh roll by.

What You Might Find

At our shelling stops:

Sand dollars

Scotch bonnets

Olive shells

Whelks

At our shark tooth stops:

Fossil shark teeth (usually black, gray or brown)

Along the way, watch for ospreys, pelicans, egrets and rays. Dolphins are often seen on most of our tours.

An Island Hopping Eco Tour on Bogue Sound

Between stops, you'll see how Bogue Sound lives and breathes. Barrier islands and sandbars shift with every storm and season, salt marshes and oyster beds line the shallows, and the beaches you walk are where shells and fossil teeth come to rest. Ospreys, egrets, great blue herons and pelicans work the marsh edges. Please take only empty shells, and leave anything alive where you found it.

Who it's for: families, first-time shellers, shark tooth hunters, kids ages 1 and up and pet owners (pets are welcome; please email us first).

Your group: a private trip for one party of 2 to 6 guests, with the boat and Captain Edward to yourselves.

Time: 3 hours from 6800 Emerald Drive, a mix of cruising Bogue Sound and the ICW and time on shore at shelling and shark tooth spots.

On shore: you'll walk the sand and along the water's edge.

Safety: Type I US Coast Guard approved life jackets are on board, and children under 13 are required to wear an approved life jacket.

Shells: please take only empty shells.

Wildlife: dolphins and birds are wild, so sightings can't be guaranteed.

Want something different? See our Custom Private Charters.

Pets are welcome. Please email us about your pet ahead of time.

Please take only empty shells.

Children ages 1 and up are welcome. For children under 1, please contact us first.

Gratuities are not included and are always appreciated (cash or Venmo @CaptainEdward).

See our FAQ for the weather and cancellation policy. Planning your trip? See things to do in Emerald Isle.

Looking for an Eco Tour? This trip mixes island hopping, shelling and wildlife on Bogue Sound. For a cruise-only Eco Tour toward Swansboro, try the 2-hour ICW Scenic Cruise.

Have a large group? Large groups are welcome with advance notice. Call 910-448-4218 to plan your trip.

Shark teeth are small, dark and easy to walk right past, and the best shells aren't always where you'd expect. For $100, add "Need Help Shelling?" and a trained shark tooth hunter and shell finder will join the hunt to show you how to spot teeth and where to look on the beach for the best shells. Your guide rides along and doesn't count toward your 6 guests. Whether you're on the Shark Tooth Adventure, the Shelling Adventure or the Serious Shellers Cruise, it's the best chance to sharpen your eye and head home with finds you'll be proud of. Finds are never guaranteed, but you'll know exactly what to look for. Add it when you book.