As a team, we’re so excited that Charleston locals voted for Coastal Expeditions as their favorite place to get outdoors by water!  For the 8th year in a row, we won the Charleston City Paper BEST OF CHARLESTON contest  in three categories:  Best Place to Kayak, Best Place to Stand-up Paddleboard and Best Water Sports in Charleston!  Thank you!

Since our company was founded in 1992, we’ve worked to create a culture among our guides, captains and support staff that goes beyond what is required.  We want every outing- whether its a short paddle with your kids on Shem Creek or a multi-day camping trip- to be memorable, fun and safe.

A few things that we do:

• Everyone is trained annually in life guard, first aid and CPR certification
• Kayak guides do pre-season pool and creek training before leading tours on their own
• Kayak guides receive professional training to become ACA-certified instructors as they progress
• All captains hold 50-100 ton Master Captain licenses from the US Coast Guard
• Coastal Expeditions vessels are custom-built and have annual USCG certificates of inspection (COIs).
• Our staff is offered continuing education opportunities like guest speakers at staff meetings, off-site workshops, field trips and annual guide training.

A few things that we contribute:

• Every year, we raise $40,000 for the SEA TURTLE PROGRAM in Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge.  We do this through private donations, special Beach Drops and oyster roasts throughout the year.  Every cent that we receive is directly given to pay the seasonal salaries of 2 wildlife technicians.  We cover the cost of paying our staff and other expenses ourselves.
• Our COASTAL WARRIORS program supports local veterans with depression or PTSD through a free sea kayak resilience program.  This 6-session program teaching participants how to kayak in a pool and in nature and teaches them effective strategies for managing stress.  Following the program, they become Coastal Warriors and are invited to remain in the community by participating in kayaking outings and public service projects.
• We’re members of the SC COASTAL BIRDS CONSERVATION team and raised over $100,000 towards the rebuilding of Crab Bank Seabird Sanctuary.  We also coordinated the Crab Bank Paddle that brought together nearly 200 people in kayaks to bring awareness to the project.
• Coastal Expeditions works hand-in-hand with local conservation groups to promote their missions through in-kind, service and monetary donations. You’ll often see us leading a creek sweep with Charleston Waterkeeper,  doing a fundraising kayak tour for Lowcountry Marine Mammal Network‘s Dolphin Week or providing boat support for a South Carolina Aquarium sea turtle release.

We hope that you’ll come out with us to see some of Charleston’s beautiful places by water.  From kayaking Shem Creek to see dolphin and manatees to taking the ferry out to St. Phillips Island or Bulls Islands to hike an unspoiled wilderness or paddleboarding at the Isle of Palms or birding in the Santee Delta.  We’re a place that seeks to welcome everyone so that we can put you in the path of real beauty and wonder.

Thanks again for voting Coastal Expeditions Charleston’s Best place to kayak, paddleboard and water sports!