We have been going to Hilton Head for over 10 years now. For many years when the kids were young, we filled our visits with activities. From Vanishing Island boat rides to pirate ship adventures, we kept the little kids busy! In recent years, we have spent most of our time relaxing at the beach or in the pool at our rental house. This year, we decided to get out for an adventure again.
With teenage boys, we were looking for something a little more active / adventurous than a typical dolphin cruise or kayaking trip. The various water sports offered by Live Oac seemed to fit the bill. They offer tubing, water skiing and everything in between. With little experience in any of the stand-up water sports, we thought tubing would be the best option.
We booked an hour and a half private tubing trip. Due to Coast Guard regulations, the number of guests on the boat has a strict limit of 6 people so my sister and I went out with our 4 boys. We signed up for the Board ‘n Tube Charter which would allow them to both tube and try Zup Boarding, which is supposed to be the easiest stand-up water sport.
The trip left from Safe Harbor Skull Creek Marina inside Hilton Head Plantation. The plantation is a gated community so the company called in a pass that was waiting for us at the gate (under the name of the person who booked the tour). We met the captain on the dock a few minutes before our scheduled time. He gave us a brief safety talk and explanation of the trip and then we headed out.
The tubing took place in the nearby backcountry waters surrounding Pinckney Island. The creeks and inlets were sheltered so the water was calmer and the level of adventurousness was controlled by the captain. He could definitely cater the ride to the ages and comfort level of the person tubing.
Of course, with 4 teenage boys (with teenage boy bravado) he made it more challenging, which was way more fun for them. He amped up the speed and circled around so they would keep crossing our own wake. At one point as my oldest was getting on the tube to take his next turn, he bragged that he was the only one who had not fallen off. The captain quipped “we can take care of that” and stepped it up a notch or two. My son did indeed eventually fall off and in very dramatic fashion. He bounced off the tube like a trampoline and was launched high in the air, flipping and twisting around before splashing into the water. In my sister’s words he “only fell once but it was the most spectacular.”
We spent about an hour and fifteen minutes on the water and never saw another boat. We had the whole backcountry area to ourselves. The boys went in pairs and each got two turns on the water.
The boys had such a blast on this trip. We had technically booked the tubing and Zup boarding option but they only tubed. The captain said for people who hadn’t done the boarding before, it wasn’t worth it to split the trip between tubing and boarding because by the time they got the hang of boarding, they would be out of time. We told the boys that we would book the Zup boarding alone next year.
I highly recommend Live Oac watersports charters. They definitely have something for everyone and each trip can be adjusted for the age of the kids. The captain was a lot of fun, the boat and equipment were in great condition, and the tour was extremely safe. We will definitely be back again next year!
