Any ferry you take is about the same time/cost. The 45 minutes goes quick...there are plenty of dolphins to be seen and a view from the water of both HHI and Daufuskie is worth it. Sit back...bring a couple of beers...and enjoy the scenic 45 minute cruise...it's actually one of my favorie parts of getting to the Island...

Everything you want to know about Daufuskie can be found on the Daufuskie Front Porch Magazine website. Google it.

The "Hilton Head Daufuskie Connection" ferry "Capt. Eulice" leaves from Broad Creek Marina off Marshland Rd. That's probably the quickest publicly accessible ferry. They arrive at Freeport Marina on Daufuskie.

Haig Point has a water taxi that runs between their dock and Harbourtown every hour (by request) but it's private for members of HP only.

Question is, what are you planning to do when you get here?

If you make reservations to play golf at Bloody Point or Melrose, they will take care of all the arrangements. They often run ridiculously cheap specials during the slow season.

Freeport Marina has the main public restaurant, general store, tour buses and rental golf carts. If you are touring the island on your own, their Capt Eulice or Capt Rudy boats are probably your best bet.

Be aware there are no public restroom facilities other than at Freeport and Marshside Mamas. Many of the historic places to visit are on dirt roads. It's like stepping back to 1968 rural SC. Cell phone service is "iffy". Get near a beach for best results.

The Billy Burn Museum, Daufuskie art gallery, Iron Fish, and the few other shops and restaurants are only open certain days of the week. Check the latest issue of the Front Porch for schedules.

The beach is incredible and typically deserted. There are usually lots of shells but most are inhabited by hermit crabs. Stay away from the loggerhead sea turtle nests. Wildlife is abundent. Be careful not to hit a deer on your golf cart or bike. Watch out for gators around lagoons and inland water, but they are also known to swim in the ocean.

There are several boat tours that go to Daufuskie including ones that leave from Shelter Cove Marina, Palmetto Bay Marina and Harbourtown. You should be able to find those on any web list of tour boats for Hilton Head. Live Oac tours comes to mind.

You could also rent a boat on HHI and dock at Freeport Marina in the middle or the county landing at Marshside Mamas on the south end of the island.

Be careful that you don't miss the last ferry back to HHI or you might end up spending the night in one of the hammocks at Freeport Marina!

Wikipedia has a page on Daufuskie that might be helpful.

Good luck!

Gotodaufuskie,

Thanks for your reply and information. Actually, I'm surprising my 10 year old for her birthday and taking her to Daufuskie for a beach-side horseback ride. I plan to take a book and relax during her ride - or find a spot along her trail to take photos. We're staying in Palmetto Dunes, and will probably return to the rest of the family following her ride. Don't know that I'll have time to do a whole lot during her 90 minute ride. We've booked our ferry from the Daufuskie dock on the north end of HHI.

Perfect! I assume you are using the Daufuskie Island Club equestrian center.

The DIC will take good care of you. Their shuttle will take you from the dock to the equestrian center...but it is quite a ways from there to the beach and the horse trail.

Once you get your daughter situated, you might be stuck at the equestrian center.

If you haven't already, you should call and ask to speak to the equestrian center manager and see if they can arrange to give you a lift to the beach area to wait for your daughter to pass by.

The club will also rent you a golf cart if you want to follow her or explore Melrose on your own. If they take the horses on the path I think they will take, you should be able to go out the back gate and down to the public beach access.

Ask. They'll tell you how to do it.

Go to maps.google.com and enter the following address:

"ave of oaks, daufuskie sc 29915"

Follow this street left and the equestrian center is on the left side of the property - you can see the rings at the equestrian center. The Inn is to the right at the ocean - the biggest building you will see inside "Melrose".

Bring bug spray and sun screen!

Lunch at the Melrose Beach Club is also highly recommended. Very "Caribbean". Great oceanfront pool. This would be another great place to wait for your daughter. I'm sure you could both use the pool before taking the ferry home.

Have fun!

Thanks. Is it possible to take a bike on the ferry and ride while on Daufuskie? Do they rent golf carts by the hour and could I get all the way to the beach on one? Lunch at Melrose sounds like a good idea.

Some of the ferries will let you take a bike. It's an easy ride to the equestrian center and from there to the Inn, Beach Club and even the public beach.

Call the ferry company and ask ahead of time.

I would NOT recommend a bike for general touring of the historic district. Outside the Melrose, Bloody Point and Haig Point gates are mostly unpaved roads and deep sand and ruts in some places. You could stick to the public paved roads but you won't see much more than empty woods, a fire station and a few old Gullah homes. The interesting places, Maryfield Cemetary, the old Schools, First African Baptist Church, Iron Fish and the Pottery Shop are pretty far from a paved road. The Billy Burns museum is next to the modern public school and well worth a visit. It's a tiny restored church with artifacts and historic pictures that are really neat. I think they are open Thu, Fri and Sat in the afternoon.

Golf carts typically are a whole day at $35 to $50. You can go everywhere on a golf cart although they are not permitted on the beach itself.

Have fun!

I'll be in HH and would like to venture to Daufuskie as well... for wandering, the beach, and lunch at Marshside Mama's. Is Calibogue the place to call for the $20 ferry? Is that round trip?

Also, can someone give me an idea of prices at MM's for lunch? Is there a map of Daufuskie with landmarks so that I can see if we'd be able to walk around? (versus renting a golf cart, which I'd rather not do..)

Thanks in advance....

It is about a 5 mile walk from the public ferry landings to Marshside Mama's. Even the Billy Burns museum is over a mile away.

You really need to rent a golf cart or take the tour bus. The ferry company can help you arrange everything.

Otherwise, you won't see anything at all. Daufuskie is five miles long and 3 miles wide. Everything is spread out in all directions and most on unpaved roads leading off into relatively undeveloped rural areas.

The unpaved roads are NOT good for bike riding. Very deep soft sand in many spots. You'll be pushing the bike some of the time. All bets are off if it has been raining. Some of the main roads are unpassable when wet except with 4wd and mud tires.

It's hard to explain. You'll just have to experience Daufuskie.

Most of the shops, galleries and the museum are closed early in the week. Friday and Saturday are the best days to visit Daufuskie as everything should be open, especially in the early afternoon.

My understanding is that Marshside Mamas only has a "contractor lunch" during the week. You eat whatever she makes for you. I believe Saturday is more of a standard lunch counter. My wife had a grouper sandwich one Saturday and really enjoyed it. The big event is dinner at MM Wed-Sat evening and especially Saturday night. Reservations are REQUIRED if you want to eat. The food is incredible! The bar and live music is open to anyone. Be aware that there may not be a ferry home after dinner. Plan ahead and make sure you have everything arranged! Or better still, spend the night at the Daufuskie Island Club. They have a trolley bus to MM.

Old Daufuskie Crab Co has a great lunch buffet, burgers, shrimp, daufuskie devil crabs, sandwiches and a full bar. They are located at Freeport Marina (where you land) Wed-Sun. They are open for dinner too.

Call and ask for latest schedules and live music info:

843-785-4755 Marshside Mamas

843-785-6652 Old Daufuskie Crab Company

How would you proceed if you want to go for the beach only? How far is the beach with all of the shells from the Freeport Marina?

According to Google Maps, it is about 3.9 miles and a 1 hr and 15 min walk from the Daufuskie public ferries to the public beach.

Go to maps.google.com, select get directions, click "walking" and then enter a starting point of:

Daufuskie Island Fry @32.133100, -80.870400

and a destination point of

Beach Dr @32.093834, -80.864894

It's a fairly easy bike ride. Only Beach Drive is unpaved. Make sure the ferry allows bikes on board.

Be warned there is NOTHING along this route. It is mostly empty, undeveloped, long ago paved roads. No bathrooms, no water fountains, no stores, no bank or ATM, or anything. You can go through the Melrose (Daufuskie Island Club) front gate and go to their General Store, the Beach Club restaurant, Jack's in the Inn or the restaurant at the golf clubhouse.

There is a restaurant/bar at the Bloody Point golf course too. This is the closest public venue to the beach at Beach Drive. You can cut through a golf cart path just past Sandy Lane Condos on Beach Dr. Look for the sign to the "Breathe Spa".

There is a second public beach access road between Melrose and Oakridge, but it isn't as "developed".

You can get a great color map showing all the historic and commercial sites on the island at www.daufuskiefrontporch.com

Have fun!