CHARLESTON HARBOR NATURE QUEST

Field Trip Departing from Shem Creek in Mount Pleasant

Overview

Boat Tour + Barrier Island Beach Walk
Grades K–12 (Tailored by grade level)

Set out from the dock and into the wild.
This boat-based field trip takes students on an unforgettable journey through Charleston Harbor and into the heart of the saltmarsh estuary. Along the way, Coastal Expeditions naturalists bring the ecosystem to life with stories of dolphins, bald eagles, oysters, and tides—backed by a skyline dotted with Fort Sumter, Castle Pinckney, and centuries of local history.

After a 35-minute ecotour, we’ll land on the remote shores of Drum Island. Here, students step off the boat and into the role of beachcombing naturalist—exploring the shoreline for shells, fossils, and biofacts. Everything they find tells a story—and yes, they can keep the fossils they discover.

This is learning in the field. Wild, hands-on, and unforgettable.

Why We Love It

This trip is designed with your science curriculum in mind.
We introduce key vocabulary and concepts aligned with grade-level standards—bringing lessons to life through hands-on experiences in the field. Students don’t just memorize terms—they see them in action. It’s the kind of learning that sticks, setting them up for success on standardized tests and beyond.