Discover Lowcountry history on the water: Storehouse Tours announces late summer & fall Pontoon River Tours schedule

Step aboard Imagine, a canopy-covered five-passenger pontoon boat, for an intimate journey through the storied rivers and tributaries feeding Winyah Bay. Offered by Storehouse Tours, these unique excursion series combine ecological beauty with rich local history.

Each tour is guided by two of the region’s leading experts: 

• Captain Paul Kenny: Licensed boat captain and former marine scientist with the USC-Baruch Marine Laboratory.

• Lee Brockington: Renowned local historian, author, public speaker, and former Director of Interpretation for Hobcaw Barony.

Featured Excursions & Schedules

🌾 Pee Dee River Plantations

Cruise past historic rice plantations along the Pee Dee and Plantersville water routes. Learn about the complex lives of the owners and enslaved workers who built the rice industry, how rice was cultivated, and why the trade eventually ended.

• Dates: August 4, August 17, August 31, October 8, November 9

• Price: $125.00 per person

🏛️ Hasty Point Plantation (SC250!)

Retrace the original river passage from Pawleys to the Pee Dee. Passengers will disembark to stroll under a grand avenue of live oaks and tour an early 19th-century rice barn featuring historical maps, tools, and artifacts. Discover Hasty Point’s pre-Revolutionary history and its current role as part of the 38,000-acre Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge. (Note: Requires walking and standing on uneven surfaces.)

• Dates: August 18, September 2, September 22, October 6

• Price: $125.00 per person

⚓ Historic Port of Georgetown

Travel down the Waccamaw River, into Winyah Bay, and up the Sampit River to South Carolina’s third-oldest port city. Discover Revolutionary and Civil War history alongside 20th-century industrial highlights—including the historic lumber and steel mills—with a brief disembarkation along the Georgetown Harborwalk.

• Dates: August 5, October 14

• Price: $125.00 per person

🍽️ Sandy Island with Lunch at Wilma Cottage

Explore the secluded island environs of Sandy Island. This extended 3.5-hour tour includes a landing on the island, a walk down scenic sandy roads, and a traditional Southern mid-day supper hosted by resident Laura Herriott at Wilma Cottage before continuing the river excursion.

• Dates: September 3, October 12, October 26, November 10

• Price: $170.00 per person (includes lunch)

Tour Details & Guidelines

Capacity for the tours is strictly limited to 5 passengers per tour for an intimate, personal experience, and tour duration is approximately 3 hours (Sandy Island tour is 3.5 hours). All tours include a scheduled restroom stop. Tours depart from Hagley Landing (located at the end of Hagley Drive in Pawleys Island), and street parking is available along Hagley Drive. Participants are encouraged to wear weather-appropriate layers and comfortable footwear (walking shoes required for Hasty Point and Sandy Island). All tours are confirmed 24 to 48 hours in advance based on weather forecasts from Captain Paul Kenny.

Spaces are extremely limited due to small group sizes. Advance booking is required. Visit Storehouse Tours Pontoon Excursions to book online.