REVIEWS and TESTIMONIALS

I'm gonna soak up the sun
I'm gonna tell everyone to lighten up
"Soak Up the Sun," Song by Sheryl Crow

H2O Captain Eco-Tour Private Boat Excursions receives overwhelmingly positive reviews from customers across multiple platforms, including TripAdvisor, Google, Facebook, and Yelp.

The service is known for offering personalized, informative, and fun private boat tours in the Morehead City, Atlantic Beach, Emerald Isle, Beaufort, area of North Carolina. 

Key themes in the reviews

• Knowledgeable and engaging captains: Reviewers consistently praise Captain Mark for his extensive knowledge of the local history, ecosystem, and wildlife. They appreciate his ability to share interesting facts and stories, making the tours educational and engaging for all ages.
• Personalized and flexible itineraries: Guests highlight the ability to customize their tours to suit their interests, whether it's seeing wild horses on Shackleford Banks, searching for unique shells, or visiting the Cape Lookout Lighthouse. Captain Mark is noted for his patience and flexibility, especially when accommodating families with young children or older parents requiring assistance.
• Focus on safety: Many reviewers mention feeling safe and well-cared for during their excursions, with the Captain prioritizing safety and providing clear instructions. One review specifically mentions the availability of properly-sized life vests for children.
• Comfortable boat and amenities: Reviewers often mention the comfortable seating and well-maintained boat, including luxuries like cushioned seats and a Bimini top for sun and rain protection.
• Memorable wildlife encounters: Seeing wild horses on Shackleford Banks and encountering dolphins are frequently mentioned highlights of the tours.
• Excellent value and experience: Customers describe H2O Captain Eco-Tour as providing a great value for the price, offering a unique and enjoyable way to explore the Crystal Coast waterways. 

Some specific examples from reviews

• One review on Google Maps describes Captain Mark as "extremely knowledgeable about the history of the area, the ecosystem, and made sure to customize our experience based on our interests".
• A TripAdvisor reviewer notes the captain's expertise, mentioning seeing wild horses, a pod of dolphins, a living starfish, and crabs.
• One review on Yelp mentions the captain's patience and flexibility with children and elderly passengers, as well as the boat's comfortable setup.
• Another reviewer on H2O Captain's website highlights the captain's detailed knowledge about Shackleford Island and the history of the horses.
• A Yelp review praises Captain Mark for his respectful and empathetic handling of a difficult request to scatter ashes at sea. 

While most reviews are highly positive, one summary of user reviews on Wheree mentions that some customers found the scheduling to be tight during peak times or limited availability for last-minute bookings. 

In conclusion, H2O Captain Eco-Tour Private Boat Excursions has built a strong reputation for providing exceptional and personalized boat tours in the Morehead City, Atlantic Beach, Emerald Isle, Beaufort NC area, thanks to its knowledgeable and friendly captain, a focus on safety, and the opportunity to experience the natural beauty and wildlife of the Crystal Coast.

Our earned 5-Star reviews can be read by scrolling to the bottom of this page.  Directly below are some others.  We look forward to welcoming you aboard!

Just sent out to guests...excited to partner with you again this year!  Thanks for providing our guests with an exceptional experience. --Kim & Jonathan, Owners, Innkeepers & Chefs, Inn on Turner (April 2025)

On The Future
As always so kind of you to reach out … Love the photos and I will be using those in the days ahead and will be sure to tag you. BUT it’s I that need to thank YOU for making us look so good as we refer guests your way.. You are correct they had a magical time and were telling me about it at the breakfast table this morning. Thanks for always taking exceptional care of our folks and I look forward to partnering with you thru 2025 and beyond.  --Kim Bell & Jonathan Haas, Owners, Innkeepers & Chefs, Inn on Turner (Nov 2024)

On Speaking
Hi Capt. Mark, Thank you for your time in giving us a very informative presentation about your business and your involvement with marine environmental issues last night! Wishing you great success in this coming season. --Commander Kris R. Meyer, April 2024

Mark, Thanks again for a great program. I could tell by the turnout and engagement of the audience that it was very well received. I may ask you to speak again next year. Perhaps specifically about the Coast Guard? Meanwhile, thank you very much for your time and effort! --Ann Schmucker, April 2024

Your presentation at the Fort Macon Power Squadron meeting on Monday, April 15 was very informative. Thank you for the presentation & for showing an interest & sharing expertise in our coastal areas. --Charlotte F.

On Excursions

Our guests love the magic & memories you bring to their coastal adventuring.  --Inn on Turner, Beaufort NC (as seen on Instagram , Aug24)

I was really impressed by your commitment to protecting and preserving the natural environment. Your eco-tour excursions are a great way to discover the beauty of Shackleford Island while also learning about the importance of conservation. Keep up the great work! --Ivy 04MAR 24

Hi Mark, I noticed H2O Captain through your 5-Star ratings on TripAdvisor. Your commitment to delivering exceptional experiences really stands out... --Kailee S. 01MAR24

Mark - thanks for the report and those numbers! I think it speaks to the quality of trips you provide! --Jeff West, Superintendent, Cape Lookout National Seashore on 31OCT2023

Hi Captain Mark, thank you so much for these photos! They’re great. You guys do the best tours. I had so much fun! PS. You’re doing an amazing job with your social media. --Alizé Proisy, Crystal Coast Tourism Development Authority

We had a great time.  Thanks for another magical trip! --Liza C.

Hopefully, get your review done this week. I love the boater's minutes! What a fabulous idea that is! I wish we could spread a little of your compassion on to a few others! You are remarkable! Thank you again so much for such an amazing experience yesterday! --Amy W.

Thank you, Mark you take such amazing care of our guests! They had an amazing time. I really believe it was the highlight of their visit. Have a wonderful rest of summer and rest of season and we will of course continue to send Guests your way. Safe travels. --Kim Bell & Jonathan Haas, Inn On Turner in Beaufort

Seriously one of the best experiences I’ve ever had!!!!
Review of: H2O Captain Eco-Tour Private Boat Excursions BWB...Repeat
Spending the day with H2O’s Captain Mark and first mate, Lucky the dog, was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had on vacation! I was nervous because I wanted to feel safe and our daughter is 20 months old and unpredictable (if you have a toddler, you know!). We received great communication ahead of time and when we arrived at the boat, Captain Mark laid out the safety plan upfront and eased my mind immediately. He was so kind and genuine- you can tell he truly loves hosting and exploring with you! We got super lucky and saw around 10 wild horses and then had a magical time at the Cape Lookout lighthouse. Before we left, he gave us options to adapt the plans if we needed to provide a different experience for my daughter so it took off all the pressure of trying to force it to be a good time- we were just present and enjoyed the whole day. We also learned about some of the larger sailboats and yachts we saw along with some history of the area and just soaked it all in. I will remember this time on the water forever- the beautiful day and also Captain Mark’s hospitality and kindness towards my family! Book this one with confidence and know it will be an incredible experience!!! --Amanda D.

Highly Recommended Experience
Review of: H2O Captain Eco-Tour Private Boat Excursions BWB...Repeat
Our family had a wonderful time exploring with Captain Mark and Lucky. The Captain was very knowledgeable and was diligent in making certain we had a fun/safe trip. We saw horses, a pod of dolphins (including a baby), a living starfish, crabs, and we returned with a bag full of shells. --Leigh L.

Awesome day on the boat doing the three island tour
Review of: H2O Captain Eco-Tour Private Boat Excursions 3 Island Tour
Awesome!!! Did the 3 island tour with 4 other girlfriends. We saw wild horses, a lighthouse boated around took a couple of dips in the water, had lunch on the boat, and just toured around. Captain Mark was fun, informative, and flexible. Highly recommend!! --Jenny M.

My family did the Boat, Walk, Beach, Repeat tour today and had a wonderful time. Capt. Mark is safety-conscious, deeply knowledgeable, and fun. On our way to Shackleford Island, we saw the Army Corps of Engineers doing an amphibious assault landing training, which was unusual, and a pod of dolphins playing near our boat, which was a bonus. The ride itself was fun, and the captain was careful to let us know when we would be speeding up and turning.
When the island was in view we began seeing the beautiful horses gathered in family groups on the beach. We saw 11 horses on Shackleford Island. We followed the horse trails through the island to the beach on the opposite side of our landing, where we found some amazing shells. The captain told us about the island's history, identified the flora and fauna, identified the different types of shells, and really brought the island to life for us. We saw jellyfish and crabs, and, unfortunately, some trash that we took the time to pick up. Capt. Mark explained the hazards of the trash items to marine life.
The return trip was just as much fun, and we saw another four horses near the Rachel Carson Reserve. The Money Island goats never showed themselves, but after seeing 15 horses during this tour we counted ourselves lucky. We enjoyed the tour of the waterfront as well - in fact, we had dinner that night at a restaurant we'd passed on the tour.
Capt. Mark was attentive to our safety and comfort throughout the trip, and it was the best way to spend the last day of our vacation. I highly recommend this tour. Nicole D.

Excellent Eco-Tour of the Southern Outer Banks
Review of: H2O Captain Eco-Tour Private Boat Excursions Double Trouble: Shack Attack and a Lighthouse
We had a lovely day with Capt. Mark on the Shack and the Lighthouse excursion. Capt. Mark is a treasure trove of knowledge about the area and is a delightful conversationalist. Our group, 2 adults and 4 teens found the boat comfortable and well-appointed for these excursions. Of note, being a smaller boat you will feel the water - we found this refreshing and a more intimate way to see the surroundings. We have gone on many fishing charters in this area and found the Eco-Tour model to be a welcome change of pace and certainly more informative. We highly recommend! --Christopher T.

Highly Recommend!!!
Review of: H2O Captain Eco-Tour Private Boat Excursions BWB...Repeat
Captain Mark’s BWB Repeat excursion from Atlantic Beach was AMAZING!!! Captain Mark is friendly, professional, and accommodating! He did an incredible job at explaining various aspects of the area/nature and teaching us about navigating a boat. My husband and I had so much fun seeing the beautiful area by boat! And his dog Lucky is such a good pooch! --Amanda M.

- Cathy & Greg, Virginia, "BWB...Repeat"
"Hi Captain Mark - Greg and I wanted to again thank u and Lucky for a great day on the water!  The weather was perfect, horses cooperated(lol!), and shelling was great but the company of u and your first mate is what made the trip special and first-rate!   This is a beautiful area and some place I didn't know existed on the outer banks.  So glad I found it as I was searching for a place to vacation. U offer up a great history of the area and really let us make the trip ours.  Greg was like a kid behind the wheel and thank u for letting him do that.   I'm sending a few pics from today and will send more when we get back home.  I sure hope some of the horse pics on the preserve turn out.  I was shaking some even though u kept the boat ever steady but part of that was my excitement at seeing another group of them.  Nature is so gorgeous.  People don't realize what they have until it is gone.   Hopefully, it will never come to that.  Again, thank u and Lucky so much!" 

- Mary Ann W and her family, Houston, Texas, "BWB...Repeat"
"Thank you again for an amazing adventure and a bonus to take our shelling bag."

- Steve R. Garner, NC "ROUND WE GO H20 ECO-TOUR WITH MASTER CAPTAIN MARK
It was one of the most joyous, engaging, and informative three hours that we spent on our water cruise outside of Morehead City and Beaufort NC.
Mark was an incredibly comforting and accommodating host who consistently adjusted the ride for special scenic views, as a bonus we saw the horses on Carrot Island and dolphins up close, and to maintain the safest possible movement. In all, we could only tout at the highest level booking a cruise with Captain Mark."

- Steve W, Ohio "That experience on the island certainly made the non-ideal weather conditions worth the trip. Holly and Jeff also went on and on about how great of a captain you were, pointing out various locations and talking about history. You were great! I’ll be posting a review sometime this week. Thanks again!!  Can't thank you enough.  My niece is still talking about it.  We all had a blast."

- Stephen M, Pine Knoll Shores, NC "Captain Mark goes the extra mile to make sure you have an excursion that you enjoy and that your agenda is satisfied. He is safe, considerate, congenial, and a very competent boat captain."

- David J, Morehead City, NC "Thank you again for the great day on the water."

-  Karla S. and Family, NC  "Good evening and I am so grateful for you for accepting, we do wish we could have done the whole thing but we knew the wind wasn't on our side but it was still so beautiful. We enjoyed it so much and thank you for what you did for my mother, it was just amazing and the sights we saw after, the horses, dolphins a true sign from her and God that they were there with us. I hope to see you again when the weather is better and under different circumstances. Have a blessed week and it was just a pleasure meeting and speaking with you. Thank you for the history surrounding the area."

- Jacquelene K, Raleigh, NC  "We had SO much fun and can't wait to come back for more!  Thank you so much."

- Brandon S, Chicago, IL “Thanks for a great experience Captain Mark. We had a great time. Can you please send me the picture you took of us? Also, any good restaurant recommendations?”

- Maurice & Sarah I, Greenwich, CT "Thank you. We appreciated you and the day."

- Lisa S, San Diego, CA,  "Thank you so much for sharing the pictures! We had such a great time."

- Amanda S and family, Charlotte, NC  "We had a great time today! The kids have been asking if we can get a boat all evening LOL."

- Joanie C, South Boston, VA,  "My family and I had an absolutely wonderful day yesterday on the H20 Captain. Captain Mark is so knowledgeable about the waterways as he navigates the area. We were lucky enough to even see dolphins on the way back from Cape Lookout! We would highly recommend H20 Captain for an amazing experience!"

- Wendy G, Durham, NC, "Thanks!!"
- Kristen J-H from Morehead City, NC,  "H20 captain (Mark) is a fantastic captain. My husband and I had such a great experience and you couldn’t ask for a better day. H20 captain is patient, kind, and knows how to navigate all-around these waters. We also learned a lot about certain areas along the way including Cape Lookout and Shackleford Island. Thanks again for a perfect day!"

- David, Stephanie, and Oliver F. from Ohio wrote, "We had a great time! Thanks," on their excursion to see the wild horses on Shackleford (they saw 5 of them and collected some real nice shells!)

- Gail S. recommends H2O Captain, as seen on Facebook: "I was planning on a boat trip with my sister and her husband, unfortunately, hurricane Sally came through. the weather was pouring, cold and the ocean was wild. Captain H2O was understanding and refunded our money! such a kind and considerate man. I would recommend Captain H2O as he wants you to have a good time."

- Amy & family from Nebraska.  "We spent the afternoon with captain Mark from www.H2Ocaptain.com  and had an awesome time. He took us to Shackleford island where we saw wild horses and then we toured around the area in his boat. Can’t recommend this enough! Great time!!"

- Niki & family from North Carolina.  "Shelling and swimming and horses Oh My! Review of: BWB Repeat (Boat, Walk, Beach)
Our favorite part of our trip was stepping over a sand dune and seeing some of the wild horses coming right towards us. Captain Mark had lots of information about Shackleford Island and the history of the horses. We had plenty of time to do some shelling, swimming, and horse watching. On the way back, Captain Mark took us on a little tour through the Beaufort Inlet and pointed out some great places to eat. Even though some rain showed up on the way back, it was a remarkable experience."

- Brandon & Melanie's family from Texas.  "This was absolutely the best experience! All due to Captain Mark. He is so wonderful. We brought our 6 and 8 year old and he was so amazing with them!!!! DEFINITELY 5 stars"

- Meredith & Family from Texas.  Another 5 Star Review!!!!!  "This was our first time doing an excursion like this in the Beaufort area and we would now count it as a "must-do" part of a vacation here. Our entire family loved it! The boat ride was a blast, we learned a lot of history, and the beach Captain Mark took us to was incredible! He even surprised our two children with extra beach toys and floats! The boat was very comfortable and we loved being able to have a flexible itinerary to work around how we wanted to spend our time. Captain Mark goes above and beyond and we look forward to going again!"

-  Milton & Amelia from North Carolina:  "Where do we begin? We had a fabulous day with Captain Mark! My wife and I love this area and are planning to purchase a boat next summer. We were looking for someone with expertise in boating to show us around and give us guidance navigating the area. We were more than pleased with Captain Mark. We had a blast! He showed us the most beautiful spots while teaching us the rules of the waterway and boat navigation. He is a real professional and went above and beyond to show us what we needed to do to get started with boating. We were even lucky enough to see wild horses and dolphins - 3 times! We highly recommend Captain Mark and we look forward to boating with him again!"

-  Shirley from West Virginia:  "WOW Captain Mark.....really impressed with H20"

-  Dave from North Carolina:  "The Captain was very informative about the island and the surrounding area. We felt very safe on the boat ride over and back from the island."

-  Sarah from Kentucky:  "Thank you so much for the great trip yesterday!  It was a highlight for sure, and I think you even topped the pirate ship for the boys.  Thanks again for everything!!"

-  Linda from Maryland:  "Captain Mark did an excellent job getting us to Shackleford. We did a short hike on a sandy path to the ocean side. Beautiful beach! We also ran into about 4 wild horses including a baby.  Cape lookout lighthouse was next. Again excellent ride over. Walked on the boardwalk out to the ocean. Pristine beach. Captain Mark was always making sure we were well taken care of and were having fun. Highly recommend!!"

⚓   ⚓   ⚓ Painting top:  by www.stephenmoorepaintings.com