Book a trip
Two ways to get on the water: grab a seat on a group trip, or take the whole boat and bring your own party.
Book a seat
Pick a departure and pay for as many seats as you need.
Upper Delta Group Trip
Forty miles by boat and a hike through the swamp to a 700-year-old cypress and the Indian mounds on Mound Island.
What the day looks like
We hike in through the swamp to the 700-year-old giant cypress and visit the Indian mounds on Mound Island. About half the trip is spent off the boat, in the woods.
In November two orchids are blooming: Bartram's tree orchid, a tiny tree-dwelling species, and the lady's tress, a spiraling swamp orchid with a delicious aroma. Oyster and honey mushrooms are plentiful along the walks, along with a lot of flowers.
October and November are typically the driest months in the swamp, so it's the best time to walk around without getting your feet wet. We leave the dock at 9:30am and are back by 3:30pm. Bring a lunch and drinks.
Mushroom Foraging Trips
Forage the Upper Delta with Tanner Hammond, one of a handful of people in Alabama licensed to lead mushroom trips.
About these trips
Mushroom Man Tan — Tanner Hammond — joins me for special mushroom gathering trips in the Upper Delta. Tanner is one of only a handful of people in Alabama with the state license allowing him to lead mushroom foraging trips.
He also supplies mushrooms to some of your favorite restaurants, including Dragonfly Foodbar, Southwood Kitchen, and The Wash House.
Book the whole boat
One price for the day, up to six people, nobody else aboard. Two is fine too.
6 Hour Private Charter
Pick your water and take the whole boat: the Upper Delta, the Lower Delta, or the Clotilda wreck followed by the Lower Delta.
Then pick a date
See all dates (15)
Online booking closes 24 hours before departure. Inside that window, call Ben at 251-377-7891 and he'll see if he can make it work.
The three routes
Upper Delta. We hike in through the swamp to the 700-year-old giant cypress and visit the Indian mounds on Mound Island, covering about 30 miles by boat. Roughly half the trip is off the boat, in the woods. Launches from Live Oak Landing in Stockton.
Lower Delta. A true backwoods adventure through the lower Delta, best in spring at the height of the bloom, with a stop midway at a landing with restrooms. Launches from Meaher State Park on the US 98 Causeway.
Clotilda + Lower Delta. Two hours at the wreck of the last American slave ship, then four hours running the lower Delta. Launches from Meaher State Park.
Bring a lunch and drinks. You can bring a total of six people, but two is fine too.
Before you go
Advice from Ben that applies to every trip. Things feel much colder on the water in an open boat moving at 30 miles an hour, so err on the side of more clothing than you think you need.
Rain gear
Regardless of the forecast, bring a rain suit with pants rather than just a jacket. The $25 Frogg Toggs suits from Walmart or Bass Pro work great, and double as a windbreaker if you get cold.
Sunglasses
Polarized lenses let you see fish and other animals underwater that Ben points out. Even a cheap drugstore pair does the trick. Glasses are worth wearing while running, too — a cicada in the eye at 30 miles an hour is no joke.
Food and drinks
Bring whatever snacks, sandwiches, and drinks you want. Beer and wine are fine. There's plenty of water on the boat and a cooler with ice for your things. A small soft cooler is fine — we want to avoid big coolers on the deck.
Cameras
Long lenses come in handy for eagles and alligators, wide angle for the flowers, and a good zoom covers all the bases. Your phone will do a great job too — much of what we see is practically falling into the boat. We can charge phones aboard if you bring your cord.
Sun
The boat is covered, so you'll be in the shade for most of the trip. Bring sunblock and a hat if you want extra protection.