Shelter Island Eco Tour by Private Charter
A Shelter Island eco tour shows you the part of the island nobody driving through ever sees. Mashomack Preserve covers roughly a third of Shelter Island, and the Nature Conservancy has protected eleven miles of its coastline since 1980. Most of that shoreline has no road, no house, and no trail near enough to reach it. From a boat, it opens up. We're Charters in The Hamptons, a family-run operation based on the island, and this is the quietest trip we run. Call (631) 251-1777.
What Mashomack Actually Is
The Nature Conservancy took title to Mashomack on January 14, 1980, after a plan to develop it fell through. The preserve now runs to more than 2,300 acres of tidal creeks, oak woodland, fields, and freshwater marsh. It's often called the jewel of the Peconic, and that isn't a tourism slogan. It's one of the richest habitats in the Northeast.
This is also ancestral land of the Manhanset people, and it was a private hunting club before the Conservancy stepped in. The place has layers.
Nearly 200 bird species have been recorded there. On a summer trip you'll reliably see osprey, and often egrets, herons, and terns. Bald eagles nest on the preserve now too, which wasn't true a generation ago.
Why the Water Is the Better Vantage Point
Mashomack's hiking trails are excellent, and you should walk them. But the trails don't reach most of the shoreline, and they can't get you into the tidal creeks at all.
Those creeks are where the wildlife concentrates. From a boat moving slowly you're at eye level with the marsh edge, close enough to watch an osprey work a shallow, without setting foot in habitat that shouldn't be walked on.
That's the whole argument for doing this by water. You see more, and you disturb less.
How We Run It
Slowly. That's the honest description.
We come in off the bay, drop to no-wake speed well before the creek mouths, and idle. Engines down where the water allows. The trip is about looking, not covering distance.
Bring binoculars if you have them. Bring a camera with something longer than a phone lens if birds are the point. And bring patience, because the best thing you see is usually the thing you waited for.
Timing Matters
Early morning is the best light and the most bird activity. Late afternoon is a close second. Midday in August is the least productive time to go, and it's also when the bay is busiest.
Tide matters too. The creeks are shallow, and there are stretches we simply can't enter at low water. When you give us a date, we look at the tide and set the departure to match.
Who This Trip Suits
Birders, photographers, and families with kids who like looking at things. It also suits people who've done the loud version of a Hamptons boat day and want the opposite.
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It is not a party trip. There's no sandbar stop and no music. If your group wants swimming and a cooler, our sandbar tours are the better booking.
The Rules We Follow Out There
This is a working estuary with real protections, and we take them seriously.
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No discharge. The entire Peconic Estuary has been a federally recognized vessel waste No Discharge Zone since 2002, covering all waters west of a line from Orient Point to Montauk Point. Nothing goes overboard. Holding tanks get pumped out ashore or by pumpout boat.
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No anchoring in eelgrass. Eelgrass beds are nursery habitat and propeller scarring damages them for years. We know where the beds are and we stay off them.
Distance from nesting birds. Piping plovers and least terns nest on beaches here and both are protected. We keep our distance and we don't land where we shouldn't.
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You can read more about protecting these waters at the Peconic Estuary Partnership.
What Changes Through the Season
Spring is the loudest time on the preserve. Osprey return in March and spend April and May building and defending nests, and the marsh is full of noise.
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June and July are the nesting months. Chicks are in the nests and the adults are working constantly, which makes for the most reliable osprey watching of the year.
By late August and September the young are flying and migration starts. Shorebirds move through in numbers, the water is still warm, and the bay is emptying of summer traffic.
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Winter is a different preserve entirely. Waterfowl arrive, the leaves are down, and you can see structure in the landscape that's hidden all summer. We run limited trips then by request.
What's Included
Every charter includes a USCG-licensed captain, a clean boat, ice, bottled water, and fuel. You bring food, drinks, layers, and sunscreen.
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Trips usually run about four hours. Shorter and longer options are available.
Why Book With Us
We're cousins who grew up on Shelter Island. We worked the docks at our family's marina before earning USCG licenses in 2019, and we've run more than 200 charters since.
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We grew up on this water and know which creeks hold depth at which tide.
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Every captain holds a USCG license.
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Private charters only, so it's your group and nobody else's.
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Pickup at Greenport and Sag Harbor, with a Shelter Island base that puts the preserve minutes away.
Book a Quiet Morning
Tell us your date and whether birds or scenery are the priority, and we'll plan the route and the tide.
Call or text (631) 251-1777, or email captain@chartersinthehamptons.com.
We're at 63 S Menantic Rd, Shelter Island, NY 11964. See our boats or contact us.
Frequently Asked Questions
What wildlife will we actually see? Osprey almost certainly in season, plus egrets, herons, cormorants, and terns. Nearly 200 bird species have been recorded at Mashomack. Bald eagles are around but not guaranteed on any given trip.
Can we go ashore in the preserve? Not from the boat. Mashomack has a land entrance and marked trails, and that's the right way to walk it. The water tour is about seeing the shoreline and creeks you can't reach on foot.
What's the best time of day? Early morning. More bird activity, better light, and calmer water. Late afternoon is the next best option.
How long is the trip? About four hours is typical. Tell us what you want to see and we'll size it.
Can you combine this with a swim stop? Yes. Coecles Harbor and other calm anchorages nearby work well as a stop on the way back if the group wants one.
Is this good for kids? Yes, for kids who like watching animals. It's calm, close to shore, and slow. Very young children who need constant activity may do better on a sandbar or fishing trip.
Do we need binoculars? Not required, but they make the trip much better. Bring them if you own a pair.
How many people can come? Most private charter vessels are limited to six passengers under federal law. Give us the head count when you call and we'll confirm which boat fits.
Does the tide affect where we can go? Yes, significantly. Some creeks are only passable near high water. We check the tide for your date and set the departure time around it.
