Is Your Family Ready For Adventure?
Look no further than Crystal Dawn and Country Girl, two of the most trusted party boats on the Outer Banks, based at Pirate’s Cove Marina in Manteo, just over the bridge from Nags Head.
These large party boats, also known as head boats, can accommodate numerous anglers or sightseers at once. You can rent the whole boat for your large crew, or you can go along with other folks with each person paying individually. This is the most affordable, fun and family-friendly way to get on the water, and every trip is a wildlife-watching and sightseeing adventure.
Climb aboard the 65-foot Crystal Dawn for half-day inshore fishing trips, sunset cruises, private trips and more or the 57-foot Country Girl for full-day ocean fishing adventures.
(252) 473-5577
countrygirlcharters.com
Offshore Charters and Head Boat Fishing on Country Girl
The 57-foot Country Girl heads out into the ocean for full-day fishing adventures. Country Girl’s bottom-fishing trips are full-day, head boat-style adventures in the ocean to fish for species like black sea bass, tilefish, triggerfish, dolphin and more. A maximum of 27 anglers can purchase individual tickets, which cost $150.
Country Girl also offers offshore fishing trips that can yield several species of tuna, dolphin (mahi-mahi) and wahoo, which make for great eating, and sailfish, blue marlin and white marlin, which make for a sporty fight. For these trips, anglers charter the whole boat instead of paying individually.
Everything you need is provided for both bottom fishing and offshore fishing, including a mate who knows exactly what to do. Perks of either trip include seeing sealife like sea turtles, whales, dolphin and pelagic birds.
Half-Day Sound & Inshore Fishing on Crystal Dawn
Everyone loves this trip!
Half-day sound and inlet fishing trips on Crystal Dawn are perfect for all ages, so bring the kids. The 65-foot Crystal Dawn plies the inshore waters of the sounds and inlet and is always within sight of land. Fish the calm sound and inlet waters for spot, croaker, flounder, grey trout, speckled trout, puppy drum, sea mullet, bluefish, sea bass and more. Everything you need is provided – bait, tackle, rod, reel, fishing license, fish-finding machines, a highly experienced captain and all the help you need from a fishing mate. They make fishing easy, so all you have to do is show up and start having fun.
$48 adults, $38 children (ages 4 to 10; 3 and younger free)
Tickets Sold in Advance
In-Season: June, July & August | 7 a.m. to 12 p.m.; 12:30 to 5 p.m.
Off-Season: April, May, October | 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Roanoke Island Sunset Cruises on Crystal Dawn
Kick back and enjoy the view!
Crystal Dawn’s Roanoke Island Sunset Cruise provides a relaxed setting for sightseeing in Roanoke Sound. Bring your cooler and relax on the upper or lower deck. In addition to wildlife, passengers enjoy views of the Roanoke Island shoreline, including Andy Griffith’s home and The Lost Colony’s Waterside Theatre, and of the Nags Head shoreline, including Jockey’s Ridge State Park.
$25 adults, $20 children (ages 4 to 10; 3 and younger free)
In-Season: June, July & August: 6:30 to 8 p.m.
Off-Season: April, May & October: 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Purple Martin Excursions on Crystal Dawn
You must witness this close-up view of a rare natural phenomenon!
Crystal Dawn heads to the William B. Umstead Bridge in Croatan Sound where tens of thousands of purple martins roost in late July and early August. Watch these vibrant (and talkative!) birds as they fly in at sunset to roost for the night. It’s a show of a lifetime!
$30 per person
Tickets Sold in Advance
Late July and early August: 7 to 9:30 p.m.
Private Excursions
These trips are popular with large families and groups!
For your own custom soundside experiences, Crystal Dawn can be booked for private cruises for up to 97 people and private sound and inlet fishing trips for up to 50 anglers. Country Girl can be chartered for up to 27 passengers for soundside trips. Either boat can be booked for Ashes at Sea ceremonies as well.
Call for pricing.
Tickets sold in advance. Call us at (252) 473-5577 or book your trip or online crystaldawnheadboat.com or countrygirlcharters.com.
2000 Sailfish Drive
Manteo, NC 27954
About the Author Molly Harrison
Molly Harrison is managing editor at OneBoat, publisher of OuterBanksThisWeek.com. She moved to Nags Head in 1994 and since then has made her living writing articles and creating publications about the people, places and culture of the Outer Banks.
