Daisey’s Dockside Nature Cruises

Chincoteague To Assateague Nature Cruises

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Chincoteague To Assateague Nature Cruises

On our nature cruises you will experience Assateague Island in a way that is simply not possible from land. Let us show you the hidden beauty and wildlife of Assateague Island.

At Daisey’s Dockside Nature Cruises our main goal is for you to have an enjoyable and memorable experience. Customer satisfaction is very important to us. We hope that you will take time to read our customer reviews and explore our web site. You will see why cruising with Daisey’s Dockside Nature Cruises the right choice is!

Our nature tours feature close-up views of the world-famous ponies, dolphins, an abundant bird population, and beautiful sunsets… all from our exceptionally comfortable pontoon boats. We will take you to where the famous Chincoteague Ponies live. We cruise all the best areas of Assateague Island for pony viewing, including rarely accessed areas to the north where many of the ponies live, maximizing your potential to encounter the wild ponies close up. It is also common to see dolphins, bald eagles, and an array of other wildlife on our tours.

Many of our customers tell us that our cruise was the highlight of their Chincoteague vacation! During the peak season our tours fill up fast, so please be sure to call ahead for reservations.

Bravo!

Daisey’s Island Cruises rated “excellent” by 1,834 travelers

Our Tours

Daisey’s Nature Cruises has a National Park Service permit which allows us to operate our tours within the boundary of the Assateague Island National Seashore. This permit allows us to get our customers up close and personal with the wild ponies and various other wildlife that populate Assateague Island.

Scenic, Nature and Pony Watching Tour
Our cruises begin by navigating around the southern end of Chincoteague Island and heading to the backside of Assateague Island. We will cruise the extensive back bay coastline of the Assateague Island National Wildlife Refuge. We will visit all of the best areas to observe the ponies in their native habitat. We also cruise the southern-most tip of Assateague Island, Tom’s Cove and the Chincoteague Inlet. This is the best area to encounter Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins from mid-summer through late fall.

Sunset Cruise
Follows a similar route but culminates with a front row view of the evening sunset over the Chincoteague Bay.

Times
Our tours last about two hours and depart from Daisey’s Dockside (3335 Main Street) in the morning, afternoon, and evening. Please call for exact departure times.

Rates
Adults $40
Kids 12 and under $35
$5 discount per person when you pay by cash or check.

Please call ahead for reservations, 757-336-5556.

Our Boats

We have multiple boats that hold from 6 to 32 passengers. Some of our boats are equipped with bathroom facilities. All of our boats provide stability and comfort and are ideal for navigating the shallow back bays around Chincoteague and Assateague Islands, allowing us to get our customers up close and personal with the wild ponies and various other wildlife that populate Assateague Island.

Our History

The Daisey’s were among the original settlers of Chincoteague and their love for Chincoteague Island and its way of life has been passed down through generations. Tom Daisey worked as a waterman for over thirty years, his son Ted has been a U.S. Coast Guard Licensed Captain for over 15 years.

Daisey’s Dockside, operated by Tom and Mary Ann Daisey as a bait & tackle store and fishing pier for over 18 years, is now operating as the base of operations for Daisey’s Dockside Nature Cruises. Captains Tom and Ted strive to provide their guests with an exciting and authentic expedition on the local waters.

Pictured to the right are Parker and Elizabeth Daisey, great-great grandparents of Ted Daisey. The photo was taken in the late 1800’s on South Main Street, near Daisey’s Dockside.

Pony Viewing with Daisey’s Dockside Nature Cruises

Cruise, with your native captain, along the expansive inner coastline of Assateague Island where the wild ponies live. Wild Ponies have inhabited Assateague Island for hundreds of years. We know the best spots on the Assateague coastline for pony viewing and we’ll take you there.

In recent years wildlife management officials have built miles of fencing along the roadways on Assateague to keep the ponies off the roadway and protect them from getting hit by vehicles. Numerous pony bands (families) roam extensive areas of Assateague Island that cannot be seen from the roads on Assateague.

Our cruises provide access to these remote areas of Assateague, maximizing your potential to encounter the ponies up close (including the rarely accessed northern portion of the Virginia side of Assateague Island, where the many of the pony bands live). Our experienced local guides will get you there!

We will take you to where the Wild Ponies live!

What People Say

TripAdvisor

Certificate of Excellence 2012

Our customers love us! Please click here to read all of our TripAdvisor customer reviews. A sample review is below.

“WONDERFUL! BOOK IT NOW!” We just returned from a first time stay on Chincoteague Island and booked a cruise after reading the great reviews on Trip Advisor! Now I have to add my own! Our 9 and 11-year-old boys loved it and could have stayed on for 2 more hours! When was the last time you booked a boat tour that maxed out at 6 people (and 2 dogs, Capt. Tom’s and our mini labradoodle!). The tour of Chincoteague and Assateague Islands was informative yet relaxing with Capt. Tom Daisey at the wheel. He took us to see the famous ponies, lighthouse, docked at the sand bar where we all got out and explored then went in search of dolphins! We saw dolphins and Capt. Tom made sure we all had enough time to take our pics and watch these fascinating creatures! On the way back he let the boys have a turn at the wheel which made an all-around wonderful nature cruise a 10 in their book! We will book this nature cruise again when we return to Chincoteague Island!

From Sammamish, WA
Visited July 2011

Tour Photos & Video

Daisey’s Dockside Nature Cruises Tour Photos and Video

All of the photos below were taken on our tours and offer a sampling of the wildlife and scenery you can expect to see on our nature cruises. Ponies, dolphins, bald eagles, the Assateague Lighthouse, and sunsets on Chincoteague Bay are just some of the highlights you can experience on our nature tours.

FOR RESERVATIONS CALL 757-336-5556

Tours depart from Daisey’s Dockside pier and dock house, which is located on South Main Street, approximately 2 miles south of the bridge.

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What to bring?

A light jacket or sweatshirt is always a good idea when going out on the water. Binoculars and/or a camera can add to your experience. You are welcome to bring your own refreshments (no alcohol, please).

E-mail us: [email protected]