Set your sights on the Wilmington area's scenery by boat with these water tours

Are you new to the area? Whether a native or maybe just vacationing, you can enjoy nature and plenty of beautiful sights in the Wilmington area by boat along the Cape Fear River and more places.

Some of these local cruises have been a part of the Cape Fear region for years and find spots rarely seen and/or only accessible by boat. Others offer up themes for the ride, such as a look at history in Wilmington. At least one even gives you the option to pedal.

Here are six local businesses across Brunswick, New Hanover and Pender counties that offer an array of water tours.

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Wilmington Water Tours

In its 16th season, Wilmington Water Tours, have been voted most years as #1 on Tripadvisor.

In its 16th season and having been voted most years as #1 on Tripadvisor, Wilmington Water Tours offer a variety of cruises along the lower Cape Fear River.

WilmingtonWaterToursalso offers specialty cruises, private charters, school groups, and much more. Tours are held February through December. During Daylight Saving Time, tours are seven days a week. Reservations are recommended. For cruise times, please visit www.wilmingtonwatertours.net.

Take a trip: Wilmington Water Tours can continue operations from Riverwalk dock, judge rules

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You can also choose a variety of specialty cruises which include sunset wine tasting, Outlander in the Cape Fear with presenter Hunter Ingram ofWilmingtonFilm History, breakfast with the birds (birding cruises with Jill Peleuses), and monthly cruises featuring Chris Fonville and other historians.

For customized private charters, call Diane at 910-632-4095.

Ravens Nest Sailing Co.

Ravens Nest Sailing Co. offers sailing charters in Wilmington and Southport, North Carolina, aboard its cutter rigged sailboat, Freyja.

Ravens Nest Sailing Co. offers sailing charters in Wilmington and Southport aboard its cutter rigged sailboat, Freyja.

Oliver Parody, captain and owner of Ravens Nest Sailing Co., is a captain with the American Sailing Association. The sailing charters from the historic waterfront in downtown Wilmington, sailing early mornings to sunsets.

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The cost is $70 per person, maximum of six guests for a two-hour charter. Guests can bring their own adult beverages and snacks.

Parody also offers sailing lessons.

For more information, call 910-331-5009.

Angry Pelican Charters

Angry Pelican Charters offers sunset cruises and dolphin watching trips, since 2016.

Angry Pelican Charters has offered sunset cruises and dolphin watching trips since 2016. The tours generally include the Intracoastal Waterway, Cape Fear River along the Southport/Bald Head Island waterfront and nearshore out to the Oak Island Lighthouse.

Wildlife is a big part of these trips, such as alligator and deer sightings at dusk along the waterway. There are plenty of bird sightings on Battery Island, such as the Ibis, and sometimes you can see brown pelicans nesting.And you might spot dolphins feeding playfully.

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Reservations can be made through Memorial Day and start again after Labor Day. During the summer months, the tours are booked weekly on a first-come-first-served basis.To make a reservation, email [email protected], visit https://angrypelicancharters.com or call 910-742-0296.

Southport Water Tours

Come take a ride on the "Sally Ann" tour boat, named after Eli Bostic and Robert Frankenfield's grandmothers (Sally and Ann).

The tour boat was custom built to accommodate up to 31 passengers, but for room and comfort, the tour boat usually accepts up to 25 people.

In its ninth season, the boat rides up and down the Cape Fear River and Intracoastal Waterway. Some of the destinations include Bald Head Island, Fort Caswell, Fort Johnston and Battery Island. Participants can see lighthouses along the way and there are plenty of dolphins feeding inshore.

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Tours run seven days a week beginning at 1 p.m. and go out every hour on the hour.

Reservations are recommended but not required. To purchase tickets visit online at https://southportwatertours.com, phone 910-523-6021, or in person at 112 Yacht Basin Drive, Southport.

Southport Water Tours also is offering "Tiki Time," a tiki boat which offers scenic routes along the Cape Fear River near Southport Yacht Basin before entering into the Intracoastal Waterway towards Oak Island. Book private charters on the tiki boat. Bring your own beverages and playlists. The tiki boat is family-friendly and pet-friendly.

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BrewBoat Wilmington

BrewBoat Wilmington is a pedal boat docked on the north end of the Wilmington Riverwalk.

BrewBoat Wilmington is a river cruising pedal boat located inside Port City Marina at 10 Harnett St. near the north end ofthe Wilmington Riverwalk. (Pedaling is optional, the boat has a motor).

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Open seven days a week. Cruises are 90 minutes, during which BrewBoat navigate under the three bridges that span the Cape Fear and Northeast Cape Fear Rivers near downtown. Departure is every two hours starting at 10 a.m. The sunset cruise is the last one of the day, which departs at 6 p.m.

Bring your favorite adult beverages. BrewBoat provides ice, cups, koozies, coolers, and a Bluetooth enabled stereo. The cost is $45 per person and the boat seats 15 people.

BrewBoat is available to rent, if you want to to treat your party to a private charter.

For more information, call 910-239-7703 or visit https://brewboatnc.com/book-now/.

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Tuck's Water Shuttle

Join Captain Tate on his private boat Tuck's Water Shuttle out of Topsail Island.

It shuttles to and from Lea-Hutaff Island, surrounding sandbars, and the Intracoastal Waterway. Sunset cruises provided.

To schedule a tour, call 910-616-7106.

Cheryl M. Whitaker covers community news for the StarNews. Reach her at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Water tours in Wilmington, NC: Here's what to know