Coastal Safari and Seafood at The Dunlin
By Jeff Dennis
Capt. Albo showing off a blue crab during Coastal Safari.
All photos by Jeff Dennis.
The South Carolina Lowcountry is a place where the tide ebbs and flows twice daily, and The Dunlin boutique hotel is situated along the banks of the Kiawah River. The low tide exposes countless mounds of local oyster banks when standing on the riverbank, and the high tide covers all that mud, creating a vista of water and green spartina grass. Part of the allure of visiting The Dunlin is the amenities available on the water including dolphin tours, fishing trips, kayaking, and sunset cruises.
The Dunlin just celebrated its one-year anniversary on August 1, 2025 and is a part of the Auberge family of resorts. While there is no golf course, guests can enjoy the spa, a pool with cabanas, and dinner at Linnette’s restaurant. Most of their 72 guest rooms have views of the water, and there are multiple gathering places such as lawns, firepits, and docks for folks to linger. All are accented by live oaks and palmettos, the state tree of South Carolina.
Opting for an eco-tour on the water is an easy walk toward the end of the peninsula to the Coastal Expeditions office, which is a Charleston-based business with 30-years experience. After a brief safety talk by Captain Albo, we boarded a 20-foot pontoon boat with a large top offering ample shade from the hot summer sun. A crab trap set up on the dock was pulled up, and a few blue crabs were collected for some saltwater education. Blue crabs must be a certain size in order to harvest, but in this case they were simply let go back into the estuary.
Fresh grouper with local greens at Linnette’s restaurant.
Our 30-foot catamaran boat was named Bird, and The Dunlin is named after a shorebird. That’s the thing about the Dunlin; every area is either named after a bird, or is filled with bird sculpture or pictures. It wasn’t long into our cruise that we identified brown pelicans, a royal tern, laughing gulls, and even an osprey. And then just like that we were right next to some dolphins and Capt. Albo simply eased the boat into neutral so the guests could listen to the mammals blow out water and draw in air when surfacing. How close were they? So close I even got a little spray in the face! With the tide going out fast, the Captain returned us to the dock safely.
The Dunlin’s Marketing Specialist Eliza Meadows gave me a glimpse into the spa area, where they offer massage or hot rock therapy. I made a note of the solar salt, mineral bath crystals for a later date, and proceeded to dinner. The Willette Room, named after another shorebird, is the downstairs lounge area and a stairway leads to Linnette’s, which offers grand views of the Kiawah River. An outdoor dining area is screened off to keep any bugs at bay, and a concise menu offers everything from surf to turf. I went with the catch of the day, a pan-seared grouper served with sea island red peas and collard greens. The pastry chef here also creates their signature bread made with emmer semolina grain, perfect for dredging through the sauce on my plate.
For my next visit a longer duration boat ride with a destination is in order, such as the Bird Key where nesting birds are found. Or perhaps wetting a line for a redfish, and perhaps seeing if the chef accepts creek to table offerings. I know this much, it’s going to be fun figuring out what to do on the water at The Dunlin next time.
