Weddings
String of pearls is a fabulous platform for your small wedding. Invite up to 35 guests and have an intimate wedding overlooking the marshes of Glynn. Wedding times can be custom and we make the boat available for your decorator and catering so everything is just perfect. weddings on the water are fabulous!!!
Weddings are available any time of year.
Price: $3,500.00. Please email or call for details and to book your special day!!!
(price does not include fees or gratuity)
sunset/Eco cruise
Start your evening with a leisurely harbor cruise aboard String of Pearls through the St. Simons Sound. Bring your own cooler and snacks and enjoy a spectacular sunset aboard the classic 71 ft. yacht. BOTTLENOSE DOLPHINS, ROSEATE SPOONBILLS, BROWN PELICANS, AND WOODSTORKS OFTEN ACCOMPANY US. THIS IS OUR VERSION OF A DOLPHIN TOUR SINCE This is not your regular sunset cruise. WE OFTEN SEE DOLPHINS AT SUNSET. IT NEVER GETS OLD!
Daily
Sept 15 -Oct 20 6:30
Oct 20-Oct 31 6:00
Nov 1 -Jan 12 4:30
Jan 12 - Feb 10 5:00
Feb 11- March 13 5:30
March 14 -March 31 6:30
April 1 - Sept 14 7:00
$95.00
(price does not include fees or gratuity)
PRIVATE CHARTERS
What better way to commemorate a special occasion or host a party than aboard the classic 71 ft. yacht, String of Pearls. We would love to host your Girls ’Night, private dolphin tour, wedding weekend celebration, corporate event. or private party.
Offered every day
You choose the time of day
$2,000 for a 2 hour charter
$1,000 each additional hour
(price does not include fees or gratuity)
We also do a Noontime Cruise Every Day!!!
Noon Harbor Cruise
Make your day great WITH A LEISURELY HARBOR CRUISE ABOARD STRING OF PEARLS THROUGH THE ST. SIMONS SOUND. You will likely get to see bottlenose dolphins and brown pelicans fishing and splashing and having a blast!
BRING YOUR OWN COOLER AND SNACKS AND soak up the noonday sun ABOARD our CLASSIC 71 FT. YACHT.
DAILY 12:00 PM - 1:300 PM
$95.00
Sunset Cruise
Enhance your evening by taking in the spectacular sunsets the Golden Isles are known for while relaxing aboard String of Pearls. With views of the Sidney Lanier Bridge and the Marshes of Glynn, you are sure to have an experience of the picturesque scenery you won't soon forget. Be sure to look for the many Bottle Nose Dolphins, Spoonbills, and all kinds of wildlife along the way on this Sunset/Dolphin Cruise!!! Cruises depart from Morningstar Marina. Bring your own cooler and start your evening off by creating memories that will last a lifetime. Bring your group or just have a nice date night… this is a great way to see what life on the water is all about!!!
The Sunset Cruise is available most days and the cost is $95.00 per person.
Reservations are required. Please click the 'book now' button for cruise times and availability.
A gratuity for the crew is customary,
*times are adjusted to daylight savings time and sunset times.
Bachelorette Parties
Bachelorette Parties are a lot of fun on String of Pearls!!! Grab all of your bridesmaids and come on out on the water to celebrate your special weekend!!! You can choose to come on either the Noon Cruise or the Sunset Cruise for $95 per person.
If you want the whole boat to yourself, choose the Private Cruise option and you can take over the whole boat!!!
Either way is great and you will have a wonderful time.
Please feel free to call Captain Matt to discuss what would work best for your group.
And yes, we do have a bathroom on board!!!
The Noon and Susnset Cruise are both open to the public (in addition to your group)
These options are best for groups of 12 and under
Bring your own beverages, call Captain Matt before planning too many snacks
If you have more than 12 in the group, You should really consider doing the Private Cruise option
Call Captain Matt to discuss and we will figure out what works best for your group!!!
Brooke Roberts Photography
Brooke Roberts Photography
Fort Frederica
The endless marshes
Fort Frederica
Sidney Lanier Bridge
Sunset in the Golden Isles
TurtleBox Audio Makes it Fun!!!
We are so thankful for TurtleBox Audio’s support!!! These things sound amazing!!! Have you tried out the TurtleBox Yet???
Adventure Cruise
This is not your regular dolphin cruise. Georgia is home to one of the most fabulous stretches of the Intracoastal Waterway for those people looking for incredible views, abundant wildlife, and peaceful surroundings as opposed to speed. Adventure awaits your group as you plan on a day trip to restaurants in Darien, GA, or Jekyll Island. Imagine casting off for a cruise behind Georgia’s Barrier Islands to have a fabulous meal then heading back home watching a glorious sunset!!! Better yet, let’s plan a true River Cruise to Savannah, Charleston, or Jacksonville with overnight Accommodations so you can experience all the Georgia Coast has to offer. We will help make all of the arrangements so you and your group can relax, take in the scenery, and have an experience few others have ever had.
Depending on what you want to do, we can help create this adventure for 6 to 30 brave souls. What will we see along the way? Shipwrecks? Dolphins? Shrimpboats or maybe some Pirates? If you want to know you have to go.
Reservations are required. Please contact us directly and we can help you create a one-of-a-kind adventure and create an incredible experience.
Pricing is completely custom based on just how far you want to go. Email us at classicyachts57@gmail.com or call 706-255-0975 and let us know you are interested in an Adventure Cruise.
A gratuity for the crew is customary,
Betty Haynes Photography
Cancelation Policy
Customers will receive a full refund or credit with 48-hour notice of cancellation for Public Cruises.
For Private Charters, a 50% non-refundable deposit is due at booking. Trip insurance is available. Balance is due two weeks prior to Charter. Private charters can be canceled by customers with a two-week notice. The deposit is Non-refundable. The balance will be charged to the account two weeks prior to the trip. The company reserves the right to wait until the day of the trip to charge the balance. Canceling within the two-week window does not relieve the obligation.
The Company reserves the right to cancel any time including the day of the charter for any reason (mainly weather or mechanical issues) for a 100% refund for Public Cruises. Contact us by phone to cancel or inquire about a cancellation. No-shows will be charged the full price.
Trip Insurance is available and highly recommended in case your plans change. There are many companies that offer trip insurance for a very reasonable price. Searching for Travel Insurance Companies lists many different choices. Here is a link to an article we found helpful https://money.com/best-travel-insurance/.
Trip insurance is critical for Private Charters because of weather, mechanical, health, and other transportation problems. Flights can get canceled or other disruptions can occur that make your plans change. Trip Insurance is your best protection against that.
Please don’t ask us to alter our policy.
Fees
We charge Booking Fees for those who pay with a credit card. These fees cover what we are charged by the credit card companies and the website that handles our booking process. The fees do not go to String of Pearls Charter Company. We are a small business and cannot simply absorb these fees. These fees are similar to what you pay when you buy concert, sporting event, or other event tickets online. Purchases made by cash, Venmo, or check do not pay these fees. If you wish to pay with cash, Venmo, or check please get in touch with Captain Matt at 706-255-0975.
Pricing
Sunset Cruise: $95.00 per person
Noon Cruise $95.00 per person
Private Charters: Begin at $2000. Click the “book private charter” button on the home page for more information. Maximum of 35 guests.
Please note that all cruises are tentative due to weather conditions. Guests will be notified if a change occurs.
THE CREW
Matthew Sligh
Captain Matthew Sligh
Captain Matt was born in Athens, GA and has been on the waters around Saint Simons Island since he was a child. After moving to Saint Simons full time in 2018 String of Pearls came up for sale. Since one of his parents’ first outings together as a couple back in the 1950s after meeting on Saint Simons was a trip on a wooden boat called The Pine Knot, Matt figured that purchasing, operating, and preserving String of Pearls was a project that needed doing… and so the adventure began for this chapter in July 2019.
First Mate Matthew W. Sligh
NOTE: We are pleased to announce that as of 7-1-2024 Matthew W. Sligh has accepted a position with the Brunswick Pilots Association as a Pilot Boat Captain. He is excited about this new chapter in his career and we will be watching him closely as he makes his start with the Brunswick Pilots. We will be announcing the new First Mate on String of Pearls shortly.
Matthew W. Sligh shares the same love of the water as his father and it shows every day on String of Pearls. Having lived in Athens and then on Lake Oconee, he has a tremendous amount of experience on the water. Matthew caught his first shark while visiting Saint Simons when he was four years old, and the love of the area has only grown as he has. While on-board, Matthew takes care of the lines and makes sure the passengers have everything they need to have a wonderful trip. He is also very good at spotting Dolphins and other wildlife… so be sure to let him know what you would like to see!!!
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String of Pearls is a Local Family Business
String of Pearls is a Local Family Business. Captain Matt drives the boat and oversees the restoration. Michelle does all the decorating and helps plan large functions. All of the Sligh Children have helped on the boat in some capacity with Charles, Duncan, and Matthew having all served as First Mate and Betsy as a Steward. Everyone is involved from time to time and like all Small Family Businesses, this one is very exciting!!! Our current First Mate, Cliint, grew up in the area.
We support local charities through donations and patronize local businesses. We buy our supplies in the Saint Simons and Brunswick area. We hire local people to do projects.
When you support String of Pearls you are supporting this great community and all of the Small Businesses in and around the island. We truly appreciate your business and support!!!
Pictured below are Matthew, Betsy & Duncan.
History
String of Pearls ca. 1960
Designed by Geerd Hendel STRING OF PEARLS was built in 1957 in Camden, Maine by Malcolm Brewer, the preeminent wooden boat builder of his time. Named PEARL NECKLACE, the 71 ft. yacht was a gift to the wife of the original owner who had requested a simple strand of pearls for her birthday. The owner drove PT boats in World War II so the yacht was equipped with four engines. She was built for speed and raced neighbor Jack Kennedy's sportfishing boat Marlin on Cape Cod Bay as well as the Nantucket Ferry. She was at one time the fastest boat in New England.
Built of mahogany and teak STRING OF PEARLS is 71 feet long, 16 feet wide, and displaces 40 tons, yet she can achieve a speed of 24 knots. She is a Coast Guard Inspected Vessel and is certified to carry 40 guests. Every year she is subjected to extremely thorough safety inspections.
After the original owner sold the boat, it was purchased and restored in Newport, Rhode Island, and chartered throughout New England for 21 years. Numerous celebrities such as Bruce Springsteen, Brad Pitt, Pierce Brosnan, Harrison Ford, many statesmen, and a couple of princesses have enjoyed the boat over the years.
In 2004 a five-star resort on the Georgia coast invited the boat to an exclusive charter arrangement. 14 years later she moved to Morningstar Marina and began to charter all the inland waters around St. Simons Island and the beautiful Golden Isles.
In 2019 Captain Matthew Sligh saw the boat and decided to purchase it. The transition was completed in early summer 2019, and Captain Sligh and his family began charter operations. They plan on continuing the restoration and chartering String of Pearls around Saint Simons for many years to come.
In winter 2021-2022 String of Pearls had extensive renovations above and below the waterline to ensure future decades of safe operation. This was completed at the world-famous Huckins Yacht Corporation in Jacksonville, FL. The craftsmen there did great work and String of Pearls returned to Saint Simons in April 2022 safe and sound and as solid as ever.
In the 2023-2024 time frame, we have added Paul Rogers to our staff who is a Master Woodworker and Yacht Expert. Paul has been hard at work on exterior and interior projects and has made great improvements to the Salon, the brightwork, and the hatches. He has also done some very technical repairs that have been so important and beneficial. Thanks to Paul and to Captain Matthew (son) we have made good progress on the restoration.
contact us
String of Pearls, the Golden Isles' only yacht charter, is located at Morningstar Marina in St. Simons Island, Georgia. Along with scheduled weekend sunset cruises and historical cruises, the classic 71 ft. yacht is available for private boat charters. Contact us now for your wedding weekend events, corporate group outings, or a large group of your closest friends.
Note… String of Pearls is a vessel that can be challenging for people with limited mobility. The walk from the parking lot to the boat is about 300 yards. Wheelchairs are available for people that have a hard time walking that far. Once you arrive at the boat there is a small staircase to climb and a small gap to negotiate with a large step up once you are on the boat. If mobility is an issue please give us a call to discuss.
Morningstar Marina
206 Marina Dr.
St. Simons Island, GA 3152
706-255-0975
classicyachts57@gmail.com
