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 Glenn. 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!!!
(prices do not include taxes and 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 & 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
(prices do not include taxes and 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.
Brooke Roberts Photography
Brooke Roberts Photography
Fort Frederica
The endless marshes
Fort Frederica
Sidney Lanier Bridge
Sunset in the Golden Isles
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.
Pricing
Sunset Cruise: $95.00 per person
Noon Cruise $95.00 per person
Fishing: Pricing begins at $800
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
AKA
The sligh family
Matthew Sligh
Captain Matthew Sligh
Matthew Sligh 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 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 the early summer of 2019.
First Mate Matthew W. Sligh
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 family business
When you come onboard String of Pearls, you will meet Captain Matt, his wife Michelle and at least one of their four children who staff the boat.
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 have done a tremendous job with String of Pearls and she looks amazing.
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
