The Savannah River carves a 301-mile corridor from the Appalachian foothills to the Atlantic, and its final tidal stretch—between Hilton Head Island and Savannah's historic waterfront—has served as a commercial and recreational artery since the eighteenth century. Daily scheduled ferry service between the barrier island and Georgia's oldest city began in the early 2000s, replacing an informal network of water taxis and charter boats that had operated intermittently for decades. Today, the express ferry departs from Lighthouse Road on Hilton Head's northern shore, crossing the river mouth in forty-five minutes and docking at the River Street terminal beneath Factor's Walk. The route threads the Intracoastal Waterway and passes Daufuskie Island, Bloody Point Range Lights, and the Fort Pulaski National Monument. Tidal marshes flank both banks, and bottlenose dolphins patrol the shipping channel year-round. Harbor sightseeing cruises depart from the same dock, narrating Savannah's maritime history—cotton wharves, blockade runners, Waving Girl folklore—while passing beneath the Eugene Talmadge Memorial Bridge and rounding Hutchinson Island. Wildlife eco cruises focus on the salt marsh ecosystem: oyster beds, great blue herons, and fiddler crab colonies visible at low tide. Sunset departures follow the river downstream toward Tybee Island, timing the return leg to capture the western sky over the Low Country marshes. Lunch cruises operate a slower loop, allowing passengers to eat aboard while the vessel circles the historic district's waterfront. All tours originate from the same embarkation point on Hilton Head, and most operators offer a Savannah boat cruise from Hilton Head as part of a broader seasonal schedule that adjusts for weather and tidal windows. The river's current reverses every six hours, and captains time departures to ride the flood tide upstream and the ebb back out.