Gulf Coast Ducks, the amphibious tour company that has given visitors a splash-and-drive look at downtown Mobile, will not operate in the Port City during 2019.
Owner Scott Tindle said the company has been unable to secure insurance coverage for its duck boats next year, a direct consequence of the deadly July accident in Branson, Missouri, in which 17 of 31 passengers died when a duck boat sank on a lake during a storm.
Tindle said Gulf Coast Ducks will continue running its regular daily tours through the final six weeks of this year. The company also plans to offer a holiday-themed specialty ride, the Polar Duck Express, during that window.
The duck boats — vehicles that travel on both land and water — had become a recognizable part of Mobile’s tourism scene, carrying passengers from the streets of downtown out into the water around the Port City.