You really don’t have to. We feel that our 6:30 am tour is the best because there are fewer other people out there looking for the same manatee. But honestly, everyone who takes our 11:00 am or 2:00 pm tours has a great time.

Yes. But by the time everyone is geared up, briefed, watches the “Manatee Manners” video, and we get to the snorkeling location it is light.

Yes. We include wetsuits, masks and snorkels, and in most cases, fins.

It pretty much is, yes. The water is 72F (21C) year round. That may seem warm, but you have to be very calm and quiet in the water, so you’re not generating much body heat. You are essentially just floating for up to well over an hour and sometimes as much as two hours. It gets cold.

No. If you can swim just a little and you’re not afraid of the water you should be fine. Wetsuits make you a lot more buoyant than normal and we have “noodles” on board. We encourage everyone to use them. Let your Captain know before you leave the dock and they can give you some pointers and stay with you for a few minutes while you get used to it.

The first thing you need to know is that our Captains are generally in the water, not on the boat. If it doesn’t work out with a younger child one of the parents would have to stay with them on the boat. Usually kids start doing well somewhere between the ages of 6 to 8 years old.

We cannot allow pets on the boats. Another passenger could be allergic. But we all have pets and love them. Service animals are allowed, of course.

Actually, the time we list is the arrival time. Before you get there the Captains are very busy getting ready for the trip, so if you get there too early they won’t be able to help you, anyway.

Please call the shop to discuss the logistics.

We accept walk-in’s, but we may not have room on the boat. We will run a tour at a random time for a group of 3 or more, but without a reservation we may not have a Captain available.