I’m thankful for reviews that help me know what to expect and I generally do my research before making reservations anywhere. I felt sorry for the group that showed up completely unprepared and flustered. Their reactions affected my own experience, unfortunately. Take parking into consideration, if driving, and arrive at least 10 minutes early to get acclimated—they set sail exactly at 2:30.
My top 5 things to know/do: 1. Apply sunscreen—the sail offers sporadic shade 2. Bring your own water (small coolers onboard offer canned drinks and bottles for $2+) 3. Wear a hat/sunglasses, comfortable clothing/shoes (they take a photo upon boarding that you might purchase afterwards for $12; a printed 5x7 alongside a stock photo of the lighthouse ) 4. Stretch (you move very little for 90 minutes and sit on an old, worn “cushion”/flotation device with very little legroom) 5. Stay down when the crew says to remain seated (the boom is no joke and the ropes move quickly).
The captain and his deckhands were friendly and engaging, thankfully. We only went back and forth in the sound from Harbour Town to South Beach, so after the first couple of laps, I had lost interest in sightseeing the same views. My teenage son declined the opportunity to steer, which he probably would’ve like to do when he was 10-12, though a young man in his 20s took the helm for nearly an hour. We moved fairly slowly and saw one dolphin. We later heard sharks were in the area so that could be why. My favorite part was lying down on the deck, staring at the sky and daydreaming (aka ignoring how bored and restless my husband & son were).
The sail is everything they market it to be—just know before you go.