My really picky, hard-to-entertain 12 year old son who likes to spend most of his waking hours on video games, REALLY ENJOYED this tour, ESPECIALLY the banana boat rides with Captain Moseley. The water at Shell Island was a really wonderful warm temperature and there was lots to do, thanks to the tour company providing kayaks, stand-up paddle boards, snorkel gear, a water park (all included in the price of the tour!)...but it's true what another reviewer wrote about being on the wrong side of the island; the side of the island we were on, the water was not very "pretty" (it's clear and green for just a few feet out from the beach, then it's just really "dark" and you can't see through it (see my pic to see), so i didn't spend much time in the water. The other side of the island, which you get to see at the end of the tour, has the gorgeous water that the Florida Panhandle is known for. We saw a lot of dolphins! Would I do this tour again? If I had kids with me, DEFINITELY. If it was just me by myself, I'd probably find something else that gets me to the gorgeous water on the other side of the island. If you do do this tour, please remember to tip the crew (most of what they make is from tips and they are not at all aggressive in asking for tips, which I really appreciated..but they are really great (Ryan, CJ, Anna, Mosely) so please give them a little tip a the end of the tour to show your appreciation).
Odpowiedź od gospodarza
Aug 2019
Good Day, we appreciate your feedback. We often have guests ask why we don't set up our equipment on the Gulf side of Shell Island where the water is sometimes more clear. It is all about guest safety. The Gulf side may look more inviting, but you are dealing with currents and a lot of time in the afternoons, the winds pick up and it causes the surf to get much higher which isn't safe for anyone. Also, there are a lot of tour boats that visit that area along with hundreds of jet skis, so it is an accident waiting to happen.
On the Bay side of Shell Island, we never have to deal with undertows, rough surf or boat traffic (too much). We wish we could set up on the Gulf side of Shell Island everyday, but it isn't safe and we cannot risk having someone, including our staff, get hurt or worse. It is a valid question, but as a responsible tour operator, we would prefer to look out for our guests safety first.
We appreciate your feedback and thank you for coming out with us.
Thank you,
Donnie and Tracey Coker