Our tour with Coastal Kayak Charters was amazing! Our guide, Brian, was great. He took the time to explain how the Shell Key Preserve came to be, and its impact on the local environment. We got to paddle through several mangrove tunnels, and along the way we saw many sea birds. We also got to go to a beach on Shell Key where we found live conchs, sand dollars, crabs, and saw dolphins playing in the water. We did not see any manatees on our tour, but Brian said they often see them on tours.
I am not an experienced kayaker, but I was able to keep up with the group without any issues. My two 14 year old girls were with me in a tandem kayak, and they did great. That being said, it is a 3 hour tour, and you will kayak over 3 miles.
I recommend wearing sunscreen or sun protective clothing, a hat, and bring a water bottle.