Frequently Asked Questions
Here are the top 10 questions that we get asked about our mangrove tunnels kayak tour.
1) What sets us apart from our competitors?
- We are the oldest Mangrove Tunnels Kayak Tour on Marco Island with the most experience.
- Our guides go through lots of education and training. Most of our guides are naturalists and biologists. So you'll actually learn something on our tours. Our competitors sometimes can't even speak english and they are unable to answer basic questions about wildlife during their tours. We often receive feedback from our competitors customers complaining that they didn't learn anything on their tour or needed assistance paddling and wished they booked with us.
- We don't pay TripAdvisor and Viator up to 40% of our gross earnings to appear at the top of the rankings. That's right... if you book through TripAdvisor, Viator, Booking.com and Groupon, then you aren't booking with the real #1 company... you are booking with a random company that could have been founded yesterday. Whichever company gives the biggest commision to TripAdvisor / Viator will appear in the #1 spot. Use Google or Yelp for real rankings or just ask a local.... and thank you for always booking direct.
- We are the oldest Mangrove Tunnels Kayak Tour on Marco Island with the most experience.
- Our guides go through lots of education and training. Most of our guides are naturalists and biologists. So you'll actually learn something on our tours. Our competitors sometimes can't even speak english and they are unable to answer basic questions about wildlife during their tours. We often receive feedback from our competitors customers complaining that they didn't learn anything on their tour or needed assistance paddling and wished they booked with us.
- We don't pay TripAdvisor and Viator up to 40% of our gross earnings to appear at the top of the rankings. That's right... if you book through TripAdvisor, Viator, Booking.com and Groupon, then you aren't booking with the real #1 company... you are booking with a random company that could have been founded yesterday. Whichever company gives the biggest commision to TripAdvisor / Viator will appear in the #1 spot. Use Google or Yelp for real rankings or just ask a local.... and thank you for always booking direct.
2) What wildlife will we see on our
kayak tour? Dolphins? Manatees?
Simply put... whatever mother nature decides to present to us that day. Every day is a different surprise. The weather, time of day and tide all effect what kinds of wildlife we'll see. We don't guarantee any specific kinds of wildlife, however we often encounter a wide variety of birds such as Igrits, Heron, Osprey, Vulture and Eagles. We also may spot large conch shells, crabs and invertebrate on the shallow flats or low tide. We periodically get dolphins swimming through the estuary hunting for mullet. During the summer months (May - October) we start to get Manatees in the area! If you're wondering about sharks or alligators... then scroll down.
Simply put... whatever mother nature decides to present to us that day. Every day is a different surprise. The weather, time of day and tide all effect what kinds of wildlife we'll see. We don't guarantee any specific kinds of wildlife, however we often encounter a wide variety of birds such as Igrits, Heron, Osprey, Vulture and Eagles. We also may spot large conch shells, crabs and invertebrate on the shallow flats or low tide. We periodically get dolphins swimming through the estuary hunting for mullet. During the summer months (May - October) we start to get Manatees in the area! If you're wondering about sharks or alligators... then scroll down.
3) Will we see Alligators, Snakes
or Sharks on our Kayak Tour?
Since we are paddling in a salt-water mangrove estuary, it's unlikely that we'll see any alligators. In fact, we've never seen an alligator on any of our kayak tours. Alligators prefer fresh water and mostly live in the Everglades. We do have Crocodiles in Florida, however they are endangered and it would be extremely rare and newsworthy if we saw one. Sharks are born and grow up in the mangrove estuaries, so we may spot a baby shark if conditions permit... and don't worry, sharks do not like plastic kayaks. We have seen a snake maybe once or twice per year on our kayak tours. If we see a snake it's 99% of the time non-venomous and harmless.
Since we are paddling in a salt-water mangrove estuary, it's unlikely that we'll see any alligators. In fact, we've never seen an alligator on any of our kayak tours. Alligators prefer fresh water and mostly live in the Everglades. We do have Crocodiles in Florida, however they are endangered and it would be extremely rare and newsworthy if we saw one. Sharks are born and grow up in the mangrove estuaries, so we may spot a baby shark if conditions permit... and don't worry, sharks do not like plastic kayaks. We have seen a snake maybe once or twice per year on our kayak tours. If we see a snake it's 99% of the time non-venomous and harmless.
4) The weather forecast says it will
rain on the day of our kayak tour... what do we do?
During the wet season (May 1st - October 31st) the weather forecast will usually always show rain showers every day. Here in southwest Florida, rain storms almost always occur in the afternoons between 1 PM and 4 PM. This allows us to have a dry and pleasant morning tour at 9:00 AM before the rain showers hit and the temperatures get uncomfortable. In the rare case that it does rain during our morning kayak tour, we will still depart unless there are strong winds or lightning nearby. During the dry season (November 1st - April 30th) we run two tours per day: 9:00 AM and 12:30 PM because it hardly ever rains and temperatures are always pleasant.
During the wet season (May 1st - October 31st) the weather forecast will usually always show rain showers every day. Here in southwest Florida, rain storms almost always occur in the afternoons between 1 PM and 4 PM. This allows us to have a dry and pleasant morning tour at 9:00 AM before the rain showers hit and the temperatures get uncomfortable. In the rare case that it does rain during our morning kayak tour, we will still depart unless there are strong winds or lightning nearby. During the dry season (November 1st - April 30th) we run two tours per day: 9:00 AM and 12:30 PM because it hardly ever rains and temperatures are always pleasant.
5) I've never kayaked before... will
I be alright?
Yes! We have beginners participate on our kayak tours every day! Before every tour, we give a brief introduction and paddle lesson. Life jackets, whistles and dry bags are included. We'll be paddling 3 miles during our 2.5 hour kayak trip at a slow and relaxing pace. We also stop several times to talk about wildlife or the history of a certain area during the tour. The water is only around 3 FT deep in most of the places that we paddle... so if you fall out of your kayak, just stand up. Our tour guides are always nearby to assist and they are equipped with a tow rope if you need to be pulled. But... If we have to tow you with a rope, we will take pictures of you and send them to your family.
Yes! We have beginners participate on our kayak tours every day! Before every tour, we give a brief introduction and paddle lesson. Life jackets, whistles and dry bags are included. We'll be paddling 3 miles during our 2.5 hour kayak trip at a slow and relaxing pace. We also stop several times to talk about wildlife or the history of a certain area during the tour. The water is only around 3 FT deep in most of the places that we paddle... so if you fall out of your kayak, just stand up. Our tour guides are always nearby to assist and they are equipped with a tow rope if you need to be pulled. But... If we have to tow you with a rope, we will take pictures of you and send them to your family.
6) Should I ride in a single or double
seater kayak?
We strongly encourage kayakers to ride in their own single-seater kayak. We often refer to a 2-seater kayak as a "Divorce Kayak" because husbands and wives end up fighting the entire time. If you have small children going with under the age of 12, then we do recommend that an adult ride in a 2-seater kayak with their child. We also recommend a 2-seater kayak if somebody weighs more than 250 lbs. 2-seater kayaks can hold up to 500 lbs comfortably. If you have a child under the age of 5 years old, then that child can ride in a middle seat on the double kayak in between the front and rear passenger.
We strongly encourage kayakers to ride in their own single-seater kayak. We often refer to a 2-seater kayak as a "Divorce Kayak" because husbands and wives end up fighting the entire time. If you have small children going with under the age of 12, then we do recommend that an adult ride in a 2-seater kayak with their child. We also recommend a 2-seater kayak if somebody weighs more than 250 lbs. 2-seater kayaks can hold up to 500 lbs comfortably. If you have a child under the age of 5 years old, then that child can ride in a middle seat on the double kayak in between the front and rear passenger.
7) What should I bring? What should
I wear? Are there Mosquitoes?
We recommend bringing a bottle of water, hat, sunscreen and a pair of shoes that you don't mind getting wet. Flip-flops will work fine. We'll provide you with a large waterproof bag to put your car keys, phones and wallets in. Our guide and photographer will be taking free HD photos during the tour so you don't have to worry about getting your electronics wet. During the month of June and July on calm days without wind, we may get mosquitoes on our kayak tours and our guides provide plenty of bug spray if needed. Lastly, do not bring a banana... it's bad luck.
We recommend bringing a bottle of water, hat, sunscreen and a pair of shoes that you don't mind getting wet. Flip-flops will work fine. We'll provide you with a large waterproof bag to put your car keys, phones and wallets in. Our guide and photographer will be taking free HD photos during the tour so you don't have to worry about getting your electronics wet. During the month of June and July on calm days without wind, we may get mosquitoes on our kayak tours and our guides provide plenty of bug spray if needed. Lastly, do not bring a banana... it's bad luck.
