Frequently Asked Questions
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We depart from the Goodland Boat Park which is about 15 minutes from the beaches on Marco Island. The address is:
750 Palm Point Drive
Goodland, FL 34140
Please meet your guides at the picnic tables. If you are in the parking lot, the picnic tables are under the covered pavilion to the left of the marina store. Your guides will help you get parked, if needed. Collier County is now charging a $10 parking fee if you do not have a County Beach Parking Sticker on your vehicle. We do encourage the use of Uber or Lift.
750 Palm Point Drive
Goodland, FL 34140
Please meet your guides at the picnic tables. If you are in the parking lot, the picnic tables are under the covered pavilion to the left of the marina store. Your guides will help you get parked, if needed. Collier County is now charging a $10 parking fee if you do not have a County Beach Parking Sticker on your vehicle. We do encourage the use of Uber or Lift.
Please plan to arrive 15-20 minutes before your tour departure time so that you can get checked in, use the restrooms, etc. We board the boat at 5 minutes before departure time so that we can leave on time.
Please bring hats, sunscreen, sunglasses, shoes that you do not mind getting wet and water (preferably in a reusable container). You are welcomed to bring whatever you wish to eat and drink. Many guests like to bring a towel. Try not to bring “flip-flops”. Shoes that strap to your feet and will stay on are the best. You are welcome to bring shell collecting tools and bags. However, we do provide shell bags for you. Don’t forget your cameras!
We have used 27' Carolina Skiffs, powered by a quiet four stroke 150 horsepower Yamaha outboard, for almost three decades. They are extremely stable, very shallow draft and allow us to move as slow and as quietly as possible. We rarely are ever in water deeper than six feet.
NO!!! In the last 25 years. No one has ever gotten sea sick. We operate in protected, shallow waters that do not have the rhythmic up and down wave action that causes nausea.
The Dolphin, Birding and Shelling Tour and the 10,000 Island Shelling Tour are two hours in duration, The 10,000 Island Excursion is 3 1/2 hours in duration. Our tours are not “canned’, so the tour duration is flexible depending on the day and what we encounter during the tour.
Bathrooms are available before and after the tour. There are no bathrooms on the boats. However, there is the island and the beach surf.
That varies with every tour. We have several boats. One has a capacity for 17 guests, the others have a capacity of six.
We are constantly looking for wildlife … in all directions, including up. As well, We conduct a lot of photography experiences and boat covers obstruct the field of view and interfere with photographing opportunities. So, there is not a cover on the 17 passenger boat. However, the six passenger boats do have a cover.
Of course not!. That is for zoos. We are on the water most everyday all year long, so we do have a very good handle on wildlife habits and their patterns. However, the wildlife is just that … wild! If it has fins, feet or feathers you can count on it to move. So, we can only encounter what is out there in the short time that you are on tour. Everyday and every tour is different. Obviously, the longer tours provide potentially greater opportunities to encounter wildlife. You will learn about the 10,000 Islands ecosystem, its rich heritage and long history while searching for dolphins, manatees, herons, egrets, ospreys, eagles, sharks, rays, sea turtles, roseate spoonbills, various shorebirds and seabirds.
Well if it rains while we are on tour, we will get wet ...HA! Please see the cancellation policy question below.
Fortunately, we are in an area where weather rarely forces us to cancel a tour. We have many choices and options in this wonderful area. However, your captain/guide has the ultimate responsibility for your safety and so will make all "GO and NO-GO'' decisions. There are times when we may delay a departure due to passing weather. If we must make a "NO-GO" decision, you will have an option to reschedule your tour, receive a full refund or join another tour that is not affected by the day's conditions. We want you to enjoy our tours and have a great time. We do realize that situations occur that can alter travel schedules and plans. We limit the number of guests on each tour to assure an intimate experience. Your reservation assures that you will have a position on the tour and that we will not book other guests. Deposits are non-refundable.
If you cancel a tour more than two weeks in advance, you will receive a full refund. If you cancel within two weeks to 72 hours prior to departure, you will have the option to reschedule the tour, receive a non-expiring gift certificate for a future tour or refund less your deposit. If a tour is canceled less than 72 hours prior to the tour departure and you cannot reschedule the tour, the tour fees will be forfeited. At our sole discretion, a full or partial gift certificate may be issued instead.
If you cancel a tour more than two weeks in advance, you will receive a full refund. If you cancel within two weeks to 72 hours prior to departure, you will have the option to reschedule the tour, receive a non-expiring gift certificate for a future tour or refund less your deposit. If a tour is canceled less than 72 hours prior to the tour departure and you cannot reschedule the tour, the tour fees will be forfeited. At our sole discretion, a full or partial gift certificate may be issued instead.
They are very similar. Both are two-hours long. Both will search for wildlife. Both provide opportunities for shell collecting. The Dolphin, Birding and Shelling tour has ~40-45 minutes on the islands. The 10,000 Islands Shelling tour does offer more shelling time, but it is REALLY hard to leave playful dolphins ... especially when guests are engaged.
The Domes were located at Cape Romano … the extreme end of Southwest Florida. The place is absolutely stunning! If you wish to visit Cape Romano, please reserve the 10,000 Excursion. This tour is 3.5 hours in duration and provides enough time for us to visit. Unfortunately, Mother Nature reclaimed the Dome Homes. Hurricanes have washed them away.
Unfortunately, due to the daily tides and construction of the boats and boat docks, you cannot board the boat while in a wheelchair. In order to get on and off the boats, you will need to negotiate, with assistance, a couple of steps of a vertical boarding ladder.