Hurricane Ian Update: we are OPEN! Come on a wildlife adventure with us!

October 13, 2022

Hello wildlife lovers!

We wanted to update you all on the conditions of our area, tours, and the wildlife post Hurricane Ian. While the news highlights the devastation, much of Naples and Marco Island fared well. It was mostly the coastline that suffered the worst damage. As for us in the Port of the Islands, we had quite a high storm surge and lost power for a few days. We are happy to report that the water has receded, power is back on, and the waterfront community is doing great! 

Additionally, the mangroves are intact and there was minimal damage to the surrounding flora and fauna. We are very lucky that the storm did not affect our eco system. 

Fishing has been fantastic as well post hurricane. Our fishing captain, Jimmy, says that it is always a good idea to go fishing after a big storm. A few days after the storm rolled through, we had some guests catch 35 pounds of fish! Mostly red fish that were of size to keep, and delicious to eat!

With that being said, all boats are up and running and we are excited to take you on your next adventure! We have four different tours to choose from. If your focus is manatees, we recommend our 90-minute manatee sightseeing tour. We take you around the Port of the Island’s harbor and on the edge of the Everglades in search of these chubby mermaids. We often see alligators, bull shark and many birds as well.

If your focus is more on beach time, let us take you to the uninhabited Whitehorse Key! While Naples beaches remain closed for clean up, we have access to one of the only open beaches around. This is our 3-hour manatee, dolphin and beach eco tour. We begin with a shortened version of manatee sightseeing, but then head out to the Ten Thousand Islands where we beach the boat for shelling/swimming. Dolphins and sea turtles are commonly seen amongst the islands. This is a great tour for a little bit of everything: wildlife, Everglades, Ten Thousand Islands, and the beach. 

Maybe you fancy the wildlife and the Ten Thousand Islands but don’t necessarily care about spending time on a beach. Our best option for you is our sunset cruise. Similar to our 3-hour manatee, dolphin and beach eco tour, this cruise starts with a shortened version of our manatee sightseeing. We then head out to cruise amongst the Ten Thousand Islands where we watch the sun set over the water. It is a beautiful and relaxing eco tour. A great way to wind down and end the day. Common wildlife sightings include manatees, alligators, dolphin, shark, and birds.

Finally, who wants to go fishing?! As previously mentioned, the fishing is top notch after a storm. We have a 2.5-hour kids’ fish and a 5-hour half day fishing trip to choose from. Whichever time you prefer, we can tailor the trip to you and your family. Want to find the manatees? Let’s do it! Want to stop at Whitehorse Key for a little swimming? No problem. Your fishing trip can be spent however you like it.

So, while you contemplate whether or not to come on your vacation to SWFL, know that many restaurants, shops, and tourist attractions are reopening every day and need you now more than ever. Together we can recover from the storm and quickly get back to our normal sunny paradise! We are hopeful that season will still be prosperous. And we can’t wait to see you soon for your manatee sightseeing and wildlife adventure!