Sealife Cruises

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Captain Jack and First Mate Lani share their tremendous knowledge of the local wildlife with cruise passengers, and they throw in a bit of history and geography as well.

Photo Credit: David McRee, VISIT FLORIDA Beaches Expert

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Hubbard's Marina Dolphin Watch boat at the dock, getting ready for the sunset cruise.

Photo Credit: David McRee, VISIT FLORIDA Beaches Expert

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Within 10 minutes of leaving the dock in Madeira Beach, dolphins appeared near the boat.

Photo Credit: David McRee, VISIT FLORIDA Beaches Expert

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A baby pelican in one of the many bird nests on Dog Leg Island.

Photo Credit: David McRee, VISIT FLORIDA Beaches Expert

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Brown pelicans nesting in the thick mangrove trees on Dog Leg Island. During the highest part of nesting season, February and March, these trees have more birds than leaves.

Photo Credit: David McRee, VISIT FLORIDA Beaches Expert

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Hubbard's Dolphin Watch in Madeira Beach is a twin-engine, open pontoon boat, made to navigate the shallow backwaters where manatees, dolphins and bird life are plentiful.

Photo Credit: David McRee, VISIT FLORIDA Beaches Expert

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The openness of Hubbard's Dolphin Watch boat provides a great view in all directions and gives a feeling of being close to the water.

Photo Credit: David McRee, VISIT FLORIDA Beaches Expert

You don't have to wait for a chance encounter to get up close to dolphins and manatees. Take a sealife cruise to view your favorite creatures of the sea.

Dolphins and manatees can often be seen from the beach, or from piers, as can many other types of Florida wildlife. But one of the best ways to really view Florida sealife and wildlife up close is to take a wildlife watch cruise. Getting out onto the water takes you to the wildlife, instead of having to wait until it comes to you. Wildlife cruise operators know where to go to see the most wildlife, and some even offer guarantees that if you don't see a dolphin or a manatee, you'll get a free cruise.

A Variety of Cruises

Wildlife watch cruise boats come in all shapes and sizes, from open-sided pontoon boats, to heavy-duty Zodiac-type inflatables that just carry a few passengers, to large deep-sea boats. Your cruise can stick to the quiet backwaters, or venture out into the open waters of the Gulf or Atlantic.

Dolphins are very curious and seem to enjoy being around humans. A mother and her three baby dolphins swam near the boat—close enough for a few photos.

During spring and early summer, you may be fortunate enough to see our beautiful herons and pelicans nesting in the thick mangroves. It's a beautiful sight to see hundreds of snow-white egrets and herons flapping, squawking, preening and showing off just a few feet above the water’s edge in the overhanging mangrove trees. Meanwhile, the tour guides provide informative narration about Florida and its wild citizens.

Many tour operators offer other cruises as well, like shelling and sunset cruises. Sunset is a great time for dolphins too, so you are very likely to see a great sunset and some dolphins! (Here's a reminder that the sun rises over the Atlantic Ocean, and sets over the Gulf of Mexico.)

Beach Expert on a Boat

On a hazy Friday afternoon, I stepped onto the deck of Hubbard's Marina Dolphin Watch that leaves out of St. John's Pass on Madeira Beach. I was welcomed by Captain Jack and First Mate Lani, who have been taking appreciative visitors on wildlife and sunset cruises for many years.

Captain Jack is a native of the area and his knowledge of the local waters and wildlife led us to a pod of dolphins within 10 minutes of leaving the dock. Lani walked around the very smooth and stable 80-passenger pontoon boat and spoke to each person, inviting us to get out of our seats and walk around to get a better view.

Dolphins are very curious and seem to enjoy being around humans. A mother and her three baby dolphins swam near the boat—close enough for a few photos. Lani said that on an earlier cruise the dolphins had been swimming alongside the boat and even jumping out of the water.

“You never know what you’ll see,” she said. “Each cruise is different.”

I was hoping we'd see a manatee, also known as the sea cow. Captain Jack said that they typically spot manatees three or four times each week, particularly between April and October. During the colder months, manatees migrate to the warmer waters of freshwater springs and to the warm water discharged near power plants.

The Hubbard Cruise took us on a scenic tour of Boca Ciega Bay, a wide shallow bay between St. Petersburg and its barrier islands, Madeira Beach and Treasure Island. We passed lush green mangrove islands covered with pelicans and egrets as well as multi-million dollar waterfront homes. Jimmy Buffet music played over the speakers between brief narrations by Captain Jack. Water, soft-drinks, and snacks were available for purchase.

I've always loved birds, so when we passed slowly by Dog Island Key, I put my camera to work. This very thin sliver of an island covered by mangrove trees is home to hundreds of nesting birds. While it was a bit late in the season to see the nesting colony in all its glory, there were still plenty of baby pelicans and egrets in the nests, including a Great Blue Heron with one very large offspring still in the nest.

A welcome breeze relieved the heat of the hazy, lazy, late-June afternoon and I sat down for a while to enjoy the ride, take in the scenery and enjoy Jimmy Buffet singing “Cheeseburger in Paradise.” Sure, I've heard it one too many times, but it brings back a lot of fond memories.

I was jarred from my reverie by a call from Captain Jack: “Manatee off the starboard side!”

I jumped up in time to see the telltale signs of a manatee swimming just under the surface. The boat drifted closer but the manatee never showed itself again. When manatees are traveling from one location to another, Captain Jack explained, they can stay underwater for perhaps 20 minutes at a time. Maybe next time I'll have better luck.

Where to Cruise

No matter where you are in Florida, you'll find a wildlife watch cruise nearby. Here are a few to consider:

Southern Star Dolphin Cruises – Harborwalk Village, Marina Level, Highway 98 East, Destin. An 80-foot, closed-cabin, glass-bottomed boat, the Southern Star cruises either in the Gulf of Mexico or Choctawhatchee Bay, depending on the weather, in search of coastal bottle-nosed dolphins.

Captiva Cruises – Departs from McCarthy’s Marina and South Seas Island Resort on Captiva Island. This is a 90-minute dolphin watch and wildlife adventure cruise on beautiful Pine Island Sound.

Manatee Sightseeing Eco-Adventure – Based out of Port of The Islands, near Naples and Marco Island. This 90-minute tour to a remote Everglades manatee hideout with Captains Barry and Carol Berger guarantees that you will see manatees or the trip is free. This cruise, available year 'round, is by appointment only.

Spirit of Pennekamp – Located in John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park on Key Largo. Take this tour out to Molasses Reef, 6.5 miles out in the Atlantic, aboard this high-speed, 65-foot catamaran that can accommodate up to 130 passengers. View the beautiful coral reefs through the glass-bottom boat. This is the easiest way to enjoy the beauty of a coral reef.

Florida Dolphin Watch – 125 Fisherman's Wharf, Fort Pierce. This tour starts out through Fort Pierce Inlet State Park and takes place in the Indian River Lagoon. It is essentially a two-hour private charter for your group of six people or less.

St. Augustine Eco Tours – 111 Avenida Menendez, St. Augustine. Certified naturalist guided personalized tours for six passengers or less. Reserve their most popular 1.5-hour trip and you’ll explore St. Augustine's rivers and creeks while learning about marine ecology. You'll see dolphins and bird life, as well as the city's historic sites from the water.

With so many choices, I recommend calling in advance to confirm departure times and locations, and making reservations where appropriate. Not all cruises accept or require reservations, but some do. Departure times may vary according to the season and the weather.