We had the best time with Kathe and Sailor; Sailor made the trip extra special for us. We had a special needs boy in our group and she made really sincere accommodations for him (avoiding noisy areas). Sailor sniffed out the dolphins and alerted us when he saw them. The dolphins played in our speed waves, it was unbelievable. Kathe is local, lived here her whole life, daughter and wife of a fisherman...so she cares about the area, shows things like bird sanctuaries and is very careful with the gulf life. She has history of the area and a lot of knowledge to share. She has a funny personality and her snd Sailor make a perfect team. Thanks for the memories, Kathe! read more

Capt Kathe's Boat Tours - Group shot with Kathe and Sailor - Boat Tours Near Me - Cortez, Florida

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I called Capt Kathe for a last minute boat tour on a Sunday and she was available and reasonably priced. Her daughter Katie and puppy Piper met us at the dock and we were on our way. Katie was very knowledgeable about the area and took us to 2 places to snorkel and look for shells. We booked for 2 hours but we were out for almost 3. I would definitely book again. read more

Had a great time with Capt Kathe and her first mate Sailor. It was a very cold night, but still able to watch dolphins play in our wake, witness a beautiful sunset and here a little local history. Will def go back when it's warmer ! Thanks Capt read more

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Best tour on AMI. We love Kathe!!! Knowledgeable. Fun. Pup Pup is adorable. We'll definitely be back.

We were so very pleased with our time with Captain Katie! We love making memories with our dogs and they were so kind to welcome our 3 dogs on the excursion. We spotted dolphins and enjoyed learning about the history and wildlife surrounding this beautiful island. We had never experienced docking on a sandbar and had a completely different idea of what you actually do on a sandbar. It was so much fun. It was such a fabulous way to get out in and around nature with no distractions. Our dogs LOVED it!!! I highly recommend Capt. Katie's Boat tours. read more

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Capt Kathe's Boat Tours, fun for the whole family. Capt Kathe is incredibly knowledgeable of the entire area, being a native she told us a ton of history while on the tour. She's the best! We got to see the amazing sea creatures while getting wonderful information about them. She knows her stuff. Lots of fun!! Awesome experience. Thank you read more

I can't really think of a local business more deserving of 5 stars than Capt. Kathe. Her tour exceeded my expectations in every way. Kathe's knowledge of the waterscape is immense. I believe she could navigate the intercoastal waterway with her eyes closed (if not for the careless speedboaters). She's also acutely in touch with the local wildlife. I got goosebumps seeing a group of dolphins swimming and jumping in our wake. And when we stopped at a sandbar, she immediately netted a sanddollar for us to examine. Later she found a tiny translucent crab about the size of a dime, amongst other cool creatures living in this shallow water. Her magical eye site was also demonstrated by her ability to spot bits of trash and debris in the water from impossible distances. She keeps a net next to the helm for clean-up. Her tour included a brief education and history about the Cortez fisherpeople (she's a 4th generation fisherwoman), the Starfish Co. and her life growing up on the water. She keeps the conversation going with fun anecdotes and commentary on whoever you see on the water. Her pontoon boat seats 6, or 7 if one person volunteers to be 1st mate. She encourages you to bring a cooler with whatever food/beverage you'd like and wear your swimsuit for exploring the sandbars. She brings along her 2 lovable dogs. You can choose a seat in the sun or under the canopy. Kathe's tour is memorable, authentic, and a good way to get a tan ;) read more

Capt Kathe's Boat Tours - Mr. Crab - Boat Tours Near Me - Cortez, Florida

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We had the best time with Captain Kathe and Sailor! We were able to see dolphins, manatees and stopped at a sand bar for some more fun! Would definitely recommend! read more

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It was a great afternoon . We looked at Stingrays and Dolphins. And I walked in water read more

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We had a great time!! Saw lots of dolphins, a manatee, swam on a sand bar and saw lots of sand dollars and some little fish! She found a sea urchin and some conchs for us to look at! Fun for all ages!! read more

Capt Kathe's Boat Tours - Boat Tours Near Me - Cortez, Florida

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Great boat tour experience with Captain Kathe. She is local and knows all around. She took us place not many people know. We will repeat for sure. read more

It is not possible to say enough positive things about Capt Kathe.... just went on a sunset cruise and she was a fantastic guide...4th generation Cortez fishing family... knowledgeable, passionate about Cortez, fishing, Florida & the environment. Saw dolphin, learned about the area and saw a picture perfect sunset. This was the highlight of our week! Can't wait to come back next year! read more

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The highlight of my recent trip to Sarasota was the boat tour with Captain Kathe. She deserves such high praise. Don't bother with a larger cruise! Captain Kathe is sweet, kind and will take to see whatever it is you want to see. We saw SO MANY dolphins and so close up to our boat! Truly an experience I will never forget. We also stopped at a sandbar and saw sand dollars, sea anemones and conchs galore. She charged $30 per passenger for two hours on her boat. Her boat can fit 6, if your party is less than that, she'll pair you with another group. If you call her, you'll see how flexible she is (she was fielding calls while we were out on the boat) - she can do sunset tours, picnic tours (she lets you bring whatever you want on her boat). You can see her love of the ocean, of her home town and of all animals and people. She was incredibly knowledgeable about the sea life and about what's safe for them and legal. Y'know how sometimes you go to a zoo and you feel a little queasy for all those locked up animals? With Captain Kathe, I felt assured that she wouldn't do a thing to harm the sealife, just for the sake of tourism. Captain Kathe has two cocker-spaniels that she generally has on the boat with her, but they are well-behaved and won't bother you if you aren't a dog-person. I'm fine with dogs, but my friend who went along isn't a fan and she couldn't help but note how well-behaved the dog were. If you want to add a little adventure to your beach vacation, call Captain Kathe! read more

We went on this amazing boat tour today. We woke this morning to heavy rain and we scheduled to go out at 10. We were able to reschedule with no problem to later in the day. It ended up being a beautiful day. We saw a dolphin and it's baby so amazing. We stopped at a couple sandbars and found some amazing sea creatures. The boat tour after us canceled so they keep up out for extra time which was great. At no extra fee. I highly recommend this tour. read more

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The tour is nice but I really get sick of the barking dog. It really takes away from a nice relaxing ride! I would like more shade than what is offered, I said to my spouse this is like a broiler out here and with barking dog it wasn't as good as it could be. read more

I took my family on this tour and we had a great time. We watched dolphins playing for 30 minutes. There was 6 of us on the boat and that was perfect... not too crowded. Sailor the dog accompanied us and barked every time he spotted a dolphin, which was hysterical. The captain was friendly and knowledgeable about the area. We enjoyed our 2 hour tour. The price was also great, $30 per person. Highly recommend!!! read more

This was such a fun trip! Captain Kathe is so knowledgeable and genuine, I think it would be impossible not to have a good time on this tour! And her beautiful little dolphin loving dog, Skipper, is a delight. We will definitely call her again. Keep up the good work, Captain Kathe and SkipSkip! Thank you for a wonderful, memorable afternoon. read more

Capt Kathe's Boat Tours - Boat Tours Near Me - Cortez, Florida

This tour is one of the best things we did on Anna Maria island. If you are a dog lover and want to see playful dolphins this tour is for you! The dog can sniff out the dolphins and direct the captain where to go. Captain Kathe is very nice and knowledgeable about the area. I would absolutely recommend! read more

Excellent tour! You will not be disappointed, saw Dolphins and manatees up close! Very knowledgeable and personable, and we loved skipper the first mate! This is a must for your vacation! See you in January read more

We've done this twice now when visiting Florida; it's my kids' favorite activity! And the dog is a nice bonus!!

Let me say up front that this is great value for the money. Captain Kathe and her cocker spaniel "first mate" took us out in a group for $30 per head (plus we tipped $5 each) for about two hours. The dog really does sniff out dolphins, which was terrific. The kids were absolutely floored (as were we adults!). The boat is very comfortable, and as a multi-generational Cortez resident and sailor, she was extremely knowledgeable. When we could get a word in. That's the reason for my three stars rather than five. Captain Kathe talked pretty much non-stop. That would be fine if it had been about the area, the marine biology, more of the history of Cortez and the area in general. We were particularly interested in why this is, according to her, "the last fishing village in Florida". But no matter what we asked, the answers were quick and she was off on another subject. We heard about her husband, when they met, her daughter, and we heard it over and over again, along with how much she hated being on land and loved being on the water. She spent a lot of time on her phone; not because she was finding things for our little cruise, but talking with friends and family. It did become really annoying after a while. That being said, again, this is great value for the money. It was lovely to be out on the water, the boat felt safe, the dog was wonderful, and we would do it again just to see the dolphins swimming alongside the boat and breaching almost within arm's reach. read more

Best tour we've ever taken. Captain Kathe is very knowledgeable. We saw lots of dauphins and a few manatee. We highly recommend her tours.