Greg was so great! I can't wait to come back to Florida and head back out on the water. My oldest…read moreand his significant other moved to Tampa about 6 months ago, so my husband and I and our other 3 kiddos came to the area to see him for a week. We stayed on the beach in Indian Shores, and I really wanted a water experience for all of us that wasn't on a large boat with a lot of other tourists. Looking for a private "captain" close to our beach house, and that's how we found Greg. We saw dolphins within the first 10 minutes on the pontoon. :) After perching on the sand bar and getting off the pontoon to look for shells and sealife, that's when the fun for the family really started. Greg explained the different types of birds in the area, the type of shells we may find. The kids were absolutely enthralled (ages 13-24). Greg was so friendly, informative and just plain fun. I highly recommend going out on his pontoon!

Captain Greg was amazing! He more than just a boat captain. He's a lover and true advocate of the…read moresea. We had a great time truly experiencing all the Gulf and Long Bayou had to offer. So glad for his expertise. We will definitely be back again & again. Highly recommend & very kid friendly!

I do not know where to begin. We signed up for a three hour cruise and that was exactly what I got…read moreand more. Jonas and Greg were the most hospitable hosts that made us a beautiful charcuterie tray for 6 people. Fresh cheeses, meats and fruits. They offered wine but but we decided we didn't need to drink. The ride to the Skyway Bridge was beautiful and the water and weather were all working in our favor. It was a relaxing ride and we saw a couple of pods of Dolphins. We felt we could reach out and touch them. As we got to the skyway and turned towards shore, the captain asked if we would like to sail, which we did for a while. It was spectacular. The catamaran was beautiful, clean, comfy and cozy. We were briefed on where to find the lifejackets and there was a small raft on the aft. I cannot say enough about this truly wonderful crew and Boat "Sweet Escape ". I highly recommend and will use them again! Thank you guys for a truly amazing time. My family was blown away.

Our family used this charter to commemorate my mother's passing and it was a wonderful experience…read more The staff was very empathetic and accommodating. The catamaran exceeded our expectations and we would definitely use them in the future and would most definitely recommend their charter service.

Need for Sea Boat Tours is a must-do when visiting the Tampa/St.Pete/Clearwater/Madeira & Redington…read moreBeach area. John's Pass is where it is at and Capt Ryan was easy to book with, has competitive rates and his boat tour was fun and educational for our family of 4. He gave us a little info about the area, got us close to a couple pods of dolphins (even saw a mom and baby), and took us out to a sandbar where we all learned how to find sand-dollars and took home some amazing shells that we wouldn't have found on the beach. He knew a lot about every creature and shell we found. If we are ever back in the area we will definitely do the tour again. Tips: Bring a towel, water, sunscreens and a snorkel/mask if you want to venture along the sandbar more. Capt Ryan has a couple of water clear-view viewfinders but our one daughter wanted to snorkel and brought her own - us parents used his viewfinders. We HIGHLY recommend Need for Sea Boat Tours - it was the highlight of our weeklong vacation!

Didn't think I was going to enjoy looking for shells, but I was very wrong. On this route that the…read moredriver, Ryan, takes you on, you see many dolphins and many different shells and sea creatures that are fascinating. Ryan was also very nice and was fun talking to. He took pictures of my group, safely followed around the dolphins, and stopped the boat to grab my moms hat that flew off my head. Very nice time and would do it again!

Wow! What a great day! 3 of us wanted to get out on the water so we booked our adventure on the…read moreGypsy Soul. I can't say enough on how amazing Captain Mike is! His boat is Uber comfortable and spotless. He's very knowledgeable about the waterways and local places to pull up and eat. He has the perfect floaters to sit on or hold your drinks. Can't wait to go out again:)

My boys had a great time fishing with Captain Gill. He's very familiar with the area and knows…read morewhere to find fish. My boys caught a lot of snapper and a back drum.

Captain Gill showed us a great time today on the inter coastal. It was still saltwater without the…read moremotion sickness of open water fishing in the ocean. We like to learn new things so he taught us how to catch our own bait. We chose the island and fishing four hour trip because we weren't sure if my sis and I would want to fish the entire time on the boat. He brought hammocks for us to relax on and pole holders. Captain Gill taught us a lot and was a courteous host. The boat is good boat for fishing but not luxury. My 15 yr old had a great time learning from the captain as well. Looking forward to his night fishing and a longer trip next visit.

Our group of four had the BEST day out on the water with Captain Logan! The vessel is a boat with a…read moreTiki Bar built right on top. The seating are barstools, so it's like a moving bar on the water. And it has a very necessary amenity - there is a marine toilet! We went out for a 4 hour trip at 12:30pm, saw some dolphins, went searching for manatees, cruised into St. John's Pass and the Gulf, stopped at a sandbar, and had a dance party. Really fun times! You bring your own food and drinks, and they have a cooler for you to keep stuff cold. Note that there is a place at the Bay Pines Marina where you can get food to bring onboard. We grabbed some fries and onion rings and they were good. This is a perfect way to spend part of the day whether you live in FL and don't yet own a boat (us) or your visiting FL and want to enjoy some time on the water (our friends). Can't wait to do it again the next time we have visitors in town or just want to get on the water.

We had a wonderful time celebrating our friends 50th! Thank you to Michael & Jeremy for your…read moreknowledge of the area and making our trip unforgettable!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED…read more My wife and I were in town on vacation and wanted to get out onto the water. However, we did not want to go with a large group or spend a lot of money. I came across Charter Finders and saw they were veteran owned. I contacted them via telephone, they answered all of my questions, and were extremely polite. They offer a discount for veterans and first responders which was nice and was a draw for us. We knew we were likely in good hands. The boat leaves from Sea Dog Brewery which was great for grabbing drinks to go and bring with! They make a good seltzer FYI. Dean and Tim had a cooler with ice on board where you could throw your own booze. There were only 6 other people on board and it made for a much better experience. We made friends and just sat back and relaxed. We were able to see dolphins up close on the way to shell key island and back. (See attached photo) Once we were at shell key advice was provided as to where to find shells. Some of us had high success. We were unable to snorkel due to visibility. The island is beautiful and not populated. The trip was roughly 3 hours long, but they were nice enough to extend it an hour so we got very very lucky. We highly recommend Dean & Tim and cannot wait to go again in the future.

We had an amazing time on this boat tour! We went mid week for my birthday and it was quiet in the…read morewater and the island. Our guide was amazing, showing us the best places along our cruise to shell Key! When we arrived, he guided us to the best spots to find shells! On the way back we encountered several dolphins as well! It was an amazing trip and I'd definitely book again with this company!

This place is part of a larger group that has many locations in the area. I was staying at a…read morebuddy's condo next door and since I enjoyed using them in Clearwater Beach I figured I'd check these guys out. Rob was amazing. He made me feel right at home guiding me through the process. I had a lot of fun and hope to come back next time I'm there. If you are looking for some no hassle jet ski fun come see Rob and he will make sure you have a good time. Thanks Rob once again and I hope you stick around because you make that place special.

Awesome experience in Sarasota! Our guide, Nolan, made everything super smooth and shared lots of…read moreinteresting facts along the way. The kayak was easy to steer, though my husband and I are both tall and it felt a bit cramped after about an hour -- not a deal breaker at all. The light attached to the kayak was a great touch and helped illuminate the fish we were spotting. We even stopped to feed the catfish and got an up-close view, which was really fun. Although the water was cold and Nolan mentioned some fish weren't out, we still saw plenty and thoroughly enjoyed the calm ride through Sarasota Bay with beautiful views of the city skyline. I would absolutely do this again!

Tour guide was knowledgeable but the group was so large it was difficult to hear him without…read moregetting rammed into by others. We didn't see much wildlife either which was disappointing.