THE BEST EXPERIENCE EVER!! Tanner and Shay were absolutely amazing. We have been on many sunset…read moredolphin tours and this was hands down the best. We will definitely be booking another trip back just to do a trip with them!!

I've done the Sebago snorkeling trip twice now and I'd absolutely do it again! We saw so many…read morecolorful fish that it honestly felt like swimming through an aquarium. It's such a cool experience and definitely one of my favorite things to do in Key West. The crew is amazing too. Everyone is super friendly, fun, and keeps the whole trip lively. And the ride back? THAT'S A PARTY. && If you know me you know I love a party. After snorkeling, everyone is ready to have a good time, and the energy on the boat is so much fun. Clearly I liked it enough to come back for round two, so that should tell you something! Highly recommend.

Our group of 5 had an amazing day on the water fishing and sightseeing. The captain and crew were…read morehelpful with instruction, oversight, guidance, and assistance. We were on the water for about 1/2 day and plenty long enough to get some sun and catch enough to have a mess of fish for dinner later. We fished and moved to at least 4 spots. Be sure to bring plenty of sunscreen. We also packed a small cooler with drinks and snacks. Don't forget the hand sanitizer -- you'll be glad you did after handling bait and (hopefully) any fish you catch! When we returned to the dock, the crew prepped and filleted our catch for a nominal fee. Tips are appreciated and should definitely be considered a standard practice by patrons and not just a courtesy. Well earned after the hard work of a day on the water. The boat charter can accommodate about 40 passengers; however, on the day we went, we were at about 2/3 capacity. Customers were a wide skill range from rookies to regulars. We took our fresh prepped fish home and sautéd it later for an impromptu house party for 7 diners. Great experience to be able to eat something we'd caught earlier that day!

Staff was helpful, knowledgeable, and friendly. Boat was clean and spacing/position on boat was…read morefair... meaning we asked "if" a position on the stern is available we would like to be considered. Captain was more than accommodating and we truly enjoyed ourselves. We ended up giving our fish to some other folks who hadn't been as lucky. We highly recommended Gulfstream Fishing

Had the best time!! Caught a bunch and everyone was so helpful!! We had an awesome time and will…read moredefinitely be back!

We went on August 18th. There were maybe 3 keeper fish caught and they barely met the limit. The…read moreboat mainly caught yellow tuna. I saw no grouper or snapper. The guide asked if I wanted my picture made with a six inch long fish. They wanted a 20 dollar tip each for 2 hands. They got ten. They mainly were concerned with us staying in the heat so they could sell us water. A complete waste of time. charter a boat ride to sight see you'll have more fun.

Absolutely amazing experience. If you are looking for a charter anywhere near the keys you MUST…read morebook with Jason and Debi! The knowledge and fun they both had and shared with us was top notch! Not only did they teach us all so much but they got us on fish and had a blast the entire time! We had such an awesome time our first day fishing offshore with them that we booked a second trip for the very next day with them! They will do whatever it takes to get you on the fish and to make sure you have an awesome time doing it ! We can't rave enough about Debi and Jason and how awesome of an experience we had, and overall just great people they are! We will DEFINITELY be back very soon and are happy to say we are leaving The Keys with 2 new friends ! Cheers !

I'm a little late for the review, but I've been running at the speed of sound since we got back…read more But OMG, what a time. Usually a long holiday weekend in the Keys is a challenging thought, as the traffic and weekend warriors tend to make a 4 hour trip into an 8 hour one, but given the break in the work schedule and the weather report, along with a highly recommended fishing charter operation out of Summerland Key, it was time to test the traffic gods and head south for a few days. We made it in record time, amazed that we arrived in time for sunset! We found our accommodations, settled in for the night, and enjoyed the most beautiful sky full of stars that can only be seen in these "away from the city" places, where the background light doesn't affect your view of the heavens. The next morning, we met up with JT and Debi Gabriel, gathered our belongings, and boarded the "fishing machine" for our day on the water. , being fair skinned Canadian and a desk jockey, completely covered myself in SPF80 sunblock for the day out on the water. The boat was roomy, had all the modern conveniences (we were able to charge our phones, enjoy our choice of music, enjoy beverages and lunch, fully equipped with all the modern navigation technology you could imagine). After helping load the bait wells with bait (fun!) we left on our adventure. The bay water was like a lake, calm, not a ripple. We stopped for gas at a local marina, where I picked up a pair of surf mocks/water shoes for $14 as my original footwear was not appropriate for the journey, as I was forewarned my apparel may be adorned with souvenirs of our trip, like fish blood and guts if we haul in a monster. Glad I did. We headed out east/southeast, for the first time in my life I was in a boat (other than a cruise ship) offshore out of plain sight of land. We crossed not one but two shipping channels as loaded freighters were heading south, and spotted a huge sea turtle along the way (very cool!). Finding frigate birds and weedlines we slowed down and hit a school of Dolphin (Mahi Mahi), where JT and Debi helped us with rods and bait, and before we knew it, we're reeling in fish in a fishing frenzy! We boated a few, kept the legal sized ones (one HUGE fish), and continued on for a while. Finding a fishing spot he knew from before, JT employed a power reel/rod combo for deep water bottom fishing. An impressive technical rig of multiple hooks, lights, etc. As we couldn't believe how calm, serene, and flat the ocean was today, and the partly cloudy skies gave us a little bit of relief from the powerful sun and heat, we enjoyed lunch and beverages waiting for our "guests below to announce their arrival". Next thing we know, JT's reeling up the line, and we have a beautiful tilefish in the cooler. Fifteen minutes later, a good sized snowy grouper! We realized the time and began to head back in, slowly trolling in the hopes of catching something, when we saw porpoises breaking the water in the distance. We slowed down and found huge (OK, 14 feet of shark is huge to me) sharks slowly circling the boat. We needed to empty the bait well anyway, and it was happy hour for the sharks, as the small bait fish hit the water, the graceful creatures helped themselves to our hors d'oerves. We soon had four to five of them, almost like a water ballet, circling on both sides of the boat, keeping us company while we had fish to offer. It was very impressive, and a memorable moment. We headed back to the dock, where JT cleaned/filleted the fish, and Debi cleaned out the boat and helped us gather our belongings. We cleaned up ourselves and were invited for dinner where we enjoyed the fish caught on our adventure, along with a few cocktails. The stars were out again, and some celestial event with Mars and Venus took place, and were clearly evident and visible to the naked eye. An absolutely amazing day and night, I highly recommend Boneafide Charters for anyone wanting to enjoy their day on the water in the Keys, for fishing, snorkeling/eco trips, and more.

There's something about stepping aboard the Appledore Schooner that hits you square in the chest in…read morea good way. The wood creaks just enough to whisper stories, the sails stretch like they've seen a hundred lifetimes, and even knowing it's a polished replica, it still feels like you've signed up for a voyage out of another century. The breeze rolls in warm and salty, drinks are flowing, food's dialed in, and the crew runs a tight ship without killing the charm. It's not just a boat ride it's a floating time machine with just enough modern comfort to keep you from questioning your life choices. Now toss in my crew a full-blown cast of characters that could rival The Hangover. One guy shows up dressed like a budget pirate, fully committed. Another thinks every moment is an opportunity for a prank. Then you've got the intellectual who knows everything, the guy who drinks like it's a competitive sport, the jokester, the snob and me, somewhere in the middle just trying to keep the ship from turning into a crime scene. I swear, the energy alone had "we're getting kicked off" written all over it before we even left the dock. And sure enough, chaos found us. A "harmless" prank turned into a domino effect one bumped shoulder, one spilled drink, one very offended passenger, and suddenly we're apologizing while trying not to laugh. At one point, our drunk friend got a little too bold near the edge, and let's just say there was a moment where we all collectively realized how quickly a sunset cruise could turn into a rescue mission. Words were exchanged, tensions flared, and for a split second it looked like fists might fly but somehow, like all great misadventures, it smoothed itself out into laughter, stories, and another round of drinks. End of the day? Absolutely worth it. Get on that boat, bring your people, and don't just take the ride make it a story you'll be telling for years.

We stumbled onto this excursion while vacationing in Key West. There were a few different options,…read morebut this one checked all our boxes. I wanted something family‑friendly, not too long, not too pricey, and ideally on a unique boat. We also did not need the extra "whistles" like open bar, DJs, sunset cruise, or crowded boats. Appledore had everything we were looking for and it did not disappoint. Check‑in was a little confusing, but just follow the signs for the Schooner Appledore II and you'll be fine. There are tons of restaurants and bars nearby, so go early, get your bearings, and treat yourself to snacks, lunch, or a drink. During our trip, we even saw one group miss the tour because part of their party didn't make it to the boat in time... so don't be that group. The boat itself is a replica 18th‑century schooner, and it's immaculately maintained. The three‑person crew (Captain Josh, Christine, and Ryan) ran the show. They were knowledgeable, friendly, and kept everyone's drinks filled--basically the dream team. They also asked for volunteers to help hoist the sails, and my two youngest jumped in like they'd been training for this moment their whole lives. We chatted with Christine the most, and she explained different sailing terms and parts of the boat, making us feel like honorary sailors. The sailboat takes a few minutes to set up, then heads out for about 45 minutes before turning around and cruising back to the docks. The whole experience lasts about two hours and is absolutely worth it.

We had a great experience on this fishing charter from start to finish. The crew was friendly,…read moreprofessional, and made everyone feel comfortable right away. They were knowledgeable about the area, patient with questions, and clearly passionate about what they do. The woman in the office was especially kind and helpful, and the crew made the day on the water a great experience.

Fishing is fishing, and some days are tougher than others. The amount of floating sea grass that…read moreday definitely made things challenging. Even though the bite wasn't great, it was still a beautiful day on the water. The mate clearly wanted everyone to catch fish and worked hard throughout the trip. You could tell he genuinely cared about helping people have a good experience. My only constructive feedback would be that I would have liked to see us change locations or try a different approach a little sooner. With only a handful of passengers on board, there was some discussion about switching things up, and looking back, it felt like it may have been worth trying earlier. That said, nobody can control the conditions, and I understand there are no guarantees when it comes to fishing. While it wasn't our most productive day on the water, we still enjoyed the trip and appreciated the effort the crew put in.

My fiancé and I booked online with Lost Reef Adventures for our first ocean dives. We were…read morecertified back in October in a fresh water quarry. The day we went, the waves were pretty choppy. I got in the water and panicked. Kelly, our guide, expertly made sure I got back to the boat. Spencer, our dive master, helped me up and reassured me the whole time. I got to spend the next couple hours hanging out with Spencer and robin (the captain), which honestly, was a great time. What I loved is how committed they were to safety, and also making me feel valid in my decision to abort the dives. My partner successfully completed two dives and had a fantastic experience with Kelly guiding him. If/when we're back in key west again for diving, we will definitely book with Lost Reef again!!

Lost Reef Adventures...the worst dive shop that I have encountered in 30 years of scuba diving…read more The negatives: The owner, Nick, was extremely unfriendly to the point of being hostile. He had a serious attitude problem and had no idea what the concept of "customer service" meant. He just stares at you, waiting for you to say something...it's really creepy. After telling us to show up at 7:00 for the morning dives, no one from the shop bothered to show up until 7:45. The crew was only okay. The dive master acted like this was an annoyance to be taking us out on a dive...like he just wanted to get this over and done with. He just swam around for 45 minutes until it was time to re-board. The boat pilot told us, "We're not leaving the dock until you get your gear ready." There was one guy (with a mullet and ear rings) that was pretty cool and very helpful. The equipment was fair, but had some issues. The first tank that I hooked up to only had 1200 psi, turns out that 1/4 of the tanks onboard had previously been used and not removed or refilled. The fact that they all had the rubber covers on the valve (indicating a fresh tank) made it very confusing as to which tank to use. My dive buddy's regulator was inoperable. The dives were fair at best. I guess Key West really isn't that great for sea life when compared to the USVI or Belize, buy the dive master didn't even bother to point out sea life. EVERY dive I've been on in 30 years had a dive master that took pride in his/her job and did their best to point out - things to see - during the dive. I told the travel office on the base at Sigsbee not to recommend them. There are vastly superior shops like Southpoint Divers and Captain's Corner that will give you a much more pleasant experience. I dove with Southpoint on all of my subsequent dives in Key West. The positives: The boat was great - lotsa space for everyone, safety equipment was plentiful, and the safety briefing was well done. As I mentioned before, one of the crew (lives in Roatan, Honduras and was visiting his daughter) was very helpful but unfortunately, he was the exception. The BCDs, masks, and fins were fine. There's not really anything else positive that came out of my experiences. Do yourself a favor and use one of the other dive shops in Key West.

My husband and I booked a snorkeling excursion with Namaste and felt like it was only an…read moreadequate/average experience. Clearly, Namaste is pretty well reviewed on Yelp, but our experience made us wonder whether something had gone awry with our tour. The information we read on the website made it seem like it would be more of a special, hands-on three hours on AND IN the water. While Jeff was eager and informative about his on-deck timeline presentation about the millions of years of geological history regarding coral reefs, the information about the present day was a little lacking. Additionally, it was a bit surprising to be on an "eco" excursion and to hear Jeff talk about how global climate change doesn't concern him as much as pollution does, especially since climate change is the result of pollution by greenhouse gases. During Jeff's presentation on the boat, there were some details and photos of different corals, but there was no instruction in the water. The pics and description on the site made it seem like the four of us who were "guests" would be led snorkeling around the reef and be presented with observations and sightings of the marine life first-hand--for example, there's a photo onsite of a diver showing/handing a guest a sea cucumber. What actually happened was that Jeff dove into the water before any of the guests and then seemed to be off swimming on his own personal snorkeling adventure during the roughly 40-45 minutes we were snorkeling, although he and his (very friendly) wife, Trish, did swim by to take underwater pics from time to time. And that brings me to another point: We paid extra for a photo package, which ended up being publicly available pics that they posted to Facebook after the trip anyway; no "photo package" was ever provided specifically to us. Additionally, there was no checking in at any time about the comfort level of any guest--nothing asked about swimming abilities, no suggestion of floatation assistance in the fairly choppy water, and no requirement even of life vests at any time during the three hours we were on/in the water. This actually discouraged my husband (a nervous swimmer) from even getting in the water, although neither Jeff nor Trish ever inquired about why one of the only four guests on board didn't want to get in the water or whether there was anything they could do as guides. (The tour description called for strong swimmers but also accommodated "shy swimmers.) Jeff and Trish seemed, in this regard, as being rather amateurish, and the food and drinks provided were lackluster as well (a block of supermarket cheese cut up on the spot, along with shrinkwrapped watermelon and pineapple slices and crackers dumped out on plates set on deck. We aren't super fancy or picky, but we've been on less expensive and equally informative snorkeling excursions elsewhere (St Thomas, Turks and Caicos, etc), and Namaste was a bit adequate by comparison, especially regarding the higher price and the hands-on explorations that was promised via the Namaste website.

I'm no Key West expert - prior to my recent trip, the last time I was there was at age five. I was…read moreleft turning to the world wide web to find decent dining, nightlife, and activities. While lounging around was on the top of my family's list, a snorkeling trip was at the top of mine. I set out to find the right tour operator for us. Yelp led me toward a very well reviewed, giant tour company. As I flipped through their photos, something didn't feel right. Crowds, a party boat, frat boys. Where were the fish? Where was the coral? It seemed that these things were an afterthought for many operators. So I hit Google. And one operator's facebook page caught my eye: Namaste Sailing. Their facebook page was loaded with albums of recent snorkeling trips. In fact, each charter had its own album full of beautiful underwater photos. Seemed like a good sign. I made my way to their official website and found more goodies. Snorkeling, sailing, and a little bit of environmental education. Sounded like the right thing for me. Booking was painless. I called the main number and quickly realized I was talking to Jeff, the co-owner and co-captain of the Namaste, the 30+ foot sailboat he and his wife Trish call home. We settled on a "mixed private" snorkeling trip at $125/person that would last about four hours. Mixed private means other folks are free to sail with us, but no more than eight people total. It was significantly more affordable than a private charter but was still a small operation - a good trade off. Soon it was finally sailing day. We met Trish on a marina just north of Key West. She led us to the Namaste. As we approached the boat, we all assumed it was the small, dodgy-looking boat to our right. Wrong we were. The Namaste, to our left, is a majestic 37' blue water sailing dreamboat. We hopped on and were greeted by Capt. Ron. Capt. Ron is the Namaste's live-aboard cat and he was quite snuggly. Also on board was a very sweet little dog named pollito who was amazingly well-behaved. Then finally we met Jeff who would be our boat driver (after all, Ron is the Captain). Jeff and Trish couldn't have been more welcoming. We soon realized we were sitting aboard their home - they live year-round on the Namaste. After we left the harbor, Trish and Jeff tag-teamed a quick, informative, and passionate presentation about reef ecosystems, what we might see in the water, and how we can minimize our impact on the reef. Both Trish and Jeff are retired teachers and it shows through. This might have been our favorite part of the trip! When we finally arrived at the reef, we tied off to a buoy, donned our snorkeling gear, and jumped in with Trish. She led the way through crystal clear water to the Western Sambo reef. The coral was from 5 to 15 feet below the water. The reef was a beautiful mural of sea fans, fish, corals, and sand. Truly indescribable. While we snorkeled around, Trish followed nearby and snapped photos of the reef, of us, and of us looking at the reef. Once we tired ourselves out, we swam back to the boat and returned to shore. Our guides had cold watermelon and cheese & crackers waiting for us as well as cold drinks. Once we were back on shore, we started checking the Namaste facebook page religiously. We were so eager to see our tour amongst their many photo albums. About three days afterwards, our photos appeared. They were excellent and will make sure we remember the trip for years to come. Trish is quite the photographer! We were encouraged to download the pictures -- at no additional cost. If you want to snorkel while in Key West, you should do yourself (and the reef) a favor and opt for a small and responsible operator like Namaste Sailing. Once you've committed to that goal, going with this outfit is a no-brainer. Jeff and Trish bring such deep passion to their work. If I make it back to Key West, another trip on the Namaste is undoubtedly in my plans.