Key West Schooner Backcountry Eco Tour Sail Snorkel and Kayak
Description
Departing from Key West’s Historic Seaport, the Appledore Star’s sails are raised for an authentic sail experience on the way to Key West’s backcountry. Your day is spent exploring Key West’s uninhabited mangrove islands in the Key West National Wildlife Refuge. Keep an eye out for dolphins, sea turtles, manta rays and many other wildlife that call the Refuge home. Your captain knows where dolphins are frequently seen and will let you know if he spots any. Upon reaching the mangrove islands, the schooner anchors and your exploration begins. Your day is divided between guided kayaking tours and guided snorkeling tours. The warm, shallow water is calm, sheltered by the uninhabited mangroves, making kayaking a breeze. After your tours, come back aboard and wash off with our fresh water rinse, and relax on deck. Choose from plenty of complimentary cold drinks – frosty cold beer, wine, homemade sangria, chilled sodas and filtered water. This is the best of laid-back island living.
Tour Options
Itinerary
The Key West National Wildlife Refuge, located at the southernmost tip of the United States in the Florida Keys, is a sanctuary of natural beauty and biodiversity. Spanning over 200,000 acres, this refuge comprises a mosaic of habitats including mangrove islands, seagrass beds, and coral reefs, making it a vital haven for a diverse array of wildlife.
The Key West Historic Seaport is a vibrant hub of maritime history, culture, and activity nestled in the heart of Old Town Key West. Steeped in tradition and charm, this historic seaport offers a captivating glimpse into the island's seafaring past while providing a lively atmosphere for locals and visitors alike.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Total trip time is 5 hours; time at each location is dependant on weather, refuge conditions and Captain's discretion.
- To re-board the schooner after snorkeling and kayaking, you are required to climb aboard a platform secured to the boat just below the waterline, from there you climb a ladder back aboard the schooner.
Reviews(107)
Great experience with wonderful knowledge guides
We went out with luana and vitaly it was overall a great way to spend the day out on the water, not far from the coast, water was a little murky this day lunch included and drinks too which was nice, kayaking fun too, didn’t see coral reef and as many fish as other tours and spots saw a horseshoe crab crew overall good would have liked to go out a little further and seen more in the water
Thank you for sharing your experience! ⛵😊 We're glad you enjoyed your day on the water with Luana and Vitale, along with the kayaking, lunch, and drinks. While water clarity and marine life can vary from day to day, we're happy you spotted a horseshoe crab. We appreciate your feedback and hope to welcome you back for another adventure soon!
Our snorkeling and kayaking tour was great!! Christina did a fabulous job explaining everything and was very passionate about her job and the ocean! When snorkeling we saw angel fish and lobsters. When we kayaked we saw green sea turtles, horseshoe crabs, and tons of beautiful birds! We also saw a water spout! It was really cool kayaking in the mangrove islands and the hurricane cove. Lunch on the return trip, after a fun day on the water was delicious!
Thank you so much for your kind words! ⛵😊 We’re honored that you enjoyed your first outing enough to come back for a second sail! Hearing that both trips were exceptional and that our captain and crew helped make each experience memorable means the world to us. We take great pride in maintaining the vessel and providing a fun, welcoming atmosphere for all our guests, so your comments are especially appreciated. Thank you for sailing with us, and we look forward to welcoming you back aboard the next time you're in the area! 🌊🌅
My husband and I did this tour and loved it! Was probably the highlight of our trip to the Keys. The captain and first mate Christina were great and it was very informative. It is obvious Christina is very passionate about the area and was a great guide. There was no wind the day we went, so we did not get to sail, but the water was great and we did get to see a water spout. The ladder and platform system they have on the boat made it easy to get in and out (we are in our 60s and not in the best shape) when snorkeling or kayaking. Saw tons of birds, turtles, horseshoe crabs and multiple types of fish. Lunch on the return trip as very good. We would highly recommend the trip and will probably do it again the next time we are in the Keys.
Thank you so much for this thoughtful and detailed review! We’re thrilled to hear the tour ended up being a highlight of your trip to the Keys. 🌊⛵ Captain and Cristina will be especially happy to hear your kind words—she truly does have a passion for the area, and it’s wonderful to know that came through in your experience. Even without wind for sailing, it sounds like the day still delivered plenty of memorable moments, from the waterspout to all the wildlife sightings. We’re also glad the ladder and platform made getting in and out easy and comfortable for you—that’s something we work hard to make as accessible as possible. Thank you again for recommending us, and we’d love to welcome you back aboard next time you’re in the Keys for another adventure! 🌅
Great Experience with Luana and Kristina as the ship staff! The day I went was a very small group so it was like having a private charter!!!
Thank you so much for the wonderful review! We’re thrilled to hear you had such a great experience with Luana and Kristina. ⛵😊 It’s always special when the group is small enough to feel like a private charter—sounds like you got an extra memorable sail! We’ll be sure to pass your kind words along to the crew. We really appreciate you joining us and hope to welcome you back aboard again soon! 🌅
What’s lovely way to spend the day in Key West! We were in skilled and knowledgable hands with Captain Morrison and first mate Christina! Crew attended to our every need, making sure we stayed hydrated etc, and I appreciated the attention to the needs of this pristine environment as well as those of us humans there just to appreciate the beauty. We had ample time to spend in and on the water. Highly recommend!
Thank you so much for such a thoughtful and beautifully written review! 🌅⛵ We’re thrilled to hear you had such a lovely day in Key West and that Captain Marreson and First Mate Cristina took great care of you. It’s especially wonderful to know you appreciated both the attentiveness of the crew and the respect for the natural environment—that balance is something we truly value. It sounds like you had the perfect mix of relaxation, time in the water, and learning along the way. We really appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back aboard again for another unforgettable experience!
Very pleasant cruising experience with a great crew. Crew is friendly and hospitable. Mangrove kayaking portion includes exploring a “hurricane hole” where sailors and pirates would weather storms in an emergency.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience! We’re really glad to hear you enjoyed the cruise and felt well taken care of by the crew—friendly hospitality and a great atmosphere on the water is exactly what we aim for. ⛵ That sounds like a really cool kayaking highlight too—those “hurricane hole” spots are packed with history, and it’s awesome you got to explore one where sailors and even pirates once took shelter during storms. 🌿 We truly appreciate the recommendation and hope to welcome you back for another adventure soon!
Cat Melanie delivered with the dolphins. Watched a mother and baby dolphin and then some more came back to the pod. Snorkeling over the coral with the fish. Great time.
Thank you for sharing your experience! We’re so glad Captain Melanie delivered an unforgettable day—there’s nothing quite like spotting a mother and baby dolphin and watching the pod come together. It sounds like the snorkeling was just as amazing! We’re thrilled you had such a great time and hope to welcome you back for another adventure soon! 🐬🐠🌊
Great boat, captain and 1st mate. Smaller group. Great ride, snorkeling and kayaking. Highly recommend
Thank you for the recommendation! You are welcome back for another great trip anytime!
We came across this tour when looking for boat tours in the area. At first, I found the tour via another company that advertises it, but when I had a question and emailed, found out they just list it on their site and couldn't answer questions, but had me call Appledore directly. Glad I did as I was able to get up to date info on the trip (the times and length did not match on the other site) and get my questions answered. That said, this tour was great in that it was much smaller than the "party" boats we saw leaving the port. Directions to the meeting point were spot on. We had 19 people plus the captain and first mate - just enough room for all of us to sit but much nicer than the 50+ people we saw on other tours. Captain Marison and first mate Vitaly were both fantastic, knowledgeable and great hosts. There wasn't much wind the day we went out, so they motored us to Cottrell Key where half of the group first snorkeled and the other half kayaked with Vitaly, then we switched after about an hour. We had an odd number kayaking both times, so Vitaly, who lives on a boat and kayaks to work each day, offered to have us just sit back and relax while he did all the paddling - what a great, relaxing time! He is passionate about what he does and had nothing but great things to say about his team at Appledore. We saw nesting birds and nurse sharks on the kayaking. Snorkeling was decent - they provide everything you need. Once done with snorkeling, we were welcome to partake in alcoholic beverages, including a nice housemade sangria. On the way back, Vitaly went below deck and brought out lunch for everyone - pulled pork, ham and chicken salad sliders, cole slaw and pasta salad. Although it still didn't exactly match the description online, I think for the time, the cost and the uniqueness of the tour, it was definitely worth it.
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience! We’re thrilled to hear that reaching out directly made your booking smooth and that you enjoyed the more intimate setting aboard Appledore compared to the larger “party” boats. Captain Marison and First Mate Vitaly will be delighted to hear your kind words—they truly love sharing their knowledge and passion for the water. It sounds like the snorkeling, kayaking, and wildlife spotting made for a memorable day, and we’re glad Vitale could make the kayaking extra relaxing for everyone. We’re also happy you enjoyed lunch and our housemade sangria! Thank you again for choosing to sail with us, and we’d love to welcome you back for another unique adventure in Key West soon! 🌊⛵🐟
