Marco Island and The Ten Thousand Islands Boat Tour
Backwater Adventure offers a unique way for visitors to have the freedom of their own self-drive motor boat yet still enjoy all the benefits of a local guide! Each 1 1/2 and 2-hour tour starts with a short lesson on water safety and how to drive the boat and is led by an experienced boater and local naturalist.
The two-person motorized catamaran is just over 11 feet long and has two side-by-side seats and a Bimini top for shade. The boats are surprisingly stable and quiet – a significant plus for seeing local wildlife while cruising through the mangroves.
Load up with water, drinks, snacks, towels, and sunscreen essentials and your nature cruise adventure is good to go. There is a small dry compartment for keeping keys, wallets, and cell phones safe and dry.
Wildlife Sightings in Marco Island and The Ten Thousand Islands
The water around Marco Island and The Ten Thousand Islands offer an opportunity to encounter egrets, white ibis, great blue herons, little blue herons, pelicans, seagulls, sanderlings, and rarer species such as roseate spoonbills, glossy ibis, ospreys, and bald eagles. You may even spot some nesting birds in the spring season.
Dolphins and manatees frequent the warm waters. Dolphins love to jump and splash in the wake left by the boats – a fantastic way to get close enough to see their smile-like expression. Manatees feed on seagrass, so look out for these slow-moving gentle giants.
The mid-point of this nature-friendly boat tour is marked with a visit to your own private sandy island where you can step ashore and collect seashells or have a refreshing swim.
The trip continues to explore the unspoiled waterways and uninhabited islands that make up this scenic area known as The Ten Thousand Islands, covering up to 40 miles in comfort and style.
CraigCat boats are surprisingly zippy, and there is a good chance you will get wet!