Unsafe Night Kayak Tour with Poor Communication and Follow-UpE3664MZaaronh
I would not recommend Fun Florida Tours based on our experience. The company gave unclear launch instructions, proceeded with a night kayak tour despite lightning and strong wind, lacked appropriate equipment for the group, and failed to respond meaningfully when I contacted them afterward. Several boats turned back, we saw almost no wildlife, and the tour felt unsafe and poorly managed.
I booked the Anna Maria Island Night Kayak tour for July 13, 2026, for my wife, our two teenage daughters, our 8-year-old daughter, and me. The website showed no availability but instructed customers to call; the voicemail then told me to text. After I texted, I was told there was space and sent a payment link, with instructions to pay within 20 minutes or lose the spot. I paid immediately and received a receipt.
The receipt did not include a launch location, so I used the location listed on the website: the Bradenton side of the Route 64 bridge. We arrived 20 minutes early, but the area was dark and at the end of a sand-covered road under the bridge. Because the location felt unsafe and did not match any clear instructions, we waited near the main road. When we saw glow kayaks on the other side of the bridge, we drove over, only to learn they belonged to another company. I then received a text asking where we were and directing me to contact our guide, who sent a pin to the actual launch location on the island side of the bridge.
When we arrived, the guide, Jed, and his teenage son, Seven, already had kayaks in the water. Jed explained that several groups had odd numbers and that he did not have enough single kayaks, so some single riders would have to use double kayaks. That setup immediately created problems: single riders in double kayaks were difficult to control in the wind, and my wife was placed alone in a double kayak while I paddled with our 8-year-old daughter and our teenage daughters shared another double kayak.
Before launch, lightning was visible across Tampa Bay and the wind was picking up. Jed said the forecast called for light wind and that he expected the storm to stay across the bay. But as soon as we pushed off, the kayaks were blown off course. The group quickly stretched out, several people struggled to make progress, and Jed moved us into a small cove to wait for the wind to calm down. Even there, people had trouble just staying in place.
After only a few minutes in the cove, Jed continued the tour even though the wind had not improved. The group spread out again, and I stayed near the back with my wife and two other single riders who were also alone in double kayaks. Those kayaks kept spinning because the weight was all in the back and the front was catching the wind. One teenager capsized while trying to help his mother, my wife was blown against rocks along the shore, and the rest of the group continued around a bend and out of sight.
At that point, my wife was extremely frustrated. She is not a novice paddler and has never had trouble kayaking before, but she was pinned against rocks with salt spray covering her glasses. I helped her get free, and we decided to turn back. Two other single riders and another couple also returned to the launch area. We did not make it 200 yards from the start.
My teenage daughters later told me the rest of the tour was not much better. They said the group waited around the corner, then continued without the people who had turned back. They were working so hard just to paddle that they could not look for marine life. When they finally reached the mangroves, they stayed only about five minutes before Jed said, “Well, I guess all the manatees have retired for the night,” and led everyone back.
When Jed returned with the rest of the group, he said, “That was probably the toughest tour I have ever led,” but otherwise acted as if nothing had gone wrong, even though several boats had turned back. He said, “We didn’t see much wildlife, but some tours are like that.” He showed the group a snail and a small fish that had jumped into one of the boats, which was the grand total of all the wildlife the tour encountered that night. He then handed out business cards with his Venmo information for tips.
The next morning, I tried to contact the company about the tour. The phone number still only directed customers to text, so I texted and asked for a call. They replied that they were in a meeting and asked for a brief description. I explained that we had launched in very strong winds and that the tour had been unsafe and disappointing. The only response I received was a screenshot showing 5–7 mph winds at Holmes Beach on the Gulf side of the island, not the bay side where we launched. After that, they stopped responding to my texts and calls.
In summary, I understand that Fun Florida Tours cannot control the weather or guarantee wildlife sightings. But they can provide clear launch instructions, make safe decisions when conditions deteriorate, use appropriate equipment, and respond professionally when customers raise concerns. Based on our experience, I would not recommend Fun Florida Tours. There are other kayak tour options on Anna Maria Island, and I would choose one of them instead.
