Snorkel And Sandbar Combo Adventure In Islamorada

We had a great experience of boating, snorkeling, and enjoying the sandbar on our Morada Mermaid trip. Captain Aaron and 1st Mate Jed kept us safe and spoiled us with mimosas at the sandbar while we were relaxing.

Had an excellent time out at Alligator Reef! Captain was great, mate Jed was attentive and friendly- they made it a fantastic day! Would certainly book them again! Pick up location was right at Lorilei’s which was great for an easy quick bite after. Boat was clean, snacks and drinks were plentiful! We came across a large pod of dolphins that they stopped for all to watch. You won’t regret this trip!! Thanks for making my birthday special!!

They were well organized. The captain and mate were both very friendly.

We really enjoyed this tour. The boat had plenty of shade so we were comfortable. We were able to bring our cooler on the boat so that we could have the beer that we like once we were on the sandbar. The snorkeling at alligator reef was fantastic--gorgeous, clear water with TONS of fish!! We even saw a nurse shark. Lots of fun on the sandbar--the guides set us up with floating mats and toys. Easy meeting spot at the Lorelei

It was a great trip from start to finish. The guides were knowledgeable, easy-going, confident, and fun. They provided a wonderfully memorable day for me and my husband. We will definitely be doing this again when we return to the Keys!

Aaron and Jake were both awesome ! Friendly , helpful , funny and all around a great day with these two ,We will definitely be back to do this again .

got to see a bunch of sea creatures. The guides were very helpful and friendly and we were able to see a lot including dolphins, sharks, rays, and a bunch of fish

Crew was amazing and made great memories with family. Snorkeling was awesome! So much wildlife. Sandbar was awesome also!

We chose this tour so we could experience both snorkeling and time on the sandbars. We had 2 older adults (grandparents), one teen, and one adult in our group. This was a great trip for all ages. Pickup location was convenient to where we were staying in Islamorada. We booked this a few days in advance, and the crew was great about keeping in touch and letting us know that our originally-selected day to go did not have good weather conditions. They were helpful and flexible in finding a different day to rebook us. It took a while to get everyone fitted with snorkel gear and leave the dock, and despite asking us to arrive 30 minutes in advance, it was closer to 20 minutes till before the crew started checking people in which cut into our snorkeling time at the reef, and the bathroom was broken on the boat, both disappointing things. But once we were out on the reef, the crew made sure everyone was comfortable in their gear before getting into the water, and one member pointed out a sea turtle swimming nearby for us to see. The conditions that day were still not good so we couldn’t go to Alligator Reef, but went to Cheeca rocks instead. We still saw tons of cool fish and types of coral. Since it’s a 4 hour excursion, it’s really nice that they provide snacks and drinks at no extra charge (and even champagne for the adults). On the sandbar I was pretty bummed that this tour didn’t provide enough floats for everyone the way I’ve seen in other boat tour pictures, so the vast majority of us floated in the water or sat on the bottom of the sandbar floor in the water, which was still relaxing, just not as festive as I’d thought it would be based on pictures I’d been seeing of other sandbar cruises. I would absolutely take this tour again.

We had a fantastic time on the snorkeling and sandbar experience. We went as a family of four. The visibility was great and we saw so many fish. Jake and his crew were super knowledgeable and looked after us all so well, it was a really fun trip. We would all recommend Morada Mermaid 100%

Amazing day! And the water was nice and calm. Captain Aaron and First made Jake did a wonderful job taking care of everyone on the boat.

We booked the half day sandbar and snorkel tour, unfortunately conditions weren’t conducive for snorkeling. Captain Aaron and first mate Jake made sure we had a fun day- we went to the sandbar by dog beach and floated and enjoyed the water!

Captain Aaron and First Mate O’Ryan were awesome. Some friends and I did the Alligator Reef and Sand Bar excursion, and they made the trip very comfortable and exciting. Snacks, drinks, and some dranks were provided. #worththemoney #lotsoffun

I had a wonderful time on this trip! I was with Captain Kinsey and First Mate Jake. It was a solo trip for me, but it didn't feel like it because they were both so friendly! I've taken quite a few charters and I think this crew beats them all out for how great they made the trip. The ride was smooth and the dive spot was absolutely beautiful. I thought Dry Tortugas was beautiful, but Alligator Reef 100% beats it in my opinion! The coral reef was just so much more lively, vivid, and completely full of wildlife! I actually enjoyed it so much that I booked another snorkel trip with them for Sombrero reef lol. If you're in Islamadora (and even if you're not), I would definitely recommend that you go with this company!

Aaron and Jake were professional. Water was clear and beautiful fish at Alligator Lighthouse. Waves were strong on the day we went. Would not recommend for small children or those that aren’t strong swimmers. Sand bar was neat. It was a fun experience.

Great snorkling and sand bar trip everyone had fun

The captain and first mate were excellent. They made the excursion a fun and safe trip.

Great snorkeling trip for the family

Jake and Captain Mac were the best!

The trip description specifically advertised Alligator Reef Lighthouse, which is exactly why I booked it. Shortly after departing, the captain announced we were going to Cheeca Rocks instead. When I asked why we weren’t going to the lighthouse as promised, he claimed it was mostly sand and that Cheeca Rocks was better. I expressed my disappointment, and he asked the group for a show of hands on who really wanted the lighthouse. Only a few of us raised our hands, so he decided on Cheeca Rocks. It seemed another snorkel group had been added to our boat, and they appeared fine with the change. However, the booking description I received said nothing about alternative destinations. It only mentioned that if weather made Alligator Reef unfavorable, the trip would be rescheduled or refunded. We were not told about the destination change until after we had already left the dock, so we couldn’t get off the boat. I requested a refund, but it was denied. The captain told the manager we had been informed prior to departure, which was false. I asked the manager to review the Ring camera footage on board to verify the conversation, but I received no response and my refund was ultimately denied. The reef at Cheeca Rocks was quite deep and not suitable for beginner snorkelers. You had to dive down significantly to see anything clearly, and being there at high tide made visibility even worse. I would strongly advise against booking with this company. If you do, ask detailed questions before departure. If they change the plan after leaving, record the conversation immediately. Overall, a very disappointing experience.

The description of the trip says it begins at Alligator reef lighthouse, which is why I booked this in the first place. Shortly after departure, the captain tells us we are going to cheeca rocks instead. Upon asking why not the lighthouse as advertised, the captain said cheeca rocks was better because the lighthouse was mostly sand. I voiced my frustration and he asked the group for a show of hands on who had their heart set on going to the lighthouse and only myself and a few other raised their hands so he said, cheeca rocks it is - apparently another snorkeling group had been moved to our boat and I assume their snorkeling destination could have been different seeing as not many people seemed upset about the change. The description of the excursion that I booked says alligator reef & does NOT say other possible spots - it says if weather was unfavorable for the alligator reef, we would be rescheduled or refunded. Also, we were not informed of the change in itinerary until we had already departed so we couldn’t get off the boat. I requested a refund and was denied, as the captain told the manager that we were informed prior to departure, which was untrue. I spoke to the manager and told them to look at the camera footage(there was a ring camera on board) and that it would verify everything I had said and shown that the captain was lying about informing us prior to departure, but received no response and my refund request was denied. The reef at chica rocks was pretty deep - not for beginner snorkelers. You would have needed to dive down deeper to actually get a good look at everything AND we were there at high tide so it was difficult to see much while snorkeling. I would say DO NOT book with this company. If you DO, make sure you ask ALL the questions before departure and if you are informed of a change in plans post departure, get your phone out and record the conversation. Horrible experience.

Excellent experience !! Loved every minute if it ?!

I had a great time . The staff were amazing and super friendly . I will def go again soon .

Captain Aaron and first mate Jake do a great job on this excursion. Friendly personable and attentive fellows. Aaron is very knowledgeable of the area and took us to a great area for snorkeling and a nice sandbar for a swim and relaxing. Equipment provided if you need. Snack and drink provided. Highly recommend these two!

We couldn't decide between a sandbar tour or a snorkeling tour so when we found this combo we were super excited. From the moment we booked they were in constant communication with use - answering questions, advising of date changes due to weather, etc. So friendly and helpful. Our boat crew consisted of Captain Mackenzie and First Mate Orion and they were both fantastic. You could tell immediately that they both took our safety very seriously and that made us feel very safe out on the water. And they booth made sure to make us feel comfortable and have a good time. We went out to Alligator Reef and saw tons of colorful fish, sharks, and a stingray. From there we headed over to the sandbar and hung out for a while. It was an absolute perfect day. We couldn't have asked for a better experience. We will go out on this boat every time we are in the Keys

Capt. Aaron & First Mate, Jake were great and fun. Even with windy conditions, we all had fun. Highly recommended!

One of the highlights of our Spring Break trip to Islamorada! The seas were a little rough for snorkeling so the captain stayed longer on the sandbar to make up for it. Very comfortable boat. Both the captain and the first mate were engaging and kind. Provided snack and drinks and would routinely try to pass them out to guests instead of just pointing to a cooler. If you are in town, this is well worth half a day.

Great experience. The captain and first mate were helpful and made the trip fun for all of us

It was a great time! The crew was great! Thanks Captain Aaron and Jake

Our friend Angela recommended taking the drive to Islamorada to have a better opportunity for visibility given the high winds in the Key West area. We couldn’t be more pleased that we spent the time and booked this trip. The crew and captain were great. We felt welcomed from the moment we arrived. The boat was very clean and the hospitality was great. The equipment was top-notch and we were able to really enjoy time as a family and see wonderful reefs with a variety of different fish and marine life. We had been unable to really enjoy much of the water around Key West given the time of year and this was a welcomed surprise. The refreshments and care the company provided was top-notch. We will be back and will invite many more to come with us. Highly recommend!!!!

I originally booked this trip for a Sunday. They then called & asked if we could move to Saturday, which we did. We arrived to the boat & went a few hundred yards & the Captain said we needed to return to the dock because he was having an engine issue. Apparently this was an ongoing issue that he could usually rig. The kicker was that he said it was the best snorkeling day he had seen a while, no wind. We then rescheduled for Monday. At 7:30 am on Monday we got s call that the trip was cancelled due to… wind. So, the one star is not for the actual trip, because we never went! It’s for the scheduling debacle.

Super nice organizers, well organized, very responsive to the participants to give them a good time.