Off the Hook Adventures

Every time I visit my aunt in Naples, I try to do something new especially if I am traveling with my children. Instead of visiting the Everglades which would have been an all day excursion, I thought this cruise would be a good alternative: spend a couple of hours on the water with some hope of seeing aquatic wildlife, collect seashells and still have time to do something afterwards. I have been on a catamaran before in Cabo but this was my children’s first time and I wanted it to be a family friendly event.
We booked the trip online on the website 48 hours in advance and the price point ($ 70 for adults and $ 40 for children 10 and under) was not too bad. If you are looking for the cheapest deal that offers free «food» or «alcohol» with the price of the cruise, you may want to look elsewhere. This price point gives you privacy, intimacy and the catamaran boat for your family.
Captain Corey has 2 boats and each boat carries 6 but I am sure that the captain is flexible enough to accommodate the number in your party. If you are so inclined I am sure you can bring your own cooler on board with food and alcohol. This might be a nice option for a sunset cruise. Soft drinks and snacks like chips were complimentary though (always a hit with the kids!). I did notice he keeps his boat clean.
There is a small boating marina pier at the Caxambas Pass where Captain Corey’s boats are waiting at the dock 10 – 15 minutes before your departure. He did not have a big sign nor did I know what Captain Corey looked like but fortunately another family was waiting for their excursion with us and they went on the other catamaran. That was why I took 1 star off because I was unsure if those boats docked were the Off the Hook catamarans.
I had a chance to chit chat with the other family when we went shelling and apparently this was their second water excursion for sea shells but it was on bigger boat with 45 other people (I shuddered when I heard that!). I don’t mind crowds but not when you are looking for sea shells along the shoreline and everyone is looking for that pristine intact sand dollar.
The catamaran was an open bridge deck with space to move next to the mast on the trampoline in the front or if you want some shade and conversation with the captain, there are benches next to each hull towards the back. It satisfied both my children: the one more adventurous in the front on the trampoline and the tired sleepy on the back for a quick nap on the bench.
We saw dolphins, shark, turtle, stingray and pelicans. However the highlight of the trip was the opportunity to search for sea shells on an isolated beach. The catamaran does not have steps off the boat to disembark but the captain has a step stool and will assist you. There was enough wind also to go sailing and my son helped with the sails.
Overall this cruise was the highlight of my children’s trip to the Naples/​Marco Island and I would recommend it to anyone. It was a relaxing day for my kids on the waters and it was enjoyable to see the delight in my son’s eyes to enjoy the wind, waters and sea life. My son loved the complimentary sunglasses and wears it all the time in California! My aunt was fearful of being sea sick (and even though I had to push her to take this cruise with me) she loved it and did not get sick at all.
Captain Corey is usually on his boat with his scheduled cruise excursions and so, online reservations and text messaging would probably work best to schedule the trip. He does not have someone booking his schedule for him (a one man show) and so, from what I gathered from our conversations, it’s hard for him to return phone calls.

Amazing experience! Reservations were easy, both captains great! We booked a tour and they let us know of a sooner one, which was nice, and texted directions. Unlike other area tours that have pontoon boats, this was a catamaran and seated only 6 so our tour ended up being private for our family of four — complete with drinks and snacks. We saw plenty of dolphin, manatee and various birds. We also shelled at two secluded islands and had a chance to help set the sails and drive the boat. Great for adults and kids. There can’t be a better tour experience in the area.

It was a once in a life time experience! As a family of 5 we had the boat all to ourselves. So a personal tour. Our primary goal was to see Dolphins. Captain Howie went out of his way to find us a whole family. It was the best family day ever!

First — I dont understand why all the other reviews are hidden. From my experience yesrerday, they are all accurate!
Anyways…
My family, a party of 9 and ages 5 through 67, spent the morning in Captain Corey’s boat and we all had a great time.
We got to see dolphins, manatees, many birds (more on that later) and a couple of islands for shelling. The shelling was AWESOME!
Corey was very knowledgeable, conversational, humorous and really good with the kids.
Regarding the birds — it was really cool to hear Corey’s stories about nurturing birds… You can tell he genuinely cares about the wildlife and it’s great for the kids to hear about it.
I’m not sure when we will be back to Marco, but when we do we will return to Off The Him for another 3 hour tour (cute the Gilligan music)

We went on a 3 hour charter with Corey. The weather was a bit overcast and not much wind and we weren’t able to do much sailing, but it was still a great time! Corey was very knowledgeable about Marco Island history and the wild life. We saw some dolphins and we were able to find some great shells… lots of sand dollars, which was our goal. So our group of 4 was very happy and satisfied with our trip.

Was in Marco for a work trip and my co-​worker and I did this tour. It was very peaceful sailing to some private beaches of Marco. We saw dolphin (and other wildlife) and had the opportunity to find some beautiful shells on the beaches we stopped at. I think what made it extra fun/​special was Capt Corey’s extensive knowledge of the area and wildlife — and his incredible care and concern for both.

This trip was AMAZING! We went on a quarter day shelling and sightseeing charter with Captain Corey. He picked us up at Caxambas Park. Before we even left the marina, I knew the trip was going to be unforgettable. There was a pelican on the dock that had one hook in his leg, one hook in his beak, and another hook in the roof of his mouth. I couldn’t stand watching the bird in pain and Corey said it had been hanging around like that for a week. Being a major fan of the Marco Island environment and wildlife, Corey caught the bird and explained to me how to hold its wings and beak. While I made sure the bird didn’t move around too much, Corey worked out the hooks and we released the bird only slightly the worse for wear.
Then we headed out out of the bay past the pelican rookery. Corey explained to us about the erosion problems facing the small island. He pointed out a juvenile bird in the water and talked about how they are at risk for getting hooked by careless fishermen who cast their lines into the trees. He also pointed out a baby bird clutching to a branch, and its nest that was just visible above the waterline. He said that recent storms had washed the branch into the water and continue to erode the island. Because he observes and documents the island so frequently, Corey could even tell us which bird was the baby’s mother. He said he has known Pancho for almost 21 years, ever since he moved to the island as a teenager. Pancho only has one wing but has proven that she can survive, thrive, and even become a mom! Corey is obviously passionate about Marco Island and its wildlife.
The trip was about more than eco-​conservation. On our way to the first shelling destination, Corey pointed out some of the more high-​end properties along the shore. He told us that it was rumored that Shania Twain once owned one of them, but which one changed with the teller of the rumor. He also gave us some price points on the larger mansions. Needless to say I won’t be buying one of them any time soon!
We motored on towards a prime shelling beach. As we passed through the mangroves, Corey showed us an old nesting platform used by bald eagles during nesting season. He pointed out dolphins and named different birds as we passed them. He tried to show us a manatee but it refused to surface more than once.
When we arrived at our first shelling destination, Corey showed us examples of shells we were likely to find and some other possible findings like a shell egg casing. After he beached the catamaran, he helped us onto shore. He provided mesh bags for us to use while collecting shells and sent us off down the beach. He recommended walking down the beach for a while checking out the high tide line and then checking the low tide line and waves while walking back. I found tons of conchs and calicos and olive somethings. Corey knew the names of all the shells and we had plenty of time to walk, collect shells, and explore. When we were ready to leave, Corey helped us with a step stool to get back onto the boat. He had snacks and drinks ready and waiting.
We enjoyed our refreshments as Corey headed to our next shelling destination. Again he pointed out interesting sights along the way and told us a little about the history of the area and the Native American population that used to live here. He let us know about how the shell mounds raised some of the mangroves higher above sea level and made them more desirable real estate today. He also told us about the history of Marco Island and it’s canals and development. Corey also kept an eye on the weather to make sure that the storms we could see developing were going to miss us. We only got a little bit of gentle rain and were able to enjoy turning off the motor and sailing for a little bit.
We reached our second shelling destination with perfect timing for the tides. Corey said that the sand bar had just recently appeared with the lower tides around the super moons and turned out to be a honey spot for sand dollars. Sure enough as soon as my feet hit the beach, I found two large perfect white sand dollars. Corey told us how to stack the sand dollars in our bags so they would be stronger and withstand the journey to our homes. There were so many sand dollars on the island that we were able to be choosy and only take the most perfect ones. I even found a sea cucumber that had been washed up by the recent storms! I wasn’t sure what it was when I first found it washed up on the sand and being picked at by crabs, but Corey identified it as soon as I carried it back to the boat on a shell. We put it back in the water so it wouldn’t dry out and die before the tide rolled back in.
On our way back to the marina, Corey slowed down in the bay because he spotted a pod of dolphins fishing. They jumped and dove around the boat for at least 15 minutes and we were able to take a lot of cool pictures.
I would definitely recommend this tour to everyone!

Three generations of my family (including a one year old) took the afternoon shelling catamaran cruise. The epxerience was awesome — friendly, accommodating, and took us to two different small islands to shell. Everyone had a great time and we would recommend Off the Hook to anyone of any age.

If you want a day to relax in the sun and a Captain who is a master at sailing, you MUST go on this trip! Off the Hook adventures with Captain Corey is the best day in paradise you will ever have. Being on this boat, shelling, sailing, swimming and learning about marine life around Marco Island is simply the greatest experience you could have. Two times we have booked with Off the Hook Adventures and two times we have been totally trilled with our choice. I recommend any size trip on this boat for any age group! It’s the very best day we had on Marco Island on both of our visits and we cannot wait to come back and book again with Off the Hook Adventures, you should too!