FAQs

Rising Tide Explorers is the only biologist owned and operated company in Southwest Florida. Our guides have Master’s degrees in the Environmental Sciences or are in pursuit of one with relevant research experience. Our guides have a Master Naturalist Certifications from the University of Florida Master Naturalist Program, CPR & First Aid Certifications, and a certifications as American Canoe Association Kayaking Instructors. There are no certification or safety requirements to be a kayak tour guide in the state of Florida, so RTE ensures that our guides are qualified to give you the best and safest experience in the region.

YES!  Rising Tide Explorers is the exclusive ecotour provider for the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve and the Friends of Rookery Bay.  This partnership was realized as a result of the strict qualification requirements we have for all of our guides and a shared set of values that focus on protecting and preserving this amazing wild place.  Together we have expanded the ability of the Friends of Rookery Bay to provide educational experiences for all who explore with us while increasing our ability to generate funds to support the research, education, stewardship, and conservation efforts of the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.  Every time you explore with Rising Tide, you are supporting this wonderful wild place.

Of course! Our guided kayak tours are great for experts and beginners alike. Our guides are ACA Certified Kayaking Instructors that will give you brief instructing before cruising the calm, shallow backwaters of the estuary. It’s a great way to learn the sport!

It is customary in the United States to give a gratuity to service staff who have done a great job, just as you would for your server at a restaurant. Our guides work very hard to give you the best experience possible! Typical gratuity ranges from 10% -20% based on your experience. It is not required, but greatly appreciated.

The areas we are going to explore are commonly used by dolphin, manatee, and lots of other wildlife. Every day is different in the estuary, so there is no telling what we might encounter on any given day. Manatee are more common during high tides in the summer months and we usually encounter them about 5-10% of the time during that time of year. Dolphin are more common and we often encounter them about 50% of the time. Low tides are the prime time to search for unique benthic creatures such as sea urchins, sea stars, giant marine snails, hermit crabs, tunicates, clams, and a plethora of other critters. You never know what you might find and it’s always an adventure in this extremely beautiful and unique natural area of Southwest Florida.

We allow ages 3+ on our kayaking and boat trips with children under 12 joining an adult in a tandem kayak. We usually recommend that children around 3 years old have strong communication skills so that they can fully enjoy the experience and communicate their comfort level effectively while on the water. We love helping kids discover the awesome wildlife in the estuary!

Yes. A tandem kayak holds up to 500lbs and a single kayak holds up to 300lbs. We do have the option to convert a tandem kayak into a single kayak to accommodate larger paddlers if necessary. Please let us know in advance so we can accommodate.

All tours and rentals may be cancelled or changed up to 48 hours prior to the trip free of charge or for a full refund. Changes or rescheduling of reservations within 24 hours of the reservation may be charged a 50% rescheduling fee.  Cancellations within 24 hours of scheduled trips will not receive a refund, but may ask for a voucher to use at another time and receive at least 50% credit towards a future booking.

Our organization supports the Friends of Rookery Bay, and much like a concert or plane ticket, the seats you have reserved are dedicated to you, leaving them unavailable for others to reserve while adding equipment, staffing, and transportation requirements needed to give you the best experience in SWFL.  This cancellation policy will be strictly adhered to in order to protect our team, our organization, and our partners.

All Tours depart promptly at the specified time due to our schedule. It is imperative that guests arrive at the indicated time before the scheduled launch time (15 minutes early for boat tours, 30 minutes early for kayak tours) to avoid missing the tour. Leave plenty of time to arrive at the specified launch location indicated in your confirmation and reminder emails, and to locate our group on site. Account for traffic as it can be quite heavy during busy months.  Missing a tour due to a late arrival will not result in a refund.

We have spent many years building streamlined communications providing every resource you need to ensure you are well informed of where to go, when to arrive, and what you need to best enjoy our beautiful backyard.  Please read all communications carefully and you’ll have no problem arriving to the right place at the right time for a great day on the water!  We’ll be there ready for you!

During high season (November – April), our tours book up very quickly. We usually recommend making your reservations a few days to a week in advance for high season and at least a day in advance during the summer months.

Yes, we do! You have your choice of either for both kayak rentals and guided kayak tours.

Our guides work hard to ensure they check all weather and tide conditions prior to every tour and the guide will make the final call. During certain times of year in Southwest Florida rain can be sporadic and absolutely refreshing. Cancellations usually occur due to lightning or high winds for safety reasons and we are proactive on rescheduling if the conditions are less than optimal. We will still paddle if there is a little rain, but would be happy to help reschedule your trip if conditions are less than ideal.

Yes. We welcome you to bring your own vessel and give a reduced tour price of $50/person if you do.

Hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen are highly recommended for exploring sunny Southwest Florida. Loose fitting, light weight outdoor clothing that will dry quickly is ideal for paddling, but any kind of clothing you would wear to the beach works well. Long sleeve and long pants are great for sun and bug protection.

Anything works, but here are some suggestions. The best thing to wear on your feet are any kind of water shoe. You can buy inexpensive water shoes at a local store like Walmart. If you do not have these then an old pair of sneaker work great too. If you don’t have these, many of our paddlers do fine wearing flip flops. We occasionally get out of our boats and explore shallow areas that are soft and sandy, but the more protection for your feet the better!

YES! All of our kayaks are new sit-on-top style kayaks with high back seats.

Capsizing happens only occasionally during our adventures, but not too often. Luckily the water is so shallow that we can usually just stand up and sit right back in the kayak! It is also quite refreshing. Our kayaks are very stable and provide an easy comfortable paddle.

Alligators do not like salt water and it is very rare to see them in the areas we paddle. The most dangerous thing that we will encounter in the estuary is the sun, so as long as you have plenty of water to drink and sun protection, we will have a great adventure!

Yes. We have complimentary dry bags for you to use if you want to bring anything you want to make sure stays dry. We also take free photography for you during our guided kayak tour that we send to you for free after our adventure to download and share! So, unless you want to try some photography of your own, you can leave them in a safe dry place.

Yes. Florida law requires all paddlers to have a life vest in their vessel and we require all participants in our guided tours to wear their life vests at all times for safety reasons.