We get a lot of questions about our tours. We hope this information helps answer yours! If you still have any questions please feel free to reach out by calling, texting, or emailing us at 850-387-8875 or captzadventures@gmail.com!
How many people can participate on one tour? Due to coast Guard Regulations for uninspected vessels, we only take 6 passengers at a time. This includes infants and small children even though they may sit on your lap the whole time.
What can I bring on the tour? You can bring almost anything on our tours. We recommend snacks, drinks, towels, sunscreen and other beach related items. You can bring alcoholic beverages as long as you bring cans. Glass can easily break in wavy conditions and is prohibited on Shell Island.
What happens if we have inclement weather such as thunderstorms, rain, or high winds and surf? We try to be as flexible as we can and we will do everything in our power to reschedule your tour for any of our other available days/later time slots or we will offer you a full refund.
What should I wear on the boat? Swimwear is highly recommended for all of our tours. We have a high chance of being splashed even if the water isn’t choppy. If it’s chilly out we recommend swimwear with a light rain jacket. The best spots for shells on the island require us to wade in 2 feet of water so even if you don’t wish to swim and snorkel we still recommend swimsuits.
What time should my group show up? Your group should show up about 10 minutes before your scheduled tour time. This allows plenty of time to board yourself, items and sign our safety waiver. If the boat isn’t there when you come, don’t worry! I’m probably on my way back from another tour or putting fuel in the boat. You can call or text our business line at 850-387-8875 if the boat isn’t back to the slip 10 minutes before your scheduled departure time.
Is there an office or ticket booth we need to check in at before my trip? We do check in right at the boat at slip #1 around 10 minutes before the trip. We do not have a physical office or ticket booth. Check in with the captain at the boat slip with captain where you board the vessel.
Where should I park? C.S.S Yacht Basin is located at 1213 Beck Avenue Panama City Fl. We are located in slip number one at the southeast corner of the marina. Please ignore the tow away signage. The parking lot at 1213 Beck Ave is explicitly for our customers and other patrons of the marina. There should be plenty of open spaces for you guys.
Will I see dolphins or other sea life on my tour? There is a really good chance you will see some sea life however we cannot fully guarantee it as they are wild animals. 95% of the time on my tours we see dolphins and/or other cool marine life. If for some reason we aren’t able to see dolphins I will make a concerted effort to look for other sea life such as turtles, sea urchins, crabs, ospreys and others but often we see a variety of local wildlife.
Does the tour include anything? Yes, our tour includes a cooler with ice for you to store items and bottled water. We provide snorkeling gear. We provide safety jackets for all ages.
Can I bring food and drinks on the trip? Yes! We have a cooler for you store things or you can bring your own.
Can I swim with the dolphins? I can usually get us really close to the dolphins and other wildlife but we don’t physically swim in the water with the dolphins due to them being wild animals. Here at Capt. Zach’s Adventures we feel like the best way to respect and enjoy wild dolphins is to view them from the boat and not encroach on them while they are in their natural habitat.
Do I have to wear a life jacket? US Coast Guard Regulations require any child under the age of six to wear one while the vessel is moving. We can provide life jackets for adults upon request. Our vessel carries coast guard required type 1 pfd life jackets for all occupants under the front seat cushions in case of an emergency.
Will my group be the only one on the boat? We currently only offer private tours for up to 6 people so you will not have to share the boat with any other passengers. This is the best way to operate in my opinion.
What if I have a group more than 6 but less than 13??? Currently we only have one boat, but sometimes I can partner with a second dolphin tour boat to accommodate groups up to 12. As long as we have advance notice we can put together a 2 boat tour with up to 6 people on each boat. We can also recommend other companies that can carry more than 6 people on one vessel.