Experience

Blue Planet is a small owner-operated company. Chad Bryant is an environmental scientist with over
15 yrs.experience researching and exploring the Keys’ marine habitats.

 

My formal background includes biology, marine science/oceanography, and botany and bird research.

All Blue Planet guides have experience leading eco-tours and marine science or related studies educations and are trained in rescue and 1st aid. We enjoy sharing our appreciation and knowledge of this very special ecosystem. Blue Planet Kayak Co. has been leading tours since 2001.

Location

All tours and rentals are near Key West but off the beaten path. Our locals offer some of the best birding, habitat diversity and abundance and marine animals in the Florida Keys. And of course our world famous Sunsets. Chosen for all levels of paddlers, you will be largely sheltered from the wind on shallow waters. No big waves. Almost all trips finish with the wind at your back. Please see map when booking for rendezvous point in Key West. From there you follow us 2.5 miles to our dock.

We also offer…

• Morning, afternoon and night tours. Departure time for night trip dependent on sunset.
• Safe, stable and comfortable kayaks. NO EXPERIENCE IS REQUIRED.
• A maximum of 10 customers per guide. This makes for a personal and informative adventure.
• Complimentary transportation for tours if you need it.
• Discounts for large families and groups.
• Discounts for military and locals.
• More than just a kayak trip, we offer an eco-experience!
  

What we do not offer

Tours or rentals for cruise ship customers.

Cruise ships are a leading cause of damage and death to marine ecosystems worldwide. The reef ecosystem near Key West has been largely destroyed in the last decade by deteriorating water quality. Cruise ships have greatly contributed to this problem.
If you care about our oceans think twice before you cruise!

Snorkeling / Kayak combination tours.

You will see most interesting marine life in three feet of water or less. Deeper channels have less showy species and harbor delicate and often stinging invertebrates. It's best to view these animals from afar. However, we will be happily rent you a tandem kayak to snorkel from. Its stability allows easy water entry and exit and plenty of space for gear. We provide the anchor and cooler only. As with other rentals you will paddle the Boca Chica area approx. 2 miles from Key West.

Spear fishing and shell collecting are not permitted.

Picture by Doris Bunzel

Reviews from TripAdvisor.com :

We took our children (9 and 13) on the night tour. Chad was our guide and he was excellent! Going thru the mangroves at night with a headlight on is amazing! We saw things that blew us away. My kids left with an experience that will stay with them forever. Do not miss this! It is reasonable and intimate. Just hearing the crabs click, seeing the worms and bacteria light up, hearing the tarpon feed and chasing stingrays was incredible! DO THIS TOUR!

My wife an I went on a morning eco kayak tour today. It was wonderful. We previously flew in to Key West and did not have a car which was no problem as they sent a van to pick us up from our bed and breakfast in town. The trip to the launch site was short where we were met by our guide Chris.
Chris was very attentive to our individual experience levels at kayaking. The eco tour was wonderful, Chris is well versed in the flora and fauna of the area. He pointed out and identified the birds flying about and showed us the various jelly fish, urchins, and other sea creatures we encountered. He even chased down a ray for us.
I would highly recommend this wonderful tour to both novice and expert kayakers!

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I went on a night kayaking trip with Blue Planet Kayaks.

We left the docks shortly before sunset, and headed to a mangrove island. Every member of the trip was given a headlamp to wear. The guide was great at finding different creatures in the sea: sea stars, slugs, even a conch! The sea comes to life at night.
The tour was amazing. I saw so much wildlife. It was educational as well. Our guide was very knowledgeable. Our equipment was in good condition. It was a bit windy, so paddling out to the mangroves was slightly difficult, but not too hard, and it was completely worth it. This was truly a unique experience.

The trip was wonderful. I would definitely do it again.

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We spent a great day out on the water looking for wildlife and exploring the mangroves. We didn't know anything about kayaking and had to learn as we went - it wasn't difficult (in fact everyone in our group were newbies). The tour guide had so many interesting tales about the history and life of Key West. We learned so much about nature, pirates, treasure hunting, lifestyle, history and nautical law! It was well worth the money - about $70 pp for 3 hours. Would be great for teens and honeymooners. Wear sunscreen and bring lots of water. You will get some nice color!

My Husband and I took a night-kayaking excursion during our Anniversary vacation in Key West. It was one of the most interesting things we did that week. We met in a parking lot to find their van to follow them to their dock site. They also offer to pick you up if you don't have a ride.

After a quick synopsis about how to kayak, we set out on our trip. The first part of the trip was during dusk, and very quiet. We found a few squid, jellyfish, & birds during this leg of the trip. The water is very still, and you will even find boats docked in the middle of the water as a place of residence, or for storage. The second leg of the trip (night-time) was more exciting. My Husband saw 2 HUGE spotted eagle rays with his headlamp. We followed them for about 10 minutes. I have never seen anything more graceful. I got a good look at a bonnet shark that swam right past my kayak. We saw bioluminescent plankton that lit up as you put your oar in the sand. I also got to touch a sea slug and an urchin. We saw crab, and many Spiny Lobsters. You go through many mangroves, and have to steer well at the end of the trip. You will hear the many clicking crabs in the trees above, and just hope they don't fall on you. :o)

Chad is an excellent guide. His personality is very mellow, and you can sense that he loves the beautiful creation he sees every day. He is very knowledgable about the creatures, and you will learn many things. You will have to keep up in your kayak close to his kayak if you want to hear what he says. He's very quiet, and i'm sure yelling across the water doesn't help attract wildlife.

Blue Planet Kayak
Public Tours: 800-979-3370
Private Tours & Rentals: 305-294-8087
E-mail

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