Will I get seasick?

Many Factors can bring about sickness on the sea. Some of these things are:

1. The amount of sleep you have. Little or no sleep will increase the chance of you getting sick.
2. The amount of alcohol you drank last night. Hangovers produce more seasickness than you can imagine.
3. Nervousness. Someone already anxious about being offshore in a boat is one step closer to getting sick.
4. Heat. Combined with the other factors mentioned above, getting overheated can push some people into getting sick.
5. Personal body composition. Getting sick on a boat has nothing to do with how tough you are. Certain people are prone to seasickness by their body chemistry.

There are many over-the-counter medications for seasickness available. If the weather forecast is for seas any more than a light chop, we recommend that you use one if you are unsure of your susceptibility to seasickness. We want you to have a good time and don't want your day ruined by something as curable as seasickness.

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What do we bring?

There are only several things you need to bring:

1. Food & Drink. We have a large cooler with ice on board that you may put your food and drink in or you may bring your own.
2. Sunscreen. A lot of people forget this essential item. Although we usually always have some on board because we use it every day ourselves, we still recommend bringing some. After all, this is Key West and a lot of body parts are seeing sun that haven't seen the sun in quite a few years. Make sure the rest of your vacation isn't a miserable one.
3. Sunglasses. Sunglasses will make your trip much more comfortable and if they are polarized, you will enjoy it even more. Polarized sunglasses will allow you to see things under the water that you cannot normally see and also bring the colors of the Key West waters to life by reducing glare.

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How far do you go?

Depending on what we are fishing for, we typically fish from five to thirty miles offshore. The depth of water might range from as shallow as five feet on the reef to several thousand feet offshore.

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What does the mate do?

Everything! Your mate is at the dock long before you get there and long after you leave. Your mate is responsible for the boat being clean and ready to fish. Many hours of work go into making a charter successful. Reels need to be maintained, tackle needs to be rigged and the boat needs daily cleaning and maintenance. During the charter your mate will rig and set up your baits and lines. When a fish strikes, the mate typically works to ensure the fish is hooked and helps the angler into a fighting chair to fight the fish. If you wish to try to hook your own fish, be sure to let us know ahead of departure so we can coach you in advance. Unlike a lot of boats, we do allow you to set your own hooks if desired but remember that your chances of landing a fish increase by allowing the mate to set the hook. Not all fish are hooked on the first strike and an alert mate can entice a fish to eat again by a proper drop back or by rod movements. After the fish is brought to boat, the mate will gaff your fish to bring it into the boat if it is to be kept. If the fish is not to be kept or is too small to be gaffed, the fish will be lifted into the boat for hook removal. Fish that are to be released and are too large to bring into the boat are released at the side of the boat. Upon return to the dock, your mate will fillet edible fish for you to take to many of the fine restaurants in Key West if you wish.

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How much should I tip the mate?

Although tipping is a personal matter, most people are unaware that the mate is paid a small amount for each trip and depends upon tips to make their living just like a waiter or waitress. Your mate also works many unpaid hours cleaning the boat, doing maintenance, and rigging tackle. The amount customers normally tip is 15 - 20% of the charter price.

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