Kauai Sea Rider Adventures — Local services in Kauai

Just in 3 sentences: this was a lifetime experience! And I am sure it made a great difference going with Tara from Kauai Sea Rider Adventures! Uncomparable.

Now for the details: On our last day on Kauai at around noon, we – a family of five – were pretty desperate because the company we had our tour booked with informed us, that the afternoon tour was cancelled due to a marathon and the highway closure caused by same. Not that this would have affected us in the slightest, since we were staying in a hotel just 4 miles away from the harbor. However, this was the best thing that could happen to us. Desperately, we were searching for an alternative. When we had already lost all hope, Tara from Kauai Sea Rider Adventures called us after she got contacted by our travel agent. She was willing to take us on a private tour on just short notice. 2 hours later, we met in Kikiaola Small Boat Harbor close to Waimea. And there she was with her Navi Seals Zodiac. Already the very first impression at the beginning was just awesome. After unloading her zodiac from her trailer, she immediately rinsed the trailer with biodegradable soap to prevent rust. This was so reassuring. One who takes so much care of a trailer will also have his/her vessel in great shape. After some thorough instructions, we took off. The sea on this day was quite rough. But Tara flew over the water with such skills that the ride – though shaky – was just big, big fun. Being on a private charter had the unique advantage of being able to ask Tara any time to slow down in order to take pics. How could you do that on a trip with dozens of other people? Every now and then, Tara interrupted the ride and explained to us many interesting facts about the sea life and nature. And she is really top qualified. In fact, Tara is Irish but studied marine biology on Hawaii and then got married to a local man and stayed ever since on Kauai. Since the zodiac is so fast, we overtook all the catamarans and it was so much fun. We also could enter in the caves at the coast unlike the clumsy catamarans. After making all the Napali coast, we turned back and stopped in a sheltered bay for some snorkeling. There we saw beautiful turtles and most colorful fish. Later on, on the ride back, we also saw dolphins (spinners). This was just marvelous. Tara maneuvered the zodiac do I could take fantastic pictures of the dolphins with the Napali coast in the light of the sunset in the background. Unmatched! If I will ever again visit Kauai, I will definitely go on a trip with Tara again. Here is why: she is such a great and cherish person she is extremely well prepared and very cautious Tara knows the ocean in an unmatched manner and is absolutely professional steering a zodiac she knows all about marine life she finances her research with taking folks on unforgettable trips to the Napali coast, so by going with her you will help to support her research!!! her zodiac is much preferable to a catamaran, since you won’t feel seasick as quickly on a zodiac, it is much faster than the catamarans, it can enter the caves, it has unobstructed views to all sides which is just perfect for taking pics, you don’t need any roof during the tour, just a hat and a T-shirt are enough since the air will provide ventilation I can only put a fraction of the most wonderful experience in words. You have to experience it by your own. And since you are reading this, I guess you are about to plan a trip or at least thinking about doing so. Don’t hesitate: this is really worth every penny and an unforgettable experience. And if you are looking for the best guide ever, go with Tara and the Kauai Sea Rider Adventures. She won`t let you down unlike others that cancel the trip in the last minute. You support Tara’s research by going with her. Her knowledge of marine life is unique and the is a most amiable and cherish person. Aloha. PS: we were a family of 2 adults and 3 kids aged 8, 10 and 12. Even for our youngest, the trip was perfectly doable despites the...

This was an unforgettable opportunity! Definitely one of most memorable and fun experiences my husband and I had in Hawaii. We researched quite a few options for snorkeling and I’m so glad we landed on the 3-hour snorkeling tour with Kauai’s Sea Riders Adventures - they did not disappoint and we loved it!

The captain, Adam, was hilarious and engaged all of the passengers in a friendly, but respectful way. They also brought two highly trained divers on the excursion to ensure safety, checking the water before you go in for any speedy currents. You know you’re safe and in good hands! Ed, one of those divers, was amazing with the children on the boat and shared his knowledge with them (and me)! Elijah knew what he was doing - you can tell he loves his job. He was highly knowledgeable and taught us everything we needed to know pointing out the sea turtles for us while we were in the water so that we could simply swim over to him and witness them at close range.

The Sea Riders Adventures team was super intuitive, adjusting their style to the varied hesitancies of those on the boat and sensitive to weather conditions. They truly look out for you!

We had such a blast! We saw a ton of dolphins playing and swimming so close to the boat that you could touch them. We snorkeled alongside lots of colorful, tropical fish and swam right next to the most beautiful, large sea turtles. Just surreal.

Also, kudos to whomever packs the lunches: crazy-good sandwiches!! I wish we would have skipped Oahu’s Chicago-like Waikiki and headed right for the Kauai Sea...

Pros: The boat is really nice and smooth and the captain knows what she is doing! They make everyone feel very safe. The support staff were knowledgeable and friendly.

Cons: Ocean conditions were really terrible today because of the rain yesterday; the water clarity was poor and I did not see any turtles and few fish. While this is out of their control, it feels unfair to proceed to run tours for $130 pp when they know the conditions are not great. 4 people vomited on our trip, and we had to rush back because they were so sick. To top it off, they messed up our sandwich order and we are both vegetarians, and they only had one veggie sandwich. However, The captain was very apologetic and offered us some $ to get lunch from a nearby restaurant and gave us cookies too. We really appreciated that!

Gentle recommendation: people need different levels of support depending on their comfort level and previous experience with snorkeling, and the captain should modify her level of assistance given the needs of the individuals. We felt that we were being micromanaged and chided during the trip.

Overall, I think this would be a good trip for people who have never been snorkeling and feel they need a lot of guidance and on a day when the water is more calm and clear (tbd at the discretion and responsibility of the captain). I would not recommend this for experienced swimmers or snorkelers, unless the captain starts asking people about their proficiency before setting out on the water and treating them...