Salt and Mist Sea Tours — Local services in Saint Petersburg

We have taken many private boat tours while on vacation, and can definitely say that Captain Joe's tours are among the best. We were so impressed with the daytime tour, that we took the sunset tour on the same day. Both were fantastic.

Captain Joe is one of the most personable, knowledgeable, friendly and witty persons we have met. Just a really nice guy with so much information to share, and very thoughtful and accommodating to his guests.

His boat is a well maintained and comfortable Sea Ray that can take up to 6 passengers. We wanted the boat all to ourselves, which simply required that we purchase an extra ticket, which was more than fair. Other companies would have made us pay for all 6 seats rather than just 3.

My wife had never seen manatees in the water despite numerous prior boat trips, so at our request Captain Joe took us to spots where he thought we could see them--and we saw plenty.

We also saw many scenic sights during the rest of the daytime trip. And unlike the scripted and sometimes boring narratives you hear on a large tour, Captain Joe provide absolutely fascinating and interesting information, all delivered with a nice sense of humor.

At night we saw baby dolphins for the first time (on other trips we had seen only the adults), then a beautiful sunset and some amazing homes. Captain Joe knew exactly where every celebrity currently or previously owned a home.

At night it's much cooler on the water than in the evening. Not to worry because Captain Joe has comfortable blankets if you get chilly. I was fine in a short sleeve shirt and shorts, but my wife did use the blanket.

At the end of the sunset tour Captain Joe dropped us off at the dock of a waterfront restaurant that he recommended, and we finished our evening with a wonderful dinner.

I used to own a boat myself, and was very impressed with Captain Joe's seamanship and water safety awareness. Plus he was just fun to to be with. My wife and I definitely would take his tours again the next time we are on vacation, and we recommend his tours to anyone who wants to have a good time...

WOW, just WOW...this private tour was anything but ordinary. Surprised my parents who traveled down from NY on a private dolphin tour with Captain Joe. Such an incredible time had by all. From the moment at pick-up to drop off we were blessed with Captain Joe's contagious smile and outgoing personality which we all appreciated.

His knowledge and countless hours spent training out on the open seas while he was enrolled in the US Coast guards Captain School really shined through. He clearly has spent a lot of time out on the open waters. He navigated his boat seamlessly while touring us around on the beautiful waters of Tierra Verde, Isla Del Sol Islands and the Gulf.

Extra bonus points for being an excellent photographer as well! To care enough to take the extra time to capture special memories that will last a lifetime is simply priceless! Also extra bonus stars for hanging around a pod of dolphins so we could enjoy them getting countless pictures and videos.

His boat is absolutely beautiful! Spacious and very comfortable. Joe kept it very clean and tidy...which we greatly appreciated especially during this pandemic. Captain Joe genuinely cares and prides him self on being the best, living up to all of his 5 star reviews online.

It is obvious that he envisioned his own private business years ago. I am happy to support local, small business for I appreciate him and the story of how his business came through to fruition.

The only regret I have is not coming on this tour sooner! Expect a lot of referrals to be heading your way Captain Joe. Thank you kindly for such a great experience. We cannot wait to come back again soon to make new ones! :))

No need to look any further. Book with Salt and Mist Sea Tours, for you will NOT be...

My wife and I live in SPB and found this Groupon for a sunset cruise. First and foremost, Captain Joe is awesome! He's extremely knowledgeable regarding a wide range of topics, from boating operation and safety to local marine life and celebrity villas on the intercoastal waterways. He's also exceedingly polite and clearly focused on making sure his guests have a fantastic time. The boat is impeccably clean and very comfortable. Communication with Captain Joe was easy and we had no trouble finding the launch location. The sunset tour was breathtaking. As local SPB residents, we've seen marine life before, but on this particular tour, we saw easily over a dozen different dolphin pods, tarpon, several schools of fish, all kinds of birds, and even a ray that jumped straight out of the water (honestly didn't know they did that!).

It was truly an all-around excellent experience, even for a couple of locals who rarely participate in tours. Honestly, this was not at all like the typical boating tours you see being offered around SPB; instead of packing 20 strangers onto a pontoon, Salt and Sea Mist Tours with Captain Joe was more akin to spending a few hours hanging out on a friend's boat.

Better yet, we learned that Captain Joe offers custom-tailored private group charters and excursions. My wife and I will definitely be looking to schedule one of those next time our friends are in town. If you're looking for a great way to get out on the water in style (and at a very reasonable cost), you simply cannot beat this. Highly...