A Pontoon Anchored in the Shallows Off Caladesi or Honeymoon
A private pontoon out of Clearwater to the barrier-island shallows, for shelling, swimming and watching for dolphins.
ClearWake Watersports sells this trip by the boat. One pontoon carries up to six guests for four hours at USD 600 or six hours at USD 800, and a group of seven to twelve books two pontoons that run together for USD 1,200 or USD 1,600. Whoever books gets the whole boat and a licensed captain for the full block, with the stops shaped around the group.
On the four-hour run the operator names Caladesi Island or Honeymoon Island, two state parks on the barrier islands north of Clearwater Beach. The six-hour version reaches farther, and the operator lists Anclote Key and Tarpon Springs among its stops.
Several travelers describe the same shape of day: two island stops, time in the water, and shells picked up along the way. One summed it up as "We went to two amazing beaches, swam, shelled, and relaxed."
Clearwater Beach Private Boat Tours: Islands, Shelling & DolphinsPrivate pontoon priced per boat: up to six guests for four or six hours, or two pontoons for seven to twelve. Licensed captain, fuel, life vests, cooler and ice included.www.viator.comDolphins Between Stops, Shells at the Waterline
Dolphin watching happens on the move, in the open water between the islands. The listing frames it as a search, and dolphins come up again and again in travelers' reviews. A 2025 review also lists sharks, rays and a manatee.
The stops are for swimming and shelling. Florida wildlife rules require a recreational saltwater fishing license to take any shell with a living animal inside, even from the beach, and harvest can be limited further inside state parks. Empty shells are the ones to keep.
The Float Mat and Paddleboards Are Requests
The listing's description leads with an 18-foot floating water mat, and the operator's own page lists the mat, snorkel gear and two paddleboards for its four- and six-hour boats. The listing itself files the same gear under what is not included, with notes that it comes upon request or based on availability. Neither the listing nor the operator names a charge for it. Ask for the mat, the boards and the snorkel sets in the special-requirements box when you book.
Life vests are supplied for everyone aboard. The operator welcomes all ages, and infants ride on an adult's lap.
Bring Lunch, Drinks and Your Own Water
The price covers the captain, fuel, life vests, a cooler and ice. Food and drinks are yours to bring, and the operator allows alcohol for guests 21 and older. The boat has a Bluetooth stereo for your own music and a canopy for shade.
Bottled water is less certain. One of the operator's own lists includes it, another lists only coolers and ice, and its packing list tells guests to bring water bottles. Pack water for everyone, and know that there is no bathroom on the boat; some of the stops have restrooms. Bring a government-issued photo ID, sunscreen, towels and sandals or water shoes. Gratuities are not included.
Seminole Street, Across the Harbor From the Beach
The boat meets you at Seminole Boat Ramp, 198 Seminole St., on the mainland side of Clearwater Harbor. Park in the city lot and walk to the docks, where the captain waits on the water. One traveler found the ramp easy to locate "just north of the Clearwater causeway" and liked skipping the hunt for parking on the beach side; the captain texted ahead with where to find him.
The operator asks guests to arrive 20 minutes before departure, and arriving later cuts into the trip's own time. The city charges regular vehicles USD 2.25 an hour in that lot, enforced from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM daily and payable at the pay-by-plate kiosks or through the ParkMobile app.
📍 Seminole Boat Ramp, 198 Seminole St., Clearwater.
Four-hour trips leave at 9:00 AM or 1:30 PM, and six-hour trips start in the morning. As of October 18, 2026, the booking calendar showed the four-hour, one-boat option closed for all of December, while the six-hour boat and both two-boat options stayed open.
Cancel at least 24 hours before departure for a full refund; inside 24 hours the booking is not refundable. The listing says a trip can be cancelled for bad weather, and the operator says it reschedules or refunds when conditions make a trip unsafe.
Pack the cooler the night before and let the captain find the sandbar.