The Captain Who Never Tires of Boca Ciega Bay's Dolphins
A private boat from Gulfport searches Boca Ciega Bay for bottlenose dolphins; longer trips add snorkeling, shells or tubing.
Allen's Aquatic Adventures is one captain and one boat. Captain Allen, born and raised around Tampa Bay by his own account, runs every trip himself on Making Memories, and each booking takes the whole boat for a group of up to six.
The boat leaves the Gulfport Municipal Marina on Boca Ciega Bay, the protected stretch of water between the mainland and the barrier islands. The listing's title points to Treasure Island; the operator puts the ramp 15 to 20 minutes' drive from there and about 15 minutes from St. Pete Beach.
Bottlenose dolphins feed in Boca Ciega Bay all year, and the operator calls sightings frequent but never guaranteed. Asked whether he ever tires of seeing them, Captain Allen's answer, in the operator's telling, is never.
As of October 28, 2026, the listing below sells six versions of the trip, each priced for the whole boat and up to six people: USD 350 for two hours, USD 475 for three, USD 575 for four and USD 800 for six. The two evening runs cost USD 285 for the Sunset Intracoastal Cruise and USD 350 for the Sunset Bridge Tour.
Daytime trips start between 9:00 AM and 2:30 PM. With a single boat, availability goes start time by start time, and the operator recommends booking as soon as the dates are set. Booked here, a trip refunds in full if cancelled at least 24 hours before departure, and not at all after that.
Private Boat Tours for Dolphin Watching Near Treasure IslandA private dolphin-watching boat for up to six with Captain Allen, leaving Gulfport Municipal Marina on Boca Ciega Bay.www.viator.comWhere the Dolphins Feed Around Gulfport
Captain Allen works the spots the operator names as dolphin favorites: the channels of Boca Ciega Bay, the water off Pass-A-Grille, the Shell Key area and north toward John's Pass. In the morning the dolphins often feed close to the shoreline. Later in the day, groups gather to swim and play, and mothers with calves are a common sight, according to the operator.
Early morning and late afternoon are the windows the operator recommends, when the water is usually calmer and dolphins surface more often. A playful pod may chase the boat and jump in its wake. A July 2025 reviewer on this listing saw it happen: "Sure enough, dolphins started leaping from the wake of the boat."
Pelicans diving for fish and rays gliding below the surface are regular extras, and manatees turn up in some seasons, the operator says.
NOAA Fisheries encourages watching wild dolphins from at least 50 yards and asks people not to swim with them; feeding or harassing them is illegal.
Longer Charters Reach Egmont Key and Shell Key
The two-hour trip covers one activity, whether that is dolphins, snorkeling, a run to Egmont Key or shelling on Shell Key. Three hours pairs two, and four or six hours mix several. Snorkeling near the sunken fort ruins at Egmont Key, shelling on Shell Key, and tubing, wakeboarding, water skiing or kneeboarding behind the boat are all on the operator's menu.
Snorkel gear and watersports equipment are part of the booking. The operator says no experience is needed, and Captain Allen coaches riders as much or as little as they like. Four hours is the trip the operator calls its most popular.
Egmont Key brings Fort Dade's ruins and an 1858 lighthouse into the day. Florida State Parks reopened the island on Aug. 12, 2026, with all structures still closed to the public, so plan on seeing both from the outside. Dogs and alcohol are banned on Egmont Key and Shell Key alike. Live shells stay where they are found: Egmont Key prohibits collecting them, and Pinellas County bars taking live sand dollars, conchs or starfish off Shell Key's beach. Captain Allen helps tell an empty shell from an occupied one, the operator says. Each island also keeps a nesting-bird area closed to visitors, at the south end of Egmont Key and in the middle of Shell Key.
Two Ways to End the Day at Sunset
The Sunset Intracoastal Cruise runs past waterfront homes on the intracoastal waters and through Pass-A-Grille for the sunset itself; the operator starts it about an hour before sunset. The Sunset Bridge Tour begins 30 minutes before sunset at Pass-A-Grille and watches the sun go down from Bunces Pass. After dark it carries on to the lit Sunshine Skyway Bridge, with night views of the Tierra Verde and Bayway bridges. Each runs 1.5 to 2 hours, per the operator.
The listing shows the two evening runs at 6:30 PM and 7:00 PM. The operator times both to the sunset: a winter cruise leaves earlier than a summer one, and Captain Allen confirms the start time after booking. The operator suggests a light jacket or sweater for the ride home.
Six Seats on Making Memories
Making Memories is a 2019 Monterey M-65, a 26-foot open bowrider with a Bluetooth sound system. The boat is rated for 12. Coast Guard rules allow six passengers at a time, and the operator notes that infants and children count toward the six. Life jackets come in sizes from infant to adult, and a first aid kit is on board.
There is no restroom on the boat, and the agencies that run Egmont Key and Shell Key say neither island has one. The marina's restrooms and showers are in the city-run Ship Store, which posts winter closing times of 5:00 PM Monday through Thursday and 5:30 PM Friday through Sunday (6:30 PM on summer weekends), so an evening departure can fall after it closes. Food is not provided, and coolers with water and snacks are welcome.
The listing marks the trip as not wheelchair accessible. An August 2025 reviewer brought an aunt who had a knee replacement two months earlier, and counted on the marina ramps and the boat for a "straight shot into the boat with one step down".
📍 The boat leaves from the Gulfport Municipal Marina, 4630 29th Avenue South; the map pin marks the marina. The City of Gulfport says all parking in the city is free; the listing asks guests to avoid spaces marked for trailers or timed parking and says Captain Allen waits behind the blue and grey marina building. The operator asks for arrival 15 minutes early for sunscreen and the dock restrooms, and it does not offer hotel pickups.
Fuel and the captain's gratuity are not included in the listing price. The operator gives two sets of fuel estimates. Its pricing page lists USD 20 to 50 for two hours, USD 30 to 65 for three, USD 50 to 75 for four and USD 50 to 100 for six; its FAQ puts a two-hour watersports run at about USD 20 to 35, an island or Egmont Key snorkeling trip at USD 35 to 50 and four hours at USD 45 to 75. Both pages tie the amount to the activities, the number aboard and the price of fuel. On its own site the operator includes fuel in both sunset cruises, while this listing's exclusions name fuel and gratuity without setting the sunset runs apart, a point worth settling with Captain Allen when he confirms the start time. Captain Allen's own booking terms use a 48-hour cancellation window; the 24-hour rule above applies to bookings made through this listing. In bad weather, the operator says it will help reschedule or refund.
On one July 2025 trip, a reviewer was already watching dolphins fish along the inlet walls before the boat reached open water.