We had an amazing time with Captain Vaughn! We were a group of 6, and the entire experience was so much fun from start to finish.

Right at the beginning, we stopped to fill up on gas and got to see some HUGE tarpon swimming around, and we even spotted a nurse shark in the water! It was such a cool and unexpected way to start the trip.

Captain Vaughn then took us to a sandbar, and because the tide was so low, it basically turned into our own little private beach in the middle of the water. It was definitely one of the highlights of the day. He also took us to a beautiful spot surrounded by trees where we were able to get some really cool pictures.

Later, we went to another similar spot, but we decided we would rather spend more time at a sandbar instead. Captain Vaughn was extremely accommodating and had no problem changing the plan for us. He took us out to another sandbar in the middle of the ocean, and we had an absolute blast.

The best surprise came on the way back when we came across more than 10 dolphins! Captain Vaughn got us really close so we could watch them swimming around the boat, and it was the perfect way to end the trip.

Overall, we had a fantastic experience. Captain Vaughn was friendly, accommodating, and made sure our group got to spend the day doing what we actually wanted to do. Between the huge tarpon, nurse shark, sandbars, beautiful photo spots, and all the dolphins, it was a day we’ll definitely remember.

We had a grand time and would absolutely recommend booking with Captain Vaughn!

Captain Vaughn was great.  Started off in the mangroves of Key West, and then out to some smaller islands.  He told us the history of Key West and all kinds of interesting facts/stories about the islands that make up Key West.  Pick up spot was easy.  He was quick to respond to any text messages that I sent him before the trip.  Our party was 4 adults.  We enjoyed the locations that he took us to.  He had snorkel gear and paddle boards for us.  He also supplied a cooler with ice and drinks, with plenty of room to add our snacks and drinks.
Highly recommend Captain Vaughn.  We will use him again for your next trip to Key West.

Vaughn was awesome to go out with. We loved boating through the mangroves out to the open water. Our perfect day was going to sandbars to explore, which is exactly what we did. We were also able to snorkel and use Vaughn’s paddle boards during our stops. It was myself, my husband, my 13 year old and his friend and my 9 year old. There was a perfect amount of space for all of us, with comfy boat chairs. Vaughn grew up in key west, so he’s super knowledgeable about the good spots to go and to watch the tides. Five stars for sure, cant wait til next time with the walkie talkies!

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This was one of the coolest experiences we had in Key West. Instead of meeting at a crowded marina, we met the captain at his house, which sits right on a narrow mangrove canal. Walking through his backyard and stepping directly onto the boat felt like being invited into a true local Key West experience. It was such a unique and relaxed way to start the trip.
From there we took about a 20-minute ride out through the mangroves and open water to a beautiful sandbar where other boaters were hanging out. The captain set us up with beach chairs so we could relax in the shallow water, and he was incredibly attentive—bringing us drinks whenever we needed them.
Later we cruised over to another small island where he had paddleboards ready for us to use, which made exploring the area even more fun.
As if that wasn’t enough, Navy fighter jets were training in the area and flew overhead a few times, which was an unexpected and very cool bonus.
The whole trip felt personal, relaxed, and authentically Key West. If you’re looking for something more special than a typical crowded charter leaving from a marina, this is absolutely the way to do it. Highly recommend Captain Vaughn!

Captain Vaughn was amazing! We did a half day visiting three separate sandbars that were not crowded. It seemed like most of the people were locals. In a highly tourist city, it was nice to expereince the local vibe. Captain Vaughn had all of the snorkel equipment, balls, and paddleboards to make the experience wonderful and all in one. Even better, we came across a pod of dolphins and our kids were thrilled. We highly recommend Captain Vaughn and would definitley book with him again!