Sailing on Biscayne Bay on the Biscayne National Park Institute’s Sail, Paddle and Snorkel excursion

The Biscayne National Park Institute, an authorized concessionaire for Biscayne National Park, offers a chance to go sailing in Biscayne Bay and snorkeling and kayaking along the shore of Elliott Key. The trip departs from the Dante Fascell Visitor Center once a day at 10 AM, year-round. The duration is six hours. The tour is limited to six people, and small groups have the option to book the sailboat for a private tour (by paying the six-person fee). See the Biscayne National Park Institute’s Sail, Paddle and Snorkel web page for the latest schedule, fees, and to make a reservation.

Boat arrives at Elliott Key in Biscayne National Park

I have taken numerous tours with the Biscayne National Park Institute and have enjoyed them all. The Sail, Paddle and Snorkel excursion is no exception, but there are a few things to understand about the trip. First and foremost, if there is no wind, you are just going to be on a fairly expensive motorized boat trip. There was very little wind on the day I attended, so the sailing portion amounted to perhaps half of the distance to Elliott Key (4.5 out of 9 miles). The trip back was all motor. So that was disappointing but no fault of the Biscayne National Park Institute.

Sailing on Biscayne Bay on the Biscayne National Park Institute’s Sail, Paddle and Snorkel excursion

Second, sailboats are much slower than motorboats, even with strong winds. On the day I did the tour (gentle winds), the boat did roughly 4 MPH (per my GPS). Things didn’t get much better with the motor—7 MPH at full speed. Therefore, due to a leisurely pace of travel and a 6-hour time limit, there is only one destination on the Sail, Paddle and Snorkel excursion. On the trip I took, this was Coon Point on Elliott Key. This could change based on weather, but Coon Point is a popular spot. On the snorkeling and paddling tours that use motorboats (which travel up to 30 MPH), there are usually two destinations, if not three.

Third, even in Miami the water can be damn cold in the winter. I did two trips in January (different years), the Sail, Paddle and Snorkel on a January 2nd and the Snorkel and Paddle Eco-Adventure on a January 22nd. For the Eco-Adventure, the water at one dive spot was 72 degrees (F), which is about as cold as I can tolerate, and the second spot was 70 degrees. Doesn’t sound like much of a difference, but I was out of the water at the second spot not too long after jumping in. On the January 2nd trip, the water was around 67 degrees. Even with wetsuits, that is cold. The only reason I went snorkeling was because I paid for it. Being cold never left my mind. This is not something I got used to, like 72 degree water. I lasted about fifteen minutes. I also did the Biscayne National Park Institute’s Snorkel Experience in June, and that was wonderful. Thus, if you plan to book a snorkeling excursion in the winter—which is the height of tourist season in South Florida—beware.

And fourth, this is not a hands-on sailing lesson. Participants may get to help hoist the sails and steer the boat while the captain does most of the hoisting work, but for the most part, until reaching Elliott Key, this is a pleasure cruise on a sailboat.

Passenger on the Biscayne National Park Institute’s Sail, Paddle and Snorkel excursion helps hoist the sail

Captain hoists the sails on the Biscayne National Park Institute’s Sail, Paddle and Snorkel excursion

As for the Paddle and Snorkel portion of the excursion, Coon Point is a fringing reef, which is a coral reef attached to the shore of an island. This is an excellent snorkeling site located in shallow water, so there is rarely a need to dive below the surface to see the corals and fish. I not only saw plenty of fish, but I also saw a juvenile stingray and a lobster. It is also an interesting spot because just a little ways off the shore, the reef ends and the seagrass begins. Being a different habitat, you are likely to see different types of sea creatures.

Fish near the coral at Coon Point on Elliot Key, Biscayne National Park

Fish in the sea grass off of Coon Point on Elliot Key, Biscayne National Park

The paddling portion of the trip was not all that interesting to me, mainly because I have paddled a lot and do not like paddling on large bodies of water—I find it boring. Thus, it was just something to do with my family. The Snorkel and Paddle Eco-Adventure and the Jones Lagoon Eco-Paddle both go to Jones Lagoon, and that is an infinitely more interesting place.

Participants on the Biscayne National Park Institute’s Sail, Paddle and Snorkel excursion begin the paddling portion of the trip

Shore of Elliott Key at Coon Point, Biscayne National Park

Biscayne National Park Institute offers many paddling and snorkeling excursions, so the only reason to do the Sail, Paddle and Snorkel trip is because you want to travel on a sailboat. If you have never sailed and there was a guarantee of wind, this would be a great choice. But as you know, there is no guarantee of wind, so it’s a gamble when you sign up. If the idea of sailing means nothing to you, take the Snorkel and Paddle Eco-Adventure, which is my favorite trip. It is the same duration and price as the Sail, Paddle and Snorkel excursion.

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