For a taste of history along with the salty sea air, take a cruise on a tall ship. Several tall ships operate out of Southwest Florida, where the Gulf of Mexico's warm waters offer temperate sailing conditions year round. Whether you're planning an idyllic sunset wedding ceremony or an educational birthday party for curious children, there's a clipper, a schooner or a ketch awaiting you in Southwest Florida.
Schooner Wolf
- The Wolf schooner is a 74-foot topsail schooner, built in 1983 in Panama City, Florida. It is a Norfolk Rover-class steel-hull schooner. Today it operates out of Key West's Safe Harbor Marina. It has been designated as the Flagship of the Conch Republic and of the city of Key West. The Wolf's design echoes the blockade runners that sailed around the Florida Straits and Caribbean in the 19th century. You can charter the Wolf for private affairs including pirate-themed and traditional parties, traditional and military weddings at sea, receptions, sunset cruises and educational excursions. The Schooner Wolf is available for charter throughout Southwest Florida and the Keys as well as in the Bahamas, Caribbean and elsewhere in the United States.Schooner WolfSafe Harbour Marina6810 Front StreetStock Island/Key West, FL 33040305-296-9694schoonerwolf.com
Aquarian Quest
- Docked in Sarasota, Florida, the Aquarian Quest program maintains an historic 57-foot wooden gaff-rigged ketch, the Spray. It offers cruises with an educational slant, organizing many programs for children and school groups. A school sail cruise lasts three hours and can accommodate 33 students and two chaperones. The program involves a series of lesson stations and it meets the Sunshine State Standards for Science Education. Aquarian Quest offers additional programs for adult groups, including a special "Teach the Teacher" program for science educators. Aquarian Quest is a non-profit educational foundation and accepts tax-deductible donations. You may also charter a private excursion for a social group or private party.Aquarian Quest, Inc.P.O. Box 550Sarasota, Florida 34230941-809-7700aquarianquest.org
Sailing Ship Adventures
- Sailing Ship Adventures offers old-fashioned sea voyages aboard its fleet of schooners, clippers and ketches. The company offers cruises worldwide, including tall ships based on the Florida Keys and Florida coast. The sailing ship cruises include opportunities for water sports, such as snorkeling, surfing and fishing. In addition, the cruises offer activities at each port-of-call, including shopping, hiking, beach-combing, scuba diving and nature walks. As Sailing Ship Adventures operates a large fleet of tall ships around the world, the scope of cruises varies widely. You may book passage on a larger vessel along with up to 300 other passengers. On the other hand, the smallest tall ships may accommodate private parties of just six people.Sailing Ship Adventures888 Worcester St.Wellesley, MA 02482877-822-4395sailingshipadventures.com
