Florida Water Tours, owned by Jessica and Michael Jadick, celebrated 10 years of being in business in January and is currently gearing up for spring in St. Augustine’s marshes and waterways.
Marine naturalist and wildlife guide Marcel van Gils shared a bit about his experience and what guests can expect from the fun and educational tours as spring approaches.
Van Gils has been with Florida Water Tours for almost eight years. He said he worked on the water in several locations in the past.
“Once I met with Jess and Mike, I knew it would be a great company to work for,” he said. Van Gils grew up in Ohio and moved to Hawaii shortly after college graduation and worked for several companies and organizations revolving around education research and eco-tourism. He spent seven years in Hawaii before following that line of work to Florida.
Every day as a wildlife guide is unique as the climate and guests are always changing. He said his favorite animals to spot out on the water are dolphins.
“It’s what gets people the most excited,” he said. Springtime brings a lot of change, and as the water warms up, manatees, bald eagles, various shark species and baby dolphins are easier to spot.
Van Gils said a typical tour is a fully guided immersive experience and starts north of the Vilano Bridge and often heads south into the Mantanzas Bay.
“The captain and myself dictate the pace and the route depending on several factors, such as feeding cues, what areas have been productive recently and tide strength and direction,” he said. Florida Water Tours also has the highest level of guides in the area and many are or were teachers who assisted in marine mammal projects across the globe.
Florida Water Tours also runs a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit called Florida Water Warriors. The nonprofit works to promote education and conservation of Florida’s Natural Habitats by providing hands-on, educational boat cruises for students. To learn more, go to floridawaterwarriors.org.
