4 hours · SQUID · All ages
Dolphin Watch + Guided Snorkel & Sandbar
The signature trip, on the electric boat.
| Adult | $109 |
|---|---|
| Child | $89 |
Editorial spotlight · Key West Bight Marina, 231 Margaret Street
2026 Conch Shell Awards nomineeBest Eco/Wildlife Tour
Honest Eco
A biologist started it in 2014 and built the boat himself: SQUID, a solar-electric hybrid catamaran that runs quiet enough to sit with dolphins. Small groups, organic snacks, and a crew that explains what you're looking at.
- Dolphin & snorkel
- $109
- Sunset dolphin sail
- $89
- Tripadvisor
- 4.9
- Key West rank
- #3 of 523
Editorial spotlight. Honest Eco is a nominee in the 2026 Conch Shell Awards. They did not pay for this page and had no say in it. We earn a commission when you book through the links here; your price is the same.
The company
Started by a biologist, built in a boatyard
Capt. Billy Litmer came to Key West in 2005 as a mate on a snorkel boat and started Honest Eco in 2014, taking over a dolphin-watch tour that had run out of the Bight since 1986. He has a biology degree, and the crew talks like it: the tours are about the animals and the habitat, not a bar.
SQUID, launched in 2019, was designed by naval architect David Walworth and built by Billy and a small team over two and a half years: Torqeedo electric motors, lithium batteries, a roof of solar panels and a small diesel range extender. The Coast Guard called it the first lithium-ion hybrid charter boat in the country. Honest Eco is a NOAA Blue Star operator and Billy is a Monroe County “Steward of the Keys.”
“Started by a biologist in 2014.”
Founder and captain
Capt. Billy Litmer
Guests name the captains and mates in reviews (Kristen, Mo, Noah, Dan, Libby, Alexa, Jordan, Mary and others); the roster is Honest Eco's to confirm. Founder bio on the About page.
The one to book
Dolphin watch, guided snorkel and a sandbar on SQUID
Four hours in the Key West National Wildlife Refuge with a group small enough that everyone gets a rail. The captain finds wild dolphins under electric power, then a guided snorkel with a crew member in the water pointing things out, then a sandbar stop. Organic fruit, veggies, hummus and filtered water are aboard; bring your own beer or wine for after the swimming, no glass.
Adults $109, children 2 to 11 $89, under 2 free. The whole boat is $2,676 for up to 15.
| Adult | $109 |
|---|---|
| Child 2–11 | $89 |
| Private, up to 15 | $2,676 |
Checked against FareHarbor on September 30, 2026. No late boarding; be at the boat 20 minutes early.
Check AvailabilityThe boats
SQUID, the sailing cat and the small boats
SQUID is the flagship and the reason to book. The sailing catamaran runs the winter sunset dolphin sails; the small power cats take private groups of six.
SQUID
- Type
- 37 ft power catamaran
- Drive
- Solar-electric hybrid as launched in 2019
- Guests
- Up to 24, USCG-inspected
- Design
- David Walworth; built by Honest Eco
- Berth
- Key West Bight, 231 Margaret St
Sailing catamaran
- Type
- 42 ft sailing catamaran
- Guests
- Up to 36, USCG-inspected
- Use
- Winter dolphin and sunset sails; private charters up to 15
- Berth
- 120 Margaret St
COWFiSH and Java Cat
- Type
- Small power catamarans
- Guests
- Up to 6 each
- Use
- Private sandbar, snorkel and kayak charters
- Includes
- Captain, fuel, fruit, water
Book it
Trips
Public trips are per person, adult 12+ and child 2–11, under 2 free. Private charters are for the whole boat. Checked against FareHarbor on September 30, 2026.
3 hours · Sailing cat · Winter
Dolphin Watch + Sunset Sail
Dolphins in the afternoon light, then the sunset under sail. November to spring.
| Adult | $89 |
|---|---|
| Child | $69 |
4.5 hours · Sailing cat
Kayak + Guided Snorkel & Morning Sail
A guided kayak paddle through the mangroves and a guided snorkel, from the sailing catamaran.
| Per person | $119 |
|---|
4–4.5 hours · May to mid-October
Reef Snorkel + Sandbar & Sunset Sail
The summer version: reef, sandbar, sunset. Last October dates at this check.
| Adult | $109 |
|---|---|
| Child | $79 |
4 hours · Private · Up to 6
Private Sandbar + Snorkel on COWFiSH
The small boat for your group only. Captain, fuel, fruit and water included.
| Whole boat | $799 |
|---|
4 hours · Private · Up to 6
Private Kayak + Snorkel on Java Cat
Kayaks and a snorkel stop, your group only.
| Whole boat | $799 |
|---|
The sailing catamaran is also available as a custom private charter for up to 15 ($2,198), with only a couple of dates open at this check. Public trips on SQUID can be taken private for up to 15 at $2,676.
Before you go
Know before you go
Where to board
Key West Bight Marina, 231 Margaret Street, for SQUID and the small boats; the sailing catamaran is at 120 Margaret Street. Be at the boat 20 minutes before departure; there is no late boarding.
Parking
Street parking is free but unreliable. The Key West Bight lot at 800 Caroline Street and the garage at 300 Grinnell Street are about $20 for four hours and a 10 to 15 minute walk.
Included
Organic fruit, veggies, hummus and filtered water; snorkel gear. No single-use plastic aboard.
Bring
Your own beer or wine for after the water activities, shown to the crew at boarding. No glass, no hard liquor, no smoking or vaping.
Kids
All ages on the dolphin trips. Snorkel and kayak trips need enough mobility to get in and out of the water.
Reviews
What guests say
- 4.9TripadvisorRating as of September 30, 2026
- #3of 523Tours and activities in Key West, Tripadvisor
- 5.0GoogleRating as shown on honesteco.org, September 30, 2026
Reviewers write about crew who narrate like biologists, groups small enough to feel private next to the party boats, and the electric boat and no-plastic policy as reasons they chose it. The honest caveat: wild dolphins are not on a schedule.
Questions
Good to know
What makes Honest Eco different?
A biologist founder, a crew that explains the refuge, and SQUID, a solar-electric hybrid catamaran built for quiet wildlife watching. Groups are small; NOAA Blue Star certified.
Where does it leave from?
Key West Bight Marina at 231 Margaret Street in the Historic Seaport. The sailing catamaran is at 120 Margaret Street.
Are dolphins guaranteed?
No. They are wild, in the Key West National Wildlife Refuge. Sightings are the norm, not a promise.
What does it cost?
The dolphin watch with guided snorkel and sandbar is $109 per adult, $89 per child. The winter sunset dolphin sail is $89 adult. Private six-person boats are $799. Checked September 30, 2026.
Can we bring drinks?
Beer and wine for after the water activities, no glass, no liquor. Fruit, veggies, hummus and water are provided.
Go out on SQUID
Small-group dolphin, snorkel and sandbar trips from the Key West Bight.
Check Availability