A Boat Captain’s Guide to the Florida Keys with Samantha Zeher

“If you’re a wildlife fan then the Turtle Hospital on Marathon is a must. It’s what it sounds like: a rescue and rehabilitation center for sea turtles, and a visit will give you an up-close-and-personal experience with these friendly marine creatures. You’ll learn why turtles are injured here in the Keys and, crucially, how we can help to save them.”

“Come to The Hungry Tarpon for breakfast with a show. While you sit and eat, you can gaze out over the dock and watch people feeding tarpon: massive fish that weigh up to about 100lbs [45kg]. I am a simple breakfast person normally – I just have fruit – but this place is known for its Trailer Trash Bloody Mary, with shrimp, celery and olives. Afterwards, buy a bucket of bait to feed the tarpon yourself. They’ll jump up to eat it straight out of your hand. Don’t worry, they don’t have teeth, so they won’t bite.”

“I run private eco-tours, snorkeling trips and sunset cruises on my boat – everything is customisable, so you can choose what you’d like to do. I started running them because I love being able to show visitors where I live, how beautiful it is and all the unique wildlife that we have here – and, to be honest, because being ‘captain’ sounded like a fun job. You’ll spot dolphins, manatees, turtles, crocodiles, sharks, stingrays and more, led by guides with a background in marine biology or environmental science. Besides the animals, people tell me the thing they love most is the chance to slow down for the day.”

“This is a fun, family-friendly spot to enjoy the beach and learn a little bit of local history – especially about a man named Henry Flagler, who built a train into the Florida Keys. It’s a great spot for snorkeling – you’ll see parrot fish, angel fish, brightly colored wrasse, snappers, barracudas and coral, all off the shoreline. Try to get here early to avoid the crowds, or consider camping on site: being a state park, there are facilities. That way, you can get up early for a morning kayak, too.”

“Chef Michael’s is one of my favorite restaurants in Islamorada. It’s famous for having the freshest fish in town, especially hogfish, as well as sustainable varieties that aren’t normally commercially fished or found on menus elsewhere, such as wahoo and tripletail. Saying that, I often order the steak, which is delicious, too. It’s a smaller place, so you need a reservation, but the food is worth planning ahead for and the staff is always pleasant.’

“I think it’s important to protect birdlife everywhere. A lot of the birds we have here in the winter are migratory, so are up north in the summer, sometimes as far away as Canada. This place on Key Largo rescues ill or injured birds like egrets, herons, cormorants, owls and seagulls throughout the year, then rehabilitates and releases them where possible. When you visit you’re asked to pay a donation, but it’s uplifting to see the healed birds, knowing they’ve been helped.”

“Want good food and a good view? Come to Lazy Days on Islamorada. Their chicken is the best, but they also do an amazing job with cook-your-own catch. That means, if you catch your own fish while in the Keys, you can bring it here and they will prepare it for you: whether that’s snapper, grouper, mahi mahi or even lobster. As for that view, it’s looking out over the ocean. You’ll see the lighthouse on the horizon, passing boats, some birds and maybe even splashing shark fins, depending on the tide.”

“The views looking out over the bay, especially at sunset, are impossible to beat from this quiet and small eco-friendly resort by Islamorada. A lot of the people that come on my cruises stay here. They say the highlight is the service: it’s really great because they don’t have hundreds of guests to keep track of, so they can get to know you better.”

“Postcard Inn resort has a little bit of everything in one place. It can perhaps be a bit much for anyone looking for a quiet place to escape, but if you want a lot of activities without having to leave your hotel, it’s great. But really, you’re here for the bait and tackle store, boat rentals, dive shop, raw bar, Italian restaurant, jet skis, tiki bar… even yard games like bocce. There’s also a shuttle to take you into town when you do want to explore.”