Our Backcountry Explorer

E.O. Wilson is the perfect boat for a Key West Eco Tour in the shallow backcountry waters of the Key West National Wildlife Refuge. There is an old adage that says, “every boat is a compromise” but we struggle to find any on E.O. Wilson. She is quick enough, shallow draft, fuel efficient, comfortable, and can haul all the Kayaking and Stand Up Paddleboard gear we need, and she looks great doing it too! We customized her for exactly what we need, so whether you want to do SUP Yoga, a Kayak tour, or a dolphin tour - E.O. Wilson is the boat for you!

Our boat, E.O. Wilson, is named after the renowned Harvard naturalist and Pulitzer Prize winning author, who also happens to be one of our absolute favorite scientists and a source of great inspiration for us. He is famous for many achievements, but maybe most for his research performed on a mangrove island, right here, off of Key West and which probably led him to utter one of his famous quotes “only escaped convicts and scientists go into the mangroves”... Well then, I guess that makes us scientists!

Looking at pictures of our boat, or better yet, going on a trip aboard her, you’ll notice that it would be hard to describe her layout without using the word open. Since we store our kayaks out of the way and up on top, E.O. Wilson has a vast expanse for the deck, anything there provides plenty of cushioned spaces to sit and open areas to stand mostly in the shade and a few in the sun. But even more important than the great seating, is the wide open and unobstructed view that E.O. Wilson provides of the beautiful expanses of water, seagrass meadows and mangrove hammock forests. Don’t forget your camera!

When you couple the seaworthiness of the Shamrock hull with the ultra reliable John Deere motor, rest assured that you are going to get back to the dock safe and sound!​While we are more nature nerd than gear head, everybody knows it doesn’t get more reliable than an all American, John Deere diesel motor, and that’s what powers us out and back into the wildlife refuge, twice a day, everyday. In addition to the reliability, she’s also smooth running and very fuel efficient, which is good for the air and great for us because we can go deeper into the Refuge. This setup is sweet enough to turn anybody into a grease monkey!

​Getting your gear on and off and hopping in and out of the ocean for snorkeling, or kayaking, is a breeze with our wooden, custom built swim platform, so if you out grew your britches from high school, don’t worry, we got you covered!

​E.O. Wilson is equipped with an actual flushing toilet- which is called a “Marine Head” when on a boat. And while we are aware it is not everyone’s favorite topic, it is good to know that while our bathroom is small, it is private and available at all times, so have no fear and stay hydrated!