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W9028VYjenniferm
What else can I say. Captain Matt is wonderful, knowledgeable and professional. We made an appointment to go out early the day we had to leave a little nervous we wouldn't have time to snorkel, fish and get to the plane but Matt assured us all would be fine :) Frank made us feel safe and comfortable in the water even when I had changed my mind about the idea of snorkeling. My children (11,13) and my mom got to see many fish, stingray and turtles while snorkeling with Frank and they LOVED it. My husband and son each got to catch a fish on the way back. It was an unforgettable experience that we will never forget and Matt got us back EXACTLY on time. The price of the trip was better and more inclusive than any other I found searching and searching online. I can't wait to do this again next time we go back to Puerto Rico. Thank you SOOO much for the amazing experience!
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rebeccav997
We went on a snorkeling trip to Monkey Island. Captain Matt and first mate Frank were amazing tour guides. Short boat ride with several hours of snorkeling. We saw a starfish and several fish. It was a nice size boat, first quality gear and excellent instruction. I would suggest that you book ahead of time as there were no opening for the fishing trips while we were there.
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FlorenceG569
Our family of 5 adults and 3 children recently sailed with Capt. Matt and his first mate, Frank. I made our arrangements ahead of time through the website, http://www.maragatacharters.com and then I talked with Capt. Matt. He was very easy to contact and he quickly answered my questions. It was great to have this trip confirmed ahead of time because of the size of our group. If we had waiting until arriving in Humacao there would not have been any available times. There were a total of 18 people the day of our trip but we had plenty of room on the boat and the equipment was available for all of us without any problems.When at our destination, Capt. Matt stayed with the boat and kept track of the groups in the water. Frank lead our group down the beach to where we could safely enter the water. This allowed people who had difficulty or were nervous about snorkeling to stay very close to the shore.The youngest of our group, a 6 year old, was very nervous and had difficulty with her fins and mask initially. Frank was very patient with her and quickly had her feeling comfortable. She soon was at ease in the water and had a wonderful experience. She loved seeing the schools of fish and even spotted a sea turtle for the rest of us.We had the opportunity to snorkel in two different locations. The majority of the group felt that one reef was sufficient, but those who had enough energy left really enjoyed the second reef. We sent out 13 year old off with Frank on the second excursion and he stayed with Frank the whole time.Snacks and beverages were provided. This was a very positive experience for all of us.
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bfahs
Our family (parents, kids 13,10,6, grandma, aunt and uncle) had a great afternoon snorkeling at Vieques with Captain Matt.Directions to find him were perfect. Matt was very easy to contact via phone and email arranging our trip. Both Matt and his mate Frank spoke very good English. We went out on his boat with several other families but the 18 people on our trip was not too crowded on the boat. We got lucky with a calm day. Float belts provided for those who wanted. Masks and snorkels were new and in good condition. Better than equipment I've used on other snorkel trips elsewhere.Frank who went into the water with us was great with our kids especially our 6YO who took a little while to get a hang of the snorkeling. It is of course still a parents responsibility to keep track of your kids. You are swimming in the ocean after all. We had one adult keep trAck of each of our kids.We saw two huge sea turtles, Coral, schools of fish, stingray. Trip done close to the shore so if someone tires or panics they can swim to shore and walk back to boat. Matt provided drinks (soda, water, beer) and snacks (cookies, crackers, nuts)Boat we'll equipped with a good bathroom, important for families. Boat was in immaculate shape. Safety briefing done at beginning to make sure everyone knew where life jackets and fire extinguishers were. Overall extremely professional and a local business man I can definitely suggest you support.
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stanc700
We had a great snorkeling trip with Matt. I spotted Matt's boat on my early morning walk from our condo on the harbour in Palmas and called to reserve the Vieques snorkeling trip. Matt answered his phone on first try, explained that he had four ready to go and he needed a minimum of 7. I gave him my phone number and he promised to call as soon as he filled the boat. Sure enough, later that night he calls to say we would go the next day, 4 hour trip leaving at 1pm, $75 per person. Matt docks his 38 ft boat on the southside of the harbor at Palmas, near Chez Daniel. For our trip, there are 11 of us plus Matt and his mate Frank. The boat looks fairly new, very clean with plenty of room for all of us. Matt takes the helm on the flying bridge. The ride to Vieques takes about 30 min through fairly rough seas, the boat heaving over the waves and dropping on the other side with force. Matt explains the ride back will be much easier as we will be moving with the waves instead. I think these are typical seas for Palmas and Matt doesn't have any problem. As we close in on Vieques the water calms.We anchor in the area known as Green Beach, on the west coast of Vieques. There are 2 or 3 other boats anchored and no sight of any people or structures on the beach. With the mountain rising in the background, the location is stunning. Matt explains we will stay here for 3 hours. We can snorkel around the boat in the shallow reefs, or follow Frank who will take us a few hundred feet up the beach to better reefs. We follow Frank, he knows where to go. Sure enough, we swim in reefs in 8-10 feet of water, stunning coral and fish. Matt provides great gear, latest mask and snorkel plus fins. After an hour, we take a break back on the boat. Matt provides Medella and snacks. Then time for another swim to the opposite side of boat. Frank finds a turtle and we swim with it for a few minutes. Sure enough, the ride back was smoother. All in all, a great trip, we will certainly be back.
