Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to commonly asked questions about our products and services.
Where are you located?
River Safaris is located in Old Homosassa directly off Yulee Road at 10823 W Yulee RD. We are just before the elementary school. You’ll see a yellow Key West style house which serves as our office and if the small parking lot out front is full we have plenty of parking in the back after you drive through the gate. Handicap parking is both in front and back of the building.
What payment methods do you accept?
We accept cash and credit cards. When reserving either a rental boat or tour online you’ll need a credit card to pay the deposit. You may pay for the remainder of your purchase at the office on the day of your checkin.
Is insurance included?
It depends on which of our services you’re using that day. All of our tour boats and captains are licensed and insured and we carry liability insurance for all of our vessels. If you are renting a boat, Florida law requires you to be given the option to purchase an individual insurance policy for the period of your rental. We use a 3rd party insurer who offers 3 levels of coverage for both damage to the vessel and liability protection for the driver.
Where can I drive a rental boat?
The easy answer is: Anywhere you want as long as our boat is returned on time un-damaged. As the captain of the vessel you have to freedom to chart your own course, but it’s your responsibility to make sure you get there and back safely. You do NOT have enough gas to get to Crystal River or Weeki Wachi. It is NOT a good idea to drive outside the channel in unmarked areas.
Can I bring my dog?
If you are renting a boat from us and it’s just you and your friends/family, absolutely! If you are on a tour, whether it’s a private or group tour then unfortunately No. There is no way to safely bring a dog onboard an airboat and with a captain driving a private tour pontoon boat we just don’t want to risk a dog biting a stranger (our captain).
What should I bring?
You will be exposed to the elements during your trip. If it’s cold, bring a jacket. If it’s sunny, bring sunglasses, sunscreen and a hat. Note that on the airboat rides a loose fitting hat may blow off your head – and unfortunately the captain may not be able to turn around a retrieve it before it sinks. If you plan on swimming, bring a swim suit. We provide wetsuits but for hygiene purposes you must wear a swimsuit underneath the wetsuit.
Is alcohol allowed?
On our pontoon boats (whether rented or on a tour) Yes – for everyone except those who are driving (assuming they are of legal drinking age (21 in the US). On our airboats, No.
Is there an age requirement or limit?
Not for passengers. If you are renting one of our boats you need to be at least 25 years old. Also, every driver born after 1988 is required by law to have and produce a Boater Safety Card. We have Infant, Youth, Child and Adult size life jackets. It is the Captain’s discretion as to what size children are allowed on the airboat. You must maintain positive control of them at all times to make sure they don’t fall out of your arms or the boat. Different children behave differently and if the captain doesn’t think your child can ride the airboat safely then we’ll politely inform you of the concern and refund your money if necessary. If you don’t think your child can sit still for 60 or 90 minutes and not try to stand up while an airboat is underway you should not book a trip for that child.
Will we receive training?
Yes, we provide safety related training, both the safety of you and your guests as well as the safety of our wildlife (especially the manatees). We assume those renting a boat from us already have the competency to drive a vessel (and we’ll have you confirm that assumption) but we know that most folks lack the local knowledge required to safely navigate the Homosassa River. We conduct a mandatory safety brief which will last about 10 minutes before we will let you embark on a tour or rent a boat from us. This is not a formality, we want to make sure you understand what we’re teaching you so that you can safely and legally enjoy your day in Homosassa. If we don’t think you’re capable of doing either we will refuse you service so please pay attention to the safety brief and manatee interaction training.
Are there toilets on the boats?
No there are no facilities on the boats. Within 1 mile of our marina there are 6 different waterfront restaurants who allow patrons to utilize their facilities. There are no other places to stop along the river. If you are on an airboat tour and suffer from bladder control issues, keep in mind our tours last either 60 or 90 minutes and there is no way and nowhere for the captain to stop for relief.
How fast are the boats?
A better question is what is the speed limit? Between our marina and the Springs it is a No Wake Zone which means the boats (both tour and rental) will be limited to about 5mph. The remainder of the river has a 25mph speed limit. Our airboat captains will limit their speed to either that which the law allows or that which the customers request (whichever is slower). On a perfect day with a perfect load our pontoon boats may hit 25 mph but you should not expect that. A more reasonable expectation is 15-20mph.
Whether you’re on a tour or on our rental boat you must follow passive observation. This means that you are interacting with the manatee in their native environment without hindering or molesting them. You may not chase them down, grab them or in any other way alter what would otherwise be their normal behavior. So what is normal behavior for a manatee? They like to lazily swim and in many cases hover in a comfortable spot in the water. Sometimes they’re inquisitive and playful and since they know what we are and are not afraid of us that means that they may come directly to you and nudge and rub up on you (think of a needy and fickle cat who sometimes wants to ignore you and sometimes forces you to pay attention to her). Enjoy this natural behavior and when they want to stop, let them go back on their merry manatee way. An easier way to understand this is that you may not initiate contact with them but you don’t need to swim away if they want to contact you, just don’t grab them or hug them or otherwise molest, hinder or threaten them. The more comfortable they feel, the more likely they are to hang around and let you observe them more closely.
Still have a question?
If you have any other queries, feel free to reach out to us. Our knowledgeable team is here to help!