About
The Location
The coastal environment of the Gulf of Mexico is an amazing place. The year-round sunshine and tropical climate are the perfect catalyst for a vibrant and diverse ecosystem. Manatees, bottle-nose dolphins, sea turtles, whale sharks and manta rays are just a few of the hundreds of intriguing species you may encounter here. Limestone reefs and historic shipwrecks coupled with vast estuaries lush with seagrass beds create habitat for thousands of fish species ranging in size from your fingernail to a school bus. Each species that you will encounter has a unique story that we will get a glimpse of and interpret from our own perspective. From the obvious to the discrete, you will have an opportunity to experience it all on your tour with Capt. JD.
The Captain
Captain Jeff (JD) Daniels grew up in South East Georgia near the Golden Iles. At an early age he was intrigued by the ocean and its beauty. He loved to fish and at every opportunity jumped at the chance to get on a boat and Get Out There.
So, it seemed to be a natural fit for him to join the U.S. Coast Guard in 1988. During his 27-year career, he spent 11 years on different ships sailing the Great Lakes, North and South Atlantic, Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. In 1990 he was stationed in the St. Petersburg, FL area and fell in love with the Gulf Coast, St. Petersburg, and his wife Lisa. He loved the area so much that he ended up spending 13 years on various Coast Guard units conducting lifesaving, search, and rescue missions. Through his own boating experience and as a member of the Coast Guard, he has gained a profound understanding of the area and it’s waterways and natural habitats. Capt. JD retired in 2015 as a Master Chief and takes every opportunity to continue to Get Out There.
His dream was always to be a Captain of his own charter boat. As fate would have it, through another Coast Guard friend he was connected to Captain Eric Weather with Weather Eco Tours. Captain Eric was starting a new venture and looking for someone to take over the charter business. With the help of his good friend and business partner, retired Coast Guard Chief Warrant Officer Brian (Bubba) Shine, they have made that dream a reality.
St Pete Beach Eco Tours is excited to offer you all the beauty of the water, sea life and islands just off the coast of St Pete. You might even hear a few Coast Guard sea stories, some could even be true. We look forward to having you onboard and let’s Get Out There.
“Your Safety and Enjoyment is our #1 Priority”
Miss AnnaLisa
We searched long and hard to find a vessel suited to carry out our mission. Named after the women in our lives that support us most, Miss AnnaLisa was originally commissioned for one of the founders of Home Depot as a weekend Bahamian getaway vessel. At 31′ in length and 10′ wide she is reliable and stable, with plenty of space for the family, lots of shade, a clean bathroom and a pair of safe, quiet and very well maintained motors. She is an annual participant in the Coast Guard Uninspected Passenger Vessel Safety Program and is perfectly appointed for fishing, diving, island hopping, marine mammal observing, birding, cruising with the family or enjoying a romantic evening with a loved one. We look forward to welcoming you aboard!
Founding Partner
The vision of St. Pete Beach Eco Tours began with marine biologist, Captain Eric Weather. We aspire to continue his vision of inspiring a culture of exploration for our clients that will allow them to relax, take a deep breath and experience that childlike joy of discovering the incredible intricacies of the environment around them. You don’t need to go to the deepest darkest reaches of the Ocean to explore, simply put your head in the water, look around and you’ll be amazed at what you discover. Captain Eric continues to work closely in support of our organization and occasionally runs a few trips to help us out.
Reeling Freedom Foundation
As a retired United States Coast Guard veteran I am dedicated to the support of our brothers and sisters that served our great nation. We are honored to offer a 10% discount for veterans and first responders, and are proud to support the work of the Reeling Freedom Foundation which provides charters for disabled vets and first responders.
