Florida Keys Refuge · Woman Key
Uninhabited, protected as wildlife refuge habitat, surrounded by shallow snorkel-grade water and a sandbar that emerges at low tide. Paired with Man Key just to the east on most charters.
Why Woman Key is on the short list
Of the named refuge islands, Woman Key has the right combination of distance, water clarity, and snorkel value for a half-day charter.
Patch reefs and shallow flats hold parrotfish, sergeant majors, occasional turtles, and the always-photogenic barracuda hovering above the reef. Visibility is usually 20-30 feet.
Part of the Key West National Wildlife Refuge. Pelicans, frigates, herons, and during nesting season, colonial sea birds. The island is preserved — not developed, not built on.
Half a mile east sits Man Key. Most Woman Key charters visit both on the same trip — Captain Dustin picks the better anchorage by wind direction. Two stops, one half-day.
A half-day with two stops
From our dock at the Perry Hotel & Marina, Woman Key is about 30-40 minutes of running west. Once you're there, the typical day is: anchor at Woman Key for the morning snorkel and beach time, lunch on the boat, then drift east half a mile and anchor at Man Key for the afternoon swim. Tide and wind decide the order.
The patch reefs at Woman Key are shallow — 6 to 15 feet typical. You can see the bottom from the boat and freely swim to it. Sergeant majors school in the reef tops, parrotfish work the coral edges, occasionally a green or hawksbill turtle moves through. Snorkel gear is aboard in adult and kid sizes.
Woman Key is inside the Key West National Wildlife Refuge. During colonial bird nesting season (roughly March-August), portions of the shoreline are closed to landing to protect nesting birds. Captain Dustin checks the current refuge map and we always anchor where allowed. Outside nesting season the beach is open for day use.
Man Key is the natural pair — smaller, less visited, slightly different snorkel structure. Most groups do both islands on the same charter without adding time or cost. Captain Dustin makes the call which to anchor at first based on the day's wind direction.
How Six Fins gets you to Woman Key
Both formats launch from our Perry Hotel & Marina dock on Stock Island. Woman Key is private-charter only — no group tours.
Half-day, your group only, Jeanneau NC 895, USCG-licensed captain. Woman Key + Man Key on the same trip. From $1,195. Up to 6 standard.
See private charter →Captain picks the day's best snorkel stops — Woman Key and Man Key are regular stops on this trip. Plus reef-grade snorkel briefings and full gear set.
See snorkel charter →Woman Key FAQ
Send us your date and group size. We'll match it to weather and tide and run you to both Woman Key and Man Key on the same trip.
Or email info@sixfinscharter.com with your date and group size.