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
Woman Key is an uninhabited refuge island about 5 miles west of Key West, inside the Key West National Wildlife Refuge.
It sits near Man Key, about half a mile away, and the two islands are often paired on the same private charter.
Woman Key has the right combination of distance, shallow water, patch reef, refuge setting, and half-day timing. It feels farther from Key West than it is.
Guests choose Woman Key for quiet swimming, snorkel-friendly shallow water, wildlife, sandbar time, and the option to pair it with Man Key without turning the day into a long offshore run.
Day-use beach access may be open in some areas, but Woman Key is protected refuge habitat. During bird nesting season, roughly March through August, portions of shoreline may close to landing.
The captain will follow current refuge guidance. If landing is not appropriate, the charter can still focus on snorkeling, floating, shallow water, and boat-based beach time.
Woman Key is the better-known of the pair. Man Key is smaller, quieter, and often used as the wind-direction alternative.
Most guests should book the paired Woman Key + Man Key experience and let the captain choose the order based on wind, tide, and water clarity.
Woman Key is west of Key West, inside the refuge, and usually paired with Man Key for a quieter shallow-water day. Sand Key is south of Key West and is known for the lighthouse, open-ocean reef, and tide-based sandbar.
Choose Woman Key for a refuge-island swim day. Choose Sand Key if the lighthouse and reef snorkel are the main draw.
Yes, when conditions are good. The water around Woman Key is shallow, commonly in the 6–15-foot range near patch reef areas, and snorkel gear is available.
The captain will brief the group and choose the safest snorkel area for the day. Wildlife and visibility are never guaranteed.
Woman Key is typically part of the 4-hour Secret Local Sandbar Escape for $1,195, usually paired with Man Key. For a longer day, the Custom Combo Charter is $1,395 for 6 hours or $1,795 for 8 hours.
Pricing is per boat, not per person. Up to 6 guests is standard, with 8 by arrangement where the charter setup allows.
The captain may anchor at Man Key first, choose Woman Key first, avoid a closed shoreline, or select a better protected destination if conditions require it.
That flexibility is the point of booking a private charter with a local captain. The best refuge day is the one that respects the rules and fits the water.
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.