about
Bottoms Up Key West is female owned and operated company offering private, all inclusive excursions to the sandbar as well as exciting snorkel & dive excursions to local reefs & wrecks. Disconnect from reality, everything you need for an unforgettable trip is already on board and we will capture the magic for you. Specializing in hospitality and education, Bottoms Up is comprised of a group of passionate women with backgrounds in marine biology, diving, coral restoration, education and eco-tourism. With the variety of packages we offer, you’re able to spend your morning exploring the World’s third largest barrier reef and spend your afternoon basking away under the sun on a float at the sandbar with a mimosa. Climb aboard, enjoy the luxury and adventure of our beautiful islands like the locals do.
meet the crew
captain kate
Or as the locals of Key West call her “Mermaid Kate,” has been diving 15+ years and originally moved to Key West to finish her degree in Marine Biology. After graduating in the Spring of 2015 with both her Marine Environmental Technology and Associate degree in diving, Kate went on a 5 month backpacking trip around the world diving in 3 different continents! She was a research diver studying various coral and fish species in the Caribbean and is a PADI certified scuba instructor with extensive rescue training. This jack of all trades is also a local mermaid in town! If you don’t catch our queen bee running excursions, teaching a yoga class at FYT or brunching you can always find her relaxing at the sandbar.
Kate has an extensive background in scientific diving in a multitude of environments such as:
Fiji
Australia
Thailand
Bali
Florida Springs
Florida Keys
Oahu
Bonaire
first mate madeleine
Miss Madeleine is a southern belle who moved from a little town in Texas due to her newfound love for the ocean and island life. She owns her own paddle board business “Paddlin’ Madeleine,” taking beautiful eco-tours through off-shore mangroves. Join us for a relaxing trip to the sandbar, and take a paddlin’ with Madeleine tour yourself, she knows all the best spots to lounge! This mangrove mama also has an incredible breath hold which makes her the best at catching lobster. When she’s not guiding paddle board tours or selling someone their dream home, you can find this island sweetheart unwinding somewhere on the ocean or out and about with friends and loved ones! She’s obsessed with paddle boarding, diving, kickin’ it at the sandbar, and traveling. Between Madeleine’s bubbly personality, experience in hospitality, and contagious laughter you’re sure to have the best time with her onboard!
directions
All excursions depart fromsugarloaf key.
HISTORY
Captain Kate Kowalski has been diving for over 15 years and moved to Key West to pursue her education. After graduating with degrees in both marine biology and diving, she worked as a dive instructor for two years at a Southpoint Divers, a local dive shop. She has extensive training in rescue diving procedures, wreck diving, deep diving, and is also a certified nitrox blender. Kate assisted world class scientists Dr. Alex Brylske and Dr. Patrick Rice with coral restoration surveys, coral out-plantings & marine life surveys. In 2016 Kate took a break from teaching to travel the world where she was able to dive in 7 different countries on 3 different continents! Upon returning she got the idea to open her own business after a local in town told her she “wished she could live the Kate lifestyle for just one day.” She decided it was time to branch out on her own and went on to get her captains license, recruited a small crew & established Bottoms Up Key West in Summer 2019.
Bottoms up key west’s local recommendations
PADDLIN’ MADELEINE- Paddlin’ with Madeleine was launched in the summer of 2021, bringing to the Keys an entirely new way to experience our beautiful back country from land! Join this easy-going nature lover on one of her famous sunrise paddles or sleep in and take a happy hour sunset paddle. Paddleboarding gifted her the opportunity to slow down and reconnect with the present moment & Madeleine wanted to share those moments with others. When envisioning her business she built it around 3 fundamentals: providing her guests with a fun time, cultivating a space for connection with loved ones, and giving appreciation to our beautiful ocean. We all deserve to spend our time doing things that light us up. Come experience this magic for yourself, she’s ready and waiting to share her breathtaking views on the water with you!
Dibs On Bottom Adventures — If you’re looking to do some fishing while in town, look no further. Captain Aaron Young and his team specialize in light tackle fishing and spearfishing charters targeting grouper, snapper, mahi-mahi, wahoo, tuna and swordfish. He moved here in 2013 from Titusville Florida to pursue his passion of fishing. Aaron is extremely knowledgeable about the species he targets, and his crew takes the time to explain things to you while onboard making them an absolute delight to spend the day with. He’s extremely patient and one of the safest divers Captain Kate has personally dove with making your in water experience so enjoyable. Check out all of his epic adventures on Youtube including the first time we went spearfishing together and found a bomb!
Questions?
booking & CANCELLATION POLICY
A $300 deposit IS REQUIRED TO RESERVE YOUR TRIP DATE - THE REMAINING BALANCE IS DUE ON THE day of your trip.
Due to limited availability on board & crew scheduling, all cancelationS AND RESCHEDULING must be DONE 7 DAYS PRIOR TO THE RESERVED DATE.
cancellATIONS LESS THAN 7 DAYS PRIOR TO THE RESERVED DATE AND “NO SHOWS” WILL FORFEIT THEIR DEPOSIT.
Crew MAY CANCEL ANY TRIP IF THE WEATHER OR SEAS ARE DEEMED UNSAFE, AND A FULL REFUND OF THE DEPOSIT OR AN OPTION TO RESCHEDULE THE TRIP WILL BE PROVIDED.
We accept visa, mastercard, discover and american express - there will be a 6% fee added for all credit card transactions. cash, venmo and cashapp are also accepted.
faq about refunds & rescheduling excursions
A full refund WILL be given if cancellation falls within required time frame listed above.
> > An excursion deposit may be forfeited if you cancel within your week of departure < <
A full refund WILL be given if crew cancels due to weather.
> > You also have the option to reschedule and your deposit will be transferred < <
An excursion deposit is transferrable if it falls within the required 7 Days notice.
> > If you need to reschedule a trip last minute, your deposit may be forfeited to the crew scheduled on your original trip day & a new deposit may be required < <