Mermazing fun with Frisky Dolphin Tours
By Lisa Player / Photos by Kate Treick Photography
Whether you go out on the water in your own boat regularly or you’ve never been cruising on the Santa Rosa Sound, there’s something magical about seeing things from a different point of view aboard a “big boat.” Frisky Mermaid Dolphin Tours recently treated the Bella team and friends to a magical, dolphin-filled sunset cruise aboard their 51-foot flagship vessel, and we all agreed it’s a coastal experience no one should miss.
Deandra Guey Holcomb is the owner of Frisky Mermaid, and she comes prepared with a lifetime of experience in hospitality and tourism, combined with a unique love for our area.
“Being from New Orleans, I think hospitality is just in my blood,” Holcomb said. “After graduating from college, I dove right into selling private group charters and planning events on Mississippi River Paddlewheelers and ship terminals and then moved on to hotels. The transition from hotels to boats was shockingly seamless, bringing years of event planning, sales and catering experience from land to the water in 2019.”
That was the year she opened Frisky Mermaid Dolphin Tours with her husband, Steve. Living and working here is a dream come true for her.
“Pensacola Beach has always been such a magical place and we get to live here? In our forever home? Pinch me, please,” she said.
Holcomb and Captains Ally Laurent and M.J. Loucks went all out to prepare for our late-afternoon arrival, providing snacks, beverages, and even Bella GNO-themed cupcakes. Since our trip was in early March, it was a bit chilly, but that did not diminish our enjoyment at all.
We loved having the all-female crew greet us and take us on our special ride.
“Most people do expect a male captain even on our little boats, so when Ally goes to the helm on our big boat, I hear some of the passengers say to each other things like, ‘She is our captain?’” Loucks said. “But it doesn’t take long for them to realize that she is an amazing captain. Especially when she skillfully backs the boat into the slip without the slightest bump. Then I usually hear a passenger say, ‘I can’t even park my car that well!’”
Laurent said they are the only all-female crew on Pensacola Beach, and she is the first female head boat captain anywhere in the area.
“I really live for the cheers from the crowd as we announce our all-girl crew, and the hugs and picture requests from the little girls as they disembark upon arrival back at the marina…. We truly want to inspire and lead the next generation of capable and hard-working females in this industry!”
“Capable” and “hard-working” definitely describe both Laurent and Loucks, and we would add “knowledgeable” and “fun” to that list. Once we were underway, both captains joked around with us as they shared amazing facts about the boat, the area, the birds and the sea life – especially the dolphins we encountered almost immediately upon setting out from the dock.
Laurent maintained constant radio contact with other boats in the Frisky Mermaid fleet, which kept her up to date on where dolphins were being sighted. It seemed that once we found a pod, though, they were thrilled to gather around our boat, twisting, jumping and playing all around us. This is the part I never get when I’m out on my own boat: The view from being higher really shows off the dolphins, which seem to blend into the water more when you’re closer to the surface. There were moments when I could count over 20 dolphins all around us.
We had several dolphins bow-riding in the front of our vessel for quite a while — plenty of time for everyone to get amazing photos and videos.
Laurent was thrilled to spy “Hubcap,” a favorite local dolphin with a distinctive bent dorsal fin, in the crowd playing at our bow.
After what seemed like an hour of dolphin gazing, we all looked up to realize we were about be treated to the most gorgeous sunset.
Our trip took us from the Pensacola Beach marina where the boat was docked all the way to Ft. Pickens and then back again, pausing and meandering along the way to see the dolphins and enjoy the sunset. We had plenty of time to snack and visit with each other, both inside the boat’s cabin and in the spacious seating areas located at the bow and stern of the boat.
Both Laurent and Loucks have their favorite adventures with Frisky Mermaid.
Laurent said she loves surprise engagements and the dance competition girls that come each summer with their families.
“Meeting folks from all around the world is what really makes our jobs incredible,” she said. “However, my absolute favorite experience happened two summers ago, when a 150-plus ‘superpod’ of traveling dolphins came to visit Santa Rosa Sound for almost two whole weeks! Every day, all day, we were able to sail out into the middle of them and watch them play, feed and rest up for their journey ahead. 360 view of dolphins, as far as you could see! It was breathtaking.”
For Loucks, Sunday sunset tours are the best.
“We will be out on the boat watching dolphins play, enjoying the amazing sunset on the water with the Pensacola Beach ball in our line of sight when out of nowhere we hear the roaring sound of Blue Angels coming home and then they fly right past the boat! All of my favorite things I love about Pensacola happening in that one moment is absolutely amazing,” she said.
Ask Holcomb about the best Frisky Mermaid experiences, and she has trouble choosing.
“Every tour is MERMAZING, in its own way,” she said. “Planning parties and playing mermaid or Mermaid Claus with little mermaids and pirates is probably the most fun. While assisting families with burials at sea are the most meaningful — helping them honor their loved one and in a peaceful setting. Some say that dolphins are seen as symbols of guiding souls into the afterlife, which is so fitting as they often surf the waves.”
Probably the strangest thing Holcomb has encountered was a different kind of burial at sea. A man called her and asked if she had someone who could take him out to the Gulf to find sharks.
“I explained, no and why, etc., and he said, ‘I’ve got a dead cow in my truck and want to feed it to the sharks,’” she recounted. “At first I thought it was a joke, but no, dead serious. He followed up with, ‘I’ve got a dead cow, my woman and a bucket of money, are you sure you can’t bring us and the cow out?’”
Holcomb politely declined.
Frisky Mermaid Dolphin Tours and Pontoon Boat Rentals offers year-round experiences of all types, so check out their website or get in touch for more information.
