Everglades Area Tours is an educational tour operator working in Florida's Everglades National Park and surrounding protected areas. All guides are formally trained Florida Master Naturalists, Environmental Educators and Full-Time Outdoor Leaders.
Everglades Area Tours provides eco-educational experiences (hiking, paddling and powerboating) throughout the region — from half-day tours to seven-day experiential courses in the Everglades wilderness.
Certifications & Recognition
- Florida SEE Certified Silver — one of only 8 firms in Florida
- Member of the Florida Guides Association
- University of Florida IFAS Master Naturalist Program
- Florida Professional Paddlers Association
- Active with the Audubon Society
- Featured on PBS, National Geographic Travel Channel, Wild Florida & Rock the Parks
- Featured in Southern Living, USA Today Travel, Outside & Lonely Planet
Meet Your Guides
Capt. Don "Woodkayaker" McCumber — Overall Guide & Boat Captain
A certified Florida Master Naturalist with over 30 years of kayaking experience in Southwest Florida, Don is a true jack-of-all-trades who guides every tour Everglades Area Tours offers. He was Captain of Diana Nyad's kayak team during her epic 110-mile swim from Cuba to Key West — the story told in the Hollywood film "Nyad" (starring Annette Bening and Jodie Foster), which even featured some of his GoPro footage. Ask him about his experiences with Diana and the "Xtreme Dream Team" while you enjoy one of his tours.
Capt. Jerry DiPasquale — Captain & Guide
A native Floridian, Capt. Jerry has been boating Florida waters for over 40 years and a licensed captain for more than 25. A professional tournament fisherman and fishing guide who once ran local airboat tours, he has been with our company for over a decade. Nationally sponsored, featured on multiple TV shows and written about in local publications, Jerry brings extensive knowledge of the waterways, the area, its people, wildlife, and history.