Meet the Faces Behind Island Girls Excursions
The family, captains, and crew who make every Florida Keys adventure unforgettable
When you book a boat tour in the Florida Keys, the boat and the destination matter — but the people you spend the day with can make the experience truly unforgettable.
At Island Girls Excursions in Marathon, Florida, our crew is made up of longtime Keys locals, experienced captains, dive instructors, lifelong boaters, fishermen, and people who simply love being on the water.
But before there was Island Girls Excursions, there were the Island Girls themselves.
Meet the Strama Girls
Island Girls Excursions is proudly family owned and deeply rooted in the Florida Keys. The Strama girls are fourth-generation Keys locals who grew up with the ocean as their backyard.
Days on the water weren’t something reserved for vacation. They were birthdays, holidays, family time, fishing days, snorkeling trips, shell collecting, jet skiing and just about every opportunity the family had to be together.
That upbringing became the heart behind Island Girls Excursions.
Sara Strama
As the oldest Island Girl and owner of Island Girls Excursions, Sara grew up knowing that life on the water was exactly where she wanted to be.
She dreamed from a young age of creating a family business that would allow others to experience the same Florida Keys lifestyle she and her sisters grew up loving.
Today, Sara gets to do exactly that — welcoming guests aboard and sharing a little piece of the place her family has called home for generations.
Natalie Strama
Natalie balances life as a student, athlete and active part of Island Girls Excursions.
A true Conch who grew up on the water, Natalie has also taken on leadership roles at Marathon High School as a captain of both the cheerleading and soccer teams.
One of her favorite parts of Island Girls is getting to share the place she calls home with families visiting the Keys and watching them make their own memories on the water.
Ashley Strama
For Ashley, growing up in the Florida Keys has meant snorkeling, catching lobster, fishing, jet skiing, collecting sand dollars and plenty of friendly competition with her sisters.
Whether they were racing jet skis, seeing who could dive the deepest or trying to catch the biggest fish, the ocean was always part of growing up.
Now she gets to watch other families experience some of the same things that made her childhood in the Keys so special.
Summer Strama
And then there’s the youngest Island Girl, Summer.
Summer is also a true Conch and has grown up actively involved alongside her family with both the Marathon Mermaid and Island Girls Excursions.
She loves soccer and dance, but you’re just as likely to find her swimming, tubing, collecting seashells or doing anything else that gets her near the water.
She also has a very special connection to Island Girls — our boat, Summertime, was named after her. 💗
The Captains Behind the Helm
A great day on the water starts with a great captain, and Island Girls is lucky to have a crew with decades of combined boating and Florida Keys experience.
Captain Alyssa Hoyer traded Lake Erie and Ohio winters for the Florida Keys more than 16 years ago. Today, she loves sending guests home with what she jokingly calls a case of “Key’s Disease” — that feeling that makes you never want to leave the islands.
Captain Jason Seitz is a 100-ton Master Captain and lifelong angler whose dream of living in the Keys finally became reality when he and his wife moved to Marathon in 2020. When he isn’t behind the helm, chances are good he’s still somewhere near the water — probably fishing.
Captain Doug Morgan has called Marathon home for around 30 years and brings more than 40 years of experience holding a 100-ton Master Captain’s license. He’s also been a scuba instructor for decades, giving him a lifetime of stories and knowledge about life on and under the water.
Captain Dawn Davis has been a dive instructor in the Florida Keys for 14 years and a captain for five. She loves meeting people from around the world, hearing their stories and spending her free time spearfishing with fellow Island Girls Captain KT.
And in Dawn’s own words, her personality sometimes gets “salty when her hair doesn’t.” 😂
Captain Mandy Egner was born and raised in Florida and has spent more than a decade working on the water. She loves sharing that lifestyle with her daughter and helping Island Girls guests have an unforgettable experience while visiting the Keys.
Captain Katie “KT” McHugh originally moved to the Florida Keys to work as a Fisheries Biologist for NOAA. She earned her USCG 100-ton Captain’s license 13 years ago and is also a scuba instructor. When she isn’t driving boats, you might find her out spearfishing — quite possibly with Dawn.
The Crew Who Keeps the Fun Going
Our captains may be behind the helm, but an Island Girls trip is a team effort.
Brandon Vise grew up in Mobile, Alabama, where his love for the ocean began early. After moving to the Keys five years ago, life on the water quickly became part of his everyday routine.
One of Brandon’s favorite things about working with Island Girls is meeting new people and watching them experience the Florida Keys for the first time.
Seeing a place you love through someone else’s eyes has a way of making it feel brand new again.
And that’s exactly what we want our guests to experience.
More Than Just a Boat Tour
Island Girls Excursions isn’t about simply getting from the dock to a destination.
It’s about showing people what makes life in the Florida Keys so special.
It might be your kids jumping into that turquoise water for the first time. It might be relaxing at the sandbar with your family, snorkeling on a beautiful morning or watching the sun disappear over the horizon with a complimentary champagne toast.
Our crew gets to experience these waters all the time — but seeing them through the eyes of our guests never gets old.
Whether you join us for a Sandbar Tour, Summertime Morning Swim or Sunset Cruise, we hope you leave feeling like you spent the day on the water with friends.
Ready to Meet the Crew in Person?
Come aboard Island Girls Excursions in Marathon, Florida Keys and experience the water with the people who are lucky enough to call this place home.
Book your Island Girls adventure today! 💗⚓
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