The ocean water closures due to sewage contamination has been especially frustrating for Teevan McManus, a long-time resident who has run Coronado Surfing Academy for 19 years. He and his team have not been able to offer surfing lessons since last October due to the continuous poor water quality at Coronado beaches. He recently decided to pivot and offer a new year-round nautical experience on the bay. Along with partners Jesse Wright and Gary Arthur, McManus teamed up with Seaforth Boat Rentals, who has the only local commercial dock, to create these new adventures as Seaforth Bay Experiences. As Director of Leisure, McManus feels like he has always been in the hospitality industry, having worked at Marco’s, Tent City, and Coronado Brewing Company growing up, and he will still continue in his role at Coronado Surfing Academy.
Up to six guests can enjoy incredible views of Coronado, San Diego, and under the bridge, during the one and a half hour personalized charter, on a whisper quiet electric Duffy boat. The new company has two 22-foot boats that can cruise up to six miles per hour around the bay, with a Coast Guard certified captain. Passengers will enjoy a high end ‘living room’ experience, with private tables, couches, and tantalizing food from Coronado’s Tartine Café & Bistro.
“We have been testing with family and friends to get all the details perfected,” he notes about the elevated leisure experience guests will enjoy. The boats’ names also have special meaning, with the Queen Anne in honor of his late wife and the Delectric, as a nod to The Del’s Victorian style.
For this new venture, expanding to the bay made sense, because it offers clean water and can be enjoyed all year, with indoor and outdoor seating for guests and the option of having the boat open or fully enclosed, depending on the weather. McManus stresses that they are catering to locals, as well as visitors. Residents can reach out for local discount offers at [email protected].
Duffy boat tours can be reserved seven days a week, with the Happier Hour Cruises at 3 and 4 pm, Sunset Cruises at 5 and 6 pm, as well as weekend brunch tours on Saturdays and Sundays. Seaforth Bay Experiences also offers Above Board Stand Up Paddle Board Tours daily at 9 am, and Blue Bridge Kayak Tours at 11 am. Private cruises and sail charters, customized to meet client’s nautical needs, are also available.
A well-known, long-time Coronado resident, McManus first lived here at age three and then moved away, returning in fourth grade, and graduating from CHS in 1994. He grew up surfing the local beaches, and vividly remembers knee boarding as a middle schooler behind the family’s 17-foot Boston Whaler Montauk.
His goal is to provide guests with a customized bay experience, where they can relax and enjoy delicious food and beverage options like charcuterie boards, lemon tarts, and other delicacies. Whether you like to cruise with jazz, pop, or opera, a customized music playlist can be requested.
A group of us went out for a trial ride and had the most relaxing time. An experienced sailor who’s often on the bay, Heather commented, “This Duffy boat ride surpassed my expectations. I have a boat myself and enjoy taking friends out, but I had no idea how much the layout of these boats and having someone else take care everything would change my experience on the water. I can’t recommend this enough!”
This is the next evolution in the leisure hospitality business for McManus, after what has been the worst year since he started Coronado Surfing Academy. He encourages guests to let Seaforth Bay Experiences chart a personalized course for an unforgettable experience. For details and to make reservations, visit seaforthbayexperiences.com.
