Our Parasailing Adventure with Ocean Watersports
Hey, friends! If you’ve visited the One Artsy Mama Facebook page in the last day or so, you know we just returned from a fun week in our family’s favorite vacation spot, Myrtle Beach. There are so many activities to do there and places to visit, but one thing I’d always wanted to try was parasailing. Hubby and I first started vacationing in Myrtle Beach in 2004, and every single time we went, we talked about parasailing but didn’t do it. {Look how ridiculously young we are in this picture from Broadway at the Beach!}
Before we had Little Crafter, the trouble was that I would chicken out at the last minute. Then, we had a baby to think about. He was too small to go with us and we couldn’t very well leave our tiny son behind on the boat while we were 500 feet in the air. Finally, this year, we could all experience the adventure together and I determined not to let fear stop me from having a great experience! I checked out several of our options online and chose to fly with Ocean Watersports.
Not only did they look the most professional and include a great FAQ page that put me at ease about safety, they offered two important benefits. The first was that your could triple parasail, which not everyone offers, and the second was that while some companies require children to be six years old, Ocean Watersports determines flight eligibility by weight. Little Crafter met the 30 lb weight requirement, so he was allowed to fly!
All three of us were incredibly excited about our adventure, and prepared by getting our swimsuits on and applying lots of sunscreen. Little Crafter, who had been on a Pirate Adventure earlier in the day, fell asleep in the car on the way there and slept on Daddy’s shoulder while we registered, but as soon as he realized it was time to fly, he woke right up!
Ocean Watersports is located right on the beach at 3rd Ave South. You’ll know you found them when you see the flags, which let you know you can parasail, jet ski, or ride a banana boat.
Jim, who handles sales and marketing as well as assisting with daily operations, personally helped us choose the right size life vests for ourselves and LC and instructed us to read the posted signs about both the parasailing and the banana boats. I had always thought you just got on a parasail boat from the beach and sailed out to where they lifted you into the air, but I was wrong! Instead, you ride a double banana boat that’s pulled by a jet ski out past the waves and meet the parasail boat.
This is where our adventure began! Have you ever seen a banana boat? Ridden one? Boy, oh, boy, let me tell you that was INTENSE! These boats don’t have sides, just numbered seats that you straddle. You grab the strap and hold on…and trust me, you better seriously hold on! The jet ski takes off and so do you! We got nice and wet as several waves crashed onto our boat. It was a real adventure! I was glad hubby was the one responsible for holding on tight to LC because I was pretty focused on just keeping myself on the boat! Once we got out past the waves, it was a much smoother ride, and we found ourselves pulling up next to a parasail boat manned by Captain Wyatt.
Captain Wyatt is an experienced Parasail Captain, First Mate, and Jet Ski Captain, as well as a Myrtle Beach native who has been working on and around the ocean since he was 10 years old. He and his First Mate helped us climb on board and put on our harnesses. The First Mate clipped each of us onto the parasail and gave us instructions for where to hold on and what to do when we came back onto the boat after the ride was over. He also snapped this picture before sending us into the air. You can see that hubby and I were excited, while LC was just a bit apprehensive. As he was getting into his harness, he cracked up the crew by saying, “Mommy. Daddy. I don’t think this is very safe. I do not think I should have done this.” We assured him that he was very safe indeed and that Captain Wyatt and Jesus would take good care of us.
And away we went! Captain Wyatt told LC it would feel like he was sitting in a swing, which got him excited again. And it was true…it did feel like we were on a swing as we ascended into the air.
I love this picture because I know it’s at this point that we all started singing one of LC’s favorite songs from Jake and the Neverland Pirates. As we started to fly, Little Crafter shouted, “Pixie Dust away!,” which is what the pirates say on the show when they take to the air.
From our optimum height, we could see pretty much the entire Myrtle Beach skyline. First, we pointed out the Sky Wheel, which we rode last year, and then we made it a game to find our hotel. It was amazingly calm and peaceful throughout the entire ride. We could easily converse with each other without raising our voices, and it felt like we were the only three people in the world. It was so amazing looking down at all the tiny sunbathers and swimmers from such a distance, as well as being that far out on the ocean.
Fortunately, we had the perfect day for parasailing; it was gorgeous and sunny and although it was in the upper 80’s, the breeze as we flew kept us very comfortable. We went in one direction for a nice long time, then turned around and went back the other way, past Ocean Watersports in the other direction. Finally, we turned one last time and headed back.
Captain Wyatt had told us we’d be in the air for about ten minutes, and it felt like a nice long time. I could have done it all day. One of the neatest things was looking down into the ocean and seeing a few sting rays swimming near the surface.
As our ride came to an end, they lowered us down and dipped us in the ocean, which got us nice and wet from the waist down.
I instinctively pulled up my feet…I didn’t want any sharks nibbling on my toes!
We landed safely back on the boat with no trouble and took our harnesses off, then it was time to board the banana boat again. The ride back was much smoother because we were going with the waves rather than against them. We hopped out of the boat, grabbed our towels and shoes, then headed across the street to see our photos!
Let me just say how much I appreciated that the First Mate took so many fantastic pictures of our flight! You are technically allowed to bring your own camera, but it’s at your own risk. I had a really hard time not bringing one along because I was afraid I wouldn’t have anything to remember the experience, but I knew it wouldn’t be smart to bring even my phone, much less my Nikon D5100. And after seeing how wet we got on the banana boat and our little dip in the ocean, I know I made the right choice. Plus, the First Mate was able to get photos of all three of us flying, which I couldn’t have done myself. I couldn’t be more pleased with the way the photos turned out; they’re clear and gorgeous, and we got them all on a USB drive so I can use them online, print them myself, or have them printed {which I plan to do!}…whatever I want!
If you’re headed to the Myrtle Beach area for your vacation this year {or anytime in the future!} let me highly recommend the parasailing experience at Ocean Watersports! It was a fun, safe, and exciting family adventure we’ll never forget! LC has had a ball telling everyone back home including his karate instructor and the barista at Starbucks, “Guess what! I parasailed! And I rode a banana boat!” Thanks to Ocean Watersports for a fabulous adventure we all enjoyed!
Hugs & Glitter,
Oh my goodness this looks like such fun. I’ve always been too much of a wimp to try it. I’ve worried about horrible crashes. You make it sound so peaceful and relaxing, so maybe I should give it a try! 🙂
~Emily
A Tossed Salad Life
Wow, that’s awesome. I would LOVE to do that. My husband though is afraid of heights. There’s no way I could talk him into it. ha!! Looks like a ton of fun!!!
How fun that you were able to all go up together! Hubby & I went parasailing while on a cruise, but the air was too still that day and we were unable to parasail together- I was disappointed, but it was still so much fun. Would love to do it again, and will have to remember this next time we’re in Myrtle Beach. 🙂
Awesome post…Glad you guys had a fun time..
I think I’d be too scared to try. But if LC is brave enough to give it a try, I’ll have to consider it. I’ll definitely remember Ocean Watersports and Captain Wyatt
You are so brave! And LC too, wow! He’ll be the envy of the playground. 😉
Sounds and looks like you had a great time!! If I ever head to Myrtle Beach, I’ll have to check them out!
What a fun vacation! I love LC’s pixie dust comment…how cute! You definitely created some memories!
Looks like such fun!! I can’t wait to go back to MB – this would be a great activity next time we go!
Looks like you guys had a blast! I LOVE the photos of you all flying and that you had LC pulled closer to you. {such a mamma bear} So sweet and fun!
Thanks for sharing a piece of your vacation with us. Sounds like quite the adventure, and the pictures are awesome!
Looks like so much fun!