Parasailing...Soaring to New Heights
Sebago Watersports, Key West, FL
This report was generated
as the result of a shore experience taken in Key West during
a 9-day inspection cruise aboard Royal Caribbean International’s
Grandeur of the Seas in August of 2005 by Michael and Sharon
Czarnecki. Michael and Sharon are co-owners and contributing
writers and editors for AgentCruise
Review.com.
Sebago Watersports is an easy 10 minute walk from the cruise ship pier near Mallory Square in the type of beautiful waterfront area that you would expect to see in Key West. Just walk along Front Street to where it ends and follow the winding boardwalk. As you walk along this seaside path, you will see an abundance of restaurants and experience the local Key West flavor.
From the moment we checked in at the Sebago Watersports booth we
encountered nothing but friendly courteous staff. Check-in is easy,
and we signed the customary medical forms and releases. Within minutes
we were taken to our speed boat to begin our parasailing adventure.
WE RECOMMEND:
It’s best to reserve your excursion
for 10:00 a.m. or later as the cruise ships are not always on
time arriving in port. Also, as you are returning to the United
States from a foreign port, everyone on the ship must go through
Customs and Passport Control even though this is not your final
port. Inevitability, over the ship's intercom you will hear
numerous requests for one or several passengers to present themselves
for Customs and Passport Control as they have failed to do so
and are holding up debarkation for the rest of the passengers.
Be on time to the Sebago Watersports booth as rides leave every
hour on the hour daily, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. during the winter,
and 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. during the summer.
You can just look around and see the freshness of the new equipment, including the immaculately clean boat. Having never parasailed before, we were somewhat apprehensive about going 600 feet in the air suspended by cables and cloth. That was immediately laid to rest when we were introduced to the crew, Gary and Adam. The confidence and pride these two men have in their careers can be clearly seen. Just by watching their enthusiasm and listening to their instructions, we knew we had nothing ahead but an exciting adventure.
Gary, our boat operator, whisked us out to the take off area in a smooth ride that was both enjoyable and comfortable. We were first told by Adam, our parasail instructor, step by step exactly what was to occur from the time of lift off to landing. He put us into our ski safety vests, buckled them and then slid us into our harness. There are 3 rules with Gary and Adam, safety, safety, and safety. After Adam took a few pictures (no need to say smile, we had a grin that took hours to get off our faces), we arrived at our point of lift off. We were instructed to simply sit down on the flat landing area on the aft of the boat as our harness was connected to our parachute. After one more safety check, the chute was deployed and Adam gave the thumbs up to Gary. Within seconds we were gently rising above the ocean and continued until we were at our sustained height of 600 feet.
The first thing we noticed was how quiet it is. We could only hear
the whisper of the wind rushing by. We could not even hear the boat
below. Before take off, Adam had told us to watch below for sea
turtles and other marine life. The water in Key West is crystal
clear. The view was spectacular. We could see our cruise ship at
the pier as well as the abundance of scenery that one can only see
while parasailing. What a great way to experience Key West!
Now for the part called the dip. Just like we were told when we received our instruction, we let our legs hang as Gary and Adam lowered us up to our knees into the refreshing ocean and then back up into the air again for another pass. After a total of approximately 15 minutes, which is one of the longer rides compared to the cruise ship parasailing excursion, we were reeled back in to the boat. We came in, stood up and placed our hands on the bar above our heads. We were then released from our parachute and ready for the ride back.
During our interview with Gary and Adam, we learned about the
Professional Association of Parasail Operators. This is a nationwide
non-profit group of industry parasail operators that are working
to promote safety and professionalism. PAPO, as it is known, is
developing its own set of standards and guidelines in order for
all parasail operators to conduct their operation under the same
rules and be taught the same way. Sebago Watersports, FL can be
found in the membership area at http://www.teampapo.org.
When your clients visit the port of call of Key West, you can feel confident in recommending Sebago Watersports to them. In addition to parasailing, Sebago offers a number of other water activities for every age. There are island tours, snorkeling, shipwreck exploration and dolphin encounters, just to name a few. You can see the entire list of activities, all reasonably priced, at www.keywestsebago.com. This is the best water sports entertainment value around the Conch Republic of Key West.
Sebago Watersports of Key West, FL...it's a name worth repeating and remembering!
Be sure to bring your camera along, but if you really want outstanding pictures of your flight, we highly suggest that you purchase the digital photos taken by Sebago Watersports of your experience. For a nominal fee you will get a mini-DVD with stills and a short movie of your flight. On our mini-DVD there were about 30 high quality stills and a short movie. The Sebago Watersports team knows when and how to get the best pictures. After all, they do this several times every day. You won’t regret the purchase. Also, for aerial in-flight pictures bring a disposable camera for some fun shots. The views are spectacular.
