Parasailing is a blast. You soar in the sky, over the water, with not a care in the world and the breeze blowing through your hair.
It’s a great feeling and one of the most popular water activities on Marco Island. So you’re interested? Do you know what you are in for? Let’s take a look at what to expect and how to prepare for a parasailing adventure.
The Basics of Parasailing
Parasailing in Marco Island is like parasailing anywhere else. It involves you, with a partner if you choose, sitting on a seat with a parachute holding you up as you are pulled by a boat. What you should know before going parasailing is that it is simple. It requires no particular skill or athletic ability. All you do is sit down on the seat as the parachute brings you up in the air and the boat pulls you forward. That’s it!
Is Parasailing Safe?
Parasailing is extremely safe. You are required to wear a life jacket. While it is theoretically possible the tether could break, it is absurdly uncommon and there are measures in place to prevent any incident. If you’re wondering how fast parasailing is, you can generally go as fast or as slow as you like. One of the main tips for first time parasailing is to communicate your expectations. For example, you can let your boat driver know how fast or how high you want to go.
As far as what to wear for a parasailing adventure, you will probably be told to wear no shoes at all because it can cause a hazard for the people down below. You will want to wear something you don’t mind getting wet and preferably something light. You may also want to wear a bathing suit that is tight as opposed to loose and baggy. It is possible for the bathing suit to snag somewhere in the harness.
Do You Get Wet When Parasailing?
Since you could get wet while parasailing, you should pack as little as possible. There’s always a chance your cell phone can fall out of your pocket and into the ocean. In the air, you want to have nothing more than a t-shirt, pants, and enthusiasm! When packing for the trip, you should bring sunscreen and maybe an extra T-shirt because it’s entirely possible that you could get wet!
Of course, you could go on a whole parasailing journey and never get a single drop on you. This also has to do with communication. Let your driver know if you want to dip down and get your feet wet as you are pulled. It’s a lot of fun, but not everyone’s cup of tea!
How Long are You in the Air and How High Can You Get?
Parasailing tethers can span up to 1,200 feet in the air. With that said, the average height is probably closer to 500 to 700 feet. This is around 30 to 40 stories. You can go higher if you want. Simply communicate your needs to your driver.
Parasailing trip lengths vary. Usually, you will have an agreed-upon method of communication when you are in the air. For example, a thumbs down may mean you are ready to come in. Trips are usually about an hour on the boat with 10 to 15-minute rotations for each guest. It is not common to stay in the air over 15 minutes consecutively.
Parasailing is amazing. Now that you are a little more familiar with how it works, you can soar through the sky in style while being near our Marco Island vacation rentals!