Summer is right around the corner, and Tiffany and I were looking for something fun to do with our son, Porter. We landed on parasailing—something I had never done before. Porter said he didn’t want to try it; it looked scary to him. He said he’d just come along for the boat ride. Fair enough.
DAYTONA PARASAILING
We reached out to Daytona Parasail and made a reservation with Gina, who was super helpful. She also booked us for a dolphin tour and kayaking after our parasailing adventure—more offerings from Ponce Inlet Watersports. A full day on the water, close to home? Perfect! It felt like a vacation without even leaving the area. When we arrived, we were greeted by Gina and Jen, who were incredibly friendly and told us we’d be boarding shortly. The area itself is beautiful—gorgeous views of the water and old oak trees scattered around the property made for a peaceful wait.
Once it was time, we boarded the boat with seven other excited passengers. Shoutout to the Knuckles and Hancocks from Kentucky, and the Coreys from Vermont—great people!
Penny and Captain Brian welcomed us aboard with a quick safety rundown. Right away, Captain Brian’s superpower, sarcasm, set the tone. His humor had everyone relaxed and ready for fun.
As we left the dock, Penny asked Porter if he was going to try it. “No,” he replied—but the more he watched other guests go up, the more his curiosity chipped away at that fear. With some encouragement from Penny and Mrs. Hancock, he decided to give it a shot… along with Tiffany and me.
The parachute unfurled behind the boat—purple and white—and we watched as the line extended farther and farther until the flyers were 500 feet in the air. You could barely make out their hand gestures and body language from that height, but you could tell they were loving it.
After 8–10 minutes in the air, each pair came back in with a gentle splashdown into the clear, 76-degree water before landing back on deck—laughing and raving about the experience. That’s what sold Porter.
Our turn! We were strapped in and got some last-minute instructions from Penny. Captain Brian kept the laughs coming, joking about how much he might dunk us.
With me in the middle, we lifted off, higher and higher, the boat getting smaller below. Once we were up there, it was so quiet. Peaceful. The view was incredible—blue water for miles. We even saw the outlines of fish swimming below, which Porter thought was especially cool.
Tiffany FaceTimed our friend Randie while we were in the air. She was surprised to see the backdrop and asked, “Where are you?!” We all replied in unison, “parasailing!”
ISLAND WATERSPORTS
Eventually, we got our gentle dunk into the Atlantic—by request—and returned to the boat. Back on board, we swapped stories and laughed with our new friends before heading straight down the road for our next adventure: the Island Watersports dolphin tour. We were a little late (had to get those photos!), but we made it. Jordan and Captain Rick welcomed us aboard a covered tour boat with plenty of space and great views all around.
We were excited to see some local wildlife. Right off the bat—no exaggeration—two manatees surfaced next to the boat, and I knew we were in for something special.
Not long after, pods of Indian River bottlenose dolphins began surfacing all around us. Each one had its own personality and look—Jordan and Captain Rick even had names for them. Some were feeding, some were playing, and all of them put on a brilliant show. About an hour in, we docked at Shell Island, where we hopped off to explore and wade in the water for a bit before heading back.
We thanked our guides, snapped more photos, and wrapped up what had already been an incredible day. Truth be told, I had to work that night, so we didn’t get to kayak, but Island Watersports has tons of other options—jet skis, paddleboards, kayaks, pontoon boats, private fishing charters, and eco tours.
Whether you’re a local looking for a daycation or visiting the area and want to make unforgettable memories with friends or family, I highly recommend checking out Island Watersports and Daytona Parasail in Ponce Inlet.
You won’t be disappointed.
Bobby G… out!
DAYTONA BEACH PARASAIL
(386) 547-6067 | daytonaparasail.com
4936 S Peninsula Dr., Suite A, Ponce Inlet
PONCE INLET WATERSPORTS
(386) 405-3445 | ponceinletwatersports.com
4958 S Peninsula Dr., Suite 1, Ponce Inlet
the editor directly at:
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