Archive for category Key West Watersports
Key West Parasailing
Posted by KWBlog in Key West Watersports on April 19th, 2009
Key West Parasailing
Want to see Key West from a whole new angle? Key West parasailing offers a bird’s eye view of the island plus a thrilling ride as well. Fly high above the water and gaze down on rays and fish in the shallow waters surrounding the Southernmost City. Cruise around with the birds up at their level and see what they see in the clear flats waters. Get dipped if you like, for a refreshing splash up to your toes, knees, or waist. It’s up to you! Catch the gentle breezes that flow around Key West as you sit comfortably in the special seat straps designed to hold you firmly and comfortably off the Key West parasailing boat.
What is Key West parasailing, you ask? Imagine flying a kite from a boat. Instead of holding the kite line, you tie it to a bar on the back of the boat. Now, imagine there’s a set of straps forming a seat on that kite, and you’re sitting in it! That’s basically what parasailing is all about. Let the wind hold you up as your Key West parasailing captiain drives the boat to keep the line tight. He has precise control over how fast, how high, and which direction you fly at all times.
Your Key West parasailing captain also has a mate, who is responsible for getting every flyer ready to lift off. He makes sure you’re strapped in correctly to the seat harness, that you have your personal flotation device on, and that you know what is going to happen. He’ll also take pictures of you as you fly, if you want. Then you can buy the pictures from him (or her!) after the trip, for a very special souvenir. Some mates also take DVD movies of your Key West parasailing excursion. It certainly makes a much more exciting memento than a t-shirt!
Key West Diving
Posted by KWBlog in Key West Watersports on March 30th, 2009
Key West Diving on the Reef
Enjoy the clear waters on the reef in Key West diving spots all around the island. From Sand Key Lighthouse to the Sambos to Toppino Reef and the Cayman wreck, Key West diving offers wrecks, reef dives, and shallow water dives for beginners. Join an excursion on a Key West diving boat or rent your own boat and equipment. Learn to dive and get certified for a day, and it will be remembered as the hilight of your vacation.
There really isn’t a better way to spend a day of your vacation in Key West, than to get suited up and jump into the Silent World. Explore the reef, take pictures, and learn about a whole new underwater world. The reef is just six miles from the coast of Key West, and there are some wrecks not much further out, just beyond the reef. Explore them all! Some of the favorite wrecks around Key West are Joe’s Tug, the Cayman, both within a half hour’s boat drive from the dock. Neither wreck is more than around 85 feet deep.
The reef ranges from 2 feet at Sand Key Lighthouse to the edge of the dropoff. There are wonderful specimens of coral as shallow as 15 feet, for even snorkelers to enjoy. The water is made clearer by its proximity to the Gulf Stream, which brings great visibility wherever it goes. Your Key West diving boat will include a Captain and a Dive master, and you better believe they are constantly monitoring how close the Gulf Stream is to Key West on any given day! When the Gulf Stream is close and the wind is calm, things are lookin’ good. In fact, any day spent Key West diving is more than good, it’s great!
Key West Snorkeling
Posted by KWBlog in Key West Watersports on March 29th, 2009
Key West Snorkeling on the Coral Reef
Come see what it’s all about…the coral reef in Key West. The Florida Keys are blessed with miles and miles of reef running along the chain of islands. In Key West, the reef is a mere six miles from shore. That means for Key West snorkeling, it’s a quick trip out to a magical marine world, the coral reef system.
Snorkeling the reef means access to a very diverse set of species, which you won’t find up north or out west. Key West snorkeling offers a glimpse into an underwater ecosystem that’s totally alive with coral, tropical fish, crustaceans, sharks, eels, turtles, rays, and yes…jellyfish! But don’t worry, the jellyfish and sharks are not a problem on Key West snorkeling trips. Mostly we just see nurse sharks and moon jellyfish.
The colors of the tropical fish darting around on the reef are really spectacular. Sargeant Majors, Parrotfish, Blue Tangs, and lots of types of snapper, along with the long silvery torpedos known as barracudas, all clinging to the reef. Peek at holes, you might see a moray eel. Keep an eye ahead of you, you might see an eagle ray. If you see a shark that’s not moving, but just laying on the ocean floor with his head under a rock, it’s a nurse shark. They will not bother you, don’t be afraid.
Jacques Cousteau coined the term “Silent World” with one of his groundbreaking documentaries, and we think it’s a great term for the world we see on a typical Key West snorkeling adventure. The coral reef and the life it supports is one of the most precious things about Key West. You can see it for yourself by booking a Key West snorkeling adventure today.
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