Parasailing in South Padre

by Grant
(Cedar Park, Texas)

We spent a few days on South Padre Island last summer. We stayed in the Holiday Inn next to Schlitterbahn. As these summer vacations go, we spend a lot of time on the beach. The path that leads to the beach from the Holiday Inn passes by a stall where one can buy parasailing rides.

My wife and I went parasailing once while on vacation in Greece a few years ago. I loved that and decided to do it again.

The guys who operate the parasailing picked me up in a zodiac (rubber boat) on the beach and took me out to the parasailing boat about 300 yards off the beach.

Once I was on the parasailing boat, they strapped me into a harness and made me sit on the launching deck on the back of the boat. Then they attached the harness to the parachute and the boat started moving forward...

I immediately started feeling a gentle lift and thought "oh jeez, here we go." Then I was off the boat and in the air, slowly going higher and higher. Initially I was a little worried about going higher and higher, but settled down quickly and started enjoying the ride.

I'm not quite sure how high up I was, but it felt pretty high to me. The amazing thing from up there was the view. It was gorgeous! It also became very quiet, as if the wind had died down completely. I was just floating along in the air!

Before I knew it, I slowly started descending and the boat came closer and closer. As the guys operating the parasailing told me to do, I came up on the boat holding my feet out in front of me. I landed softly back on the launching deck and my ride was over.

It was my second time parasailing and it was just as much fun as the first. I'll do it again if I get the chance!