For centuries, people have dreamed of flying through the air and getting a bird’s eye view of the world. Thankfully in today’s day and age, numerous activities can grant access to such adventures. Roughly an hour-and-a-half drive from Teaneck is Point Pleasant Parasail, where my wife Ahuva and I had the privilege to soar through the air on a water-sports ride of a lifetime.
During the summer of 2020, COVID restrictions were in full effect and it was challenging to find good date activities. I loved going to the beach that summer with Ahuva (whom I was dating at the time), since it was a COVID-friendly activity. While at the beach, I loved watching colorful parasails carry people towards the sky above the ocean. I hoped that one day I would get to join them.
That August, as the summer was quickly nearing the end, I took a shot and asked Ahuva if she would be interested in trying parasailing with me. To my delight, she said yes and I researched the activity and came across Point Pleasant Parasail. I called and reserved spots for the two of us for August 21.
The big day arrived, and Ahuva and I arrived early so as not to miss our spot. The location was at a harbor with dozens of sailboats, fishing boats, jet boats and cabin cruisers docked patiently for their captains to arrive. We wandered around the pier observing the different vessels until other signed-up guests arrived as well. Soon, three crew members, the captain and his two assistants, arrived and motioned us to follow them to their large speedboat. Once we were aboard and seated on lounge chairs, the crew set sail and we sped down the channel towards the ocean.
The speedboat moved swiftly across the ocean as tremendous winds blew and saltwater splashed my face. Everyone on the boat got a magnificent view of the Jersey shore, seeing hundreds of people in cabanas, lounge chairs, or walking around the beach. As the boat kept churning forward, I began to grow wary of the prospect of parasailing for the first time.
After around 15 minutes, the boat slowed to a halt. The crew asked which one of us wanted to go first. One couple volunteered, and they were brought to the stern of the boat where the rainbow parasail was resting like a picnic blanket. The couple put on life jackets and were strapped into a swing that was connected to the parasail. The crew then continued driving the boat and we watched the parasail inflate with air, pulling the couple soaring into the sky. The parasail had a long cable that stretched out hundreds of feet, allowing the couple to go over 500 feet in the air. After about 10 minutes, the captain slowed down the boat and one of the crew members reeled in the cable. The parasail slowly descended until at last, it crashed into the water, dragging the couple along with it.
From below, the whole experience looked terrifying. But, when the couple came aboard, they told us that it was a lot of fun and not scary at all. Ahuva and I watched a few more couples go ahead of us until finally, it was our turn.
We put on our life jackets and were harnessed to the swing. Soon, the boat started and I felt the swing beginning to pull me back. After a few moments, the parasail sprang open and Ahuva and I began flying into the air. I was surprised at how calm the whole process was. My expectation from seeing the other people take flight was that it would be a fast-paced journey, similar to how we felt on the speedboat. The opposite took place, and instead, we got a pleasant, relaxing lift to the sky.
Soon we reached the top and got a breathtaking view of the world below. On one side, I saw the Jersey coast and all of the houses and buildings in Pleasant Point Beach. On the other, I saw the blue ocean floor stretching out endlessly. It was near silent up there, the only sound emanating from the ocean waves below and the occasional bird chirping near us. Ahuva and I were able to converse and hear each other perfectly well. Beforehand, I had paid extra for a crewmember to take pictures of us up there, so for fun, we blindly posed for some photographs, despite not being able to see when they were capturing the actual footage.
At the end, the crew reeled us in and we slowly descended towards the ocean. I’m a thrill-seeker, so my favorite part of the experience was crashing into the water and feeling the waves topple over me. We were then pulled back onto the boat and the crew helped unharness us. After the rest of the guests got their turn to fly, the captain steered us back to the dock. The crew members told us that they would email our photos that day. About an hour later as we were driving home, Ahuva and I received a digital folder with nearly 100 stunning pictures of our adventure.
Overall: I would rate the parasailing experience a 6 out of 10. The crew was very hospitable and I had a lot of fun chit-chatting with the people on board the boat. The views from up top were stunning and I loved zooming through the ocean on the speedboat. When discussing favorite dates, Ahuva and I agree that parasailing was for sure our favorite. However, I must admit, I was expecting it to be a lot more intense with some insane thrills. It just was not that. Personally, I would prefer to splurge on a more extreme water activity next time I am choosing another water sport. That being said, if you are not a daredevil, enjoy breathtaking views, and are looking for a nice date activity, it does not get much better than parasailing!
Hours: 7 a.m.-7 p.m. (seasonal).
Admission: Doubles—$170, Triples—$255, Observers (not flying but getting to ride in the boat)—$35, Photographs were an extra $35.
Unique Feature: Spectacular view of the world from over 500 feet in the air.
Website: www.pointpleasantparasail.com
Address: 81 Inlet Drive Point Pleasant Beach, NJ 08742
Zachary Greenberg is a health and benefits consultant analyst at Mercer and the TABC Track Coach. In April 2021, Zachary interviewed Hollywood director Saul Blinkoff, and the full interview can be found on his YouTube channel. Zachary recently watched the Prime Video animated superhero series “Invincible.” If you have any recommendations of fun places for Zachary to cover, please email him at [email protected].
