PARASAILING: A RUSH LIKE NO OTHER!

It’s a feeling like no other. When that parachute lifts you from the ground, it lifts you from the world that you are a part of. And for those few moments, it’s just YOU, soaring through the sky with the whole world beneath your feet. Nothing else matters. Parasailing is one experience that everyone should have at least once in their lives. There is no other adventure activity that can give you such an enticing cocktail of emotions. You feel thrill, excitement, frenzy as well as fear, anxiety, nervousness-a plethora of contradictory emotions rolled together into a few action packed moments. It’s exhilarating as well as terrifying, all at the same time. No other sport like ballooning or gliding can give you such speeds and heights. And this is exactly what makes parasailing one of the most sought after events in aero-adventure sports. It works on some very simple principles. The rider (sometimes two) is fastened to a harness that is attached to a parachute. The parachute is then attached to a vehicle (a boat, car or truck) with a tow line. As the vehicle slowly begins accelerating, air fills the chute and the parasailor is lifted up into the air, still remaining attached to the vehicle by the tow line. At this point the altitude the rider reaches depends on the speed of the vehicle pulling it along. But the rush it gives you is something all together otherworldly. When you are all geared up and ready, awaiting your turn, all you can do is pray that you come back in one piece. But NOTHING can prepare you for that moment of lift-off. As your feet leave the ground, every bit of your apprehensions, fears and all your worldly troubles and worries are left behind as well. And what‘s left is just you, alone, and the whole sky is yours. Flying through various layers of the atmosphere, as if you are spreading your wings, is completely euphoric. You feel like you are on top of the world. Parasailing requires a little formal training and most beaches and holiday destinations offer this activity. The ground assistants help you buckle-up the safety harness and take your position. They hold the guidelines of the parachute to help fill it up with air. The towing vehicle then slowly begins to move, taking up the tow line while ground assistants and the parasailor run forward with the rope. The parasailor should run a few steps with the rope taut, but should not try and aid the lift-off process by jumping or pulling up his/her feet. The parachute will do this on its own. No steering of the parachute is required either. As the vehicle will accelerate, the chute will catch the wind and increased pressure within it, lifts the parasailor into the air. For landing, the towing vehicle needs to decrease its speed, thereby slowly reducing the altitude of the rider, until he/she can either safely land in the water or place his/her feet (while running) on the ground. Even though the inherent risks of injury are present, just as they are in any adventure activity, parasailing is still relatively safe and easy. It is a sport that allows you to break free of your inhibitions and be the ruler of the skies-a must have experience.