Sadly, Flyboard BAMA is no longer operating in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. But I highly recommend flyboarding, so do give it a try if you see it offered on your next vacation! Check out this post for more adventures in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach!
Have you heard of flyboarding? It’s like riding a hoverboard over water. I had the chance to try this exciting water sport with Flyboard BAMA on my recent trip to Gulf Shores & Orange Beach, Ala. Here’s how it went…
When you browse YouTube and see the flashy videos and stunts, flyboarding can look intimidating. But it’s really not hard to get up and flying. In fact, Flyboard BAMA gaurantees you’ll fly in your session! Yes, it might take you 10-15 minutes to get balanced, but once you “get it,” you are literally just standing there, flying over the water! You feel kinda like Iron Man.
The guides from Flyboard BAMA started out with a demonstration and safety tips. Then I put on a life jacket and helmet and they strapped my feet into the flyboard.
The flyboard is attached to a long tube, which is attached to a jetski. The jetski starts out into the water slowly, and you swim behind it. Little by little, my guide increased the water/air pushing through the tube and into the flyboard, which propelled me gently along in the water. As the pressure increased, I picked up speed, letting my arms fall down to my sides and just plowing through the water with my head and shoulders. This part was actually pretty fun by itself!
When we got into deeper water, my instructor told me to bend my knees and get my feet under me. He slowly increased the pressure and it pushed me and the board out of the water.
I fell several times, but even the falling part was fun. It didn’t take long to get the right balance and start to fly! And what a feeling! I love to waterski, but I think flyboarding is better because it’s less effort. No holding on to a rope. No sore arms and shoulders. Just standing and flying.
Tips for Your First Time Flyboarding
The guides are there to help you succeed, so if you listen to them, you’ll have a great time. But here are some tips from my experience:
- Bend your knees. You may be tempted to straighten your legs to get your balance, but that actually works against you.
- Don’t dive. When you feel yourself falling, sit back and fall down. Don’t try to dive – you could get injured if the water isn’t deep enough and you come down too fast.
- Just stand up. I know, easier said than done. Think about standing up from a seated position. Just push your feet down gently and stand, letting the flyboard push you out of the water.
- RELAX. It’s certainly not a natural feeling to be balancing on top of a board that is pushing you high into the air! But once I got a bit comfortable and was able to relax, the balance came to me so much easier.
Flyboarding is the new, hot water sport and it’s popping up in more and more beach towns. I cannot wait to try it again.
Thanks to Flyboard BAMA and Gulf Shores & Orange Beach for facilitating this review. All opinions are my own.
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