Power Boating

In Manly there is an outfit that has taken zodiac power boats and set them up to carry ten people all squeezed in tightly together sitting on padded seats like riding horseback. This boat then goes out through the harbor and skims the waves, trying to catch air.

One Saturday we went out on the boat, suiting up in life jackets and surf shoes first. Our guide started to give us a safety lecture and suddenly stopped and said, “the ferry is leaving now and the wake is too good to pass up, we’ll finish the safety talk later.” So with the ferry driving in a straight line, we were driven in a series of s-curves back and forth across the wake, coming out of the water slightly on a few turns.

After chasing the ferry for a bit we drove off to the headlands. And I mean “to the headlands” as the guide drove straight at the cliff wall as fast as he could, stopping only at the last moment. I think he really liked doing that.

From the headlands we went out into the Tasman Sea, or the Pacific Ocean, skimming waves and actually getting airborne. I started counting and would get to “one Mississippi, two Mississippi, THREE” and the “THREE” was an oomph! as we hit the water. We were advised to rise up off the seats before impact so our legs could absorb the shock. My problem was that my legs were just long enough to reach the floorboards, so I’d be up on my tippy-toes to avoid slamming down onto the bench when we hit the water.

I have to admit that when we first were riding around I really didn’t like it and I thought to myself, “well it’s only an hour” but I reckon a person can get used to just about anything and by the time we were turning around to go back between the headlands to the harbor I was not uncomfortable with the ride. I don’t know if I’ll go again but John will enthusiastically play tour guide on the power boat ride for our friends when they visit.

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Last revised: December 2003