PAGE 42 www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au Life

GO FISHING FLYING HIGH: Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, but you may as well be Superman You’ll soar like an eagle

Sarah Rex SOME PLACES TO PARASAIL YOUR pulse thunders through your ■ QUEENSLAND: If the thought of parasailing gets your blood pumping, Queensland Tourism recommends veins and your mouth is dry. visiting Island Parasail in Airlie Beach. Island Parasail offers a daily service from the jetty at Coral Sea The engine roars and you can Resort. For more information about Island Parasail visit the Queensland Tourism website: Aweekend at feel yourself taking flight. Your feet qldtourism.com/attractions/parasailing leave the deck of the boat or beach ■ NSW: NSW Tourism site, Visit NSW, recommends visiting Port Stephens Parasailing. Port Douglas and you fly higher. Port Stephens Parasail offers solo and tandem flights that last about 10 minutes. For more information The old phrase, bird’s eye view, about Port Stephens Parasail, visit the Visit NSW website: A PASSION for fishing and golfing comes to mind as a vista of coas- visitnsw.com/things-to-do/tours/port-stephens-parasailing is all that’s needed to enjoy Far tline, white caps, turquoise waters North Sports Fishing’s new long and beachgoers as small as ants weekend. unfolds in front of your eyes. the engine and picks up speed and breathtaking and something she other. “It was the most exhilarating You are a bird. You are a plane. it is time to take off and enjoy the would gladly do again. experience,” she said. The weekend starts in Port You may as well be Superman ride. “Parasailing requires no expe- “When the parasail took us up Douglas and includes a full-day because you are parasailing above Sharon Bell is one of those who rience at all,” Sharon said. into the air, I was scared and excit- blue-water charter and a pristine waters and you know what have taken the leap of faith into the “The instructor strapped us in, ed at the same time. world-class golf experience at the it feels like to be flying. air during a tandem parasailing gave us instructions on how to “Once we were up in the air, we Links Golf Course with a choice of Parasailing is the perfect pastime experience off Airlie make the most of our time in the air enjoyed the ultimate freeing sensa- luxury accommodation. Prices for people who want to fly without Beach. and made sure we made it back to tion. start from $1400 per person for a having to jump out of a plane. “It was a birthday the boat in one piece, but not “I encourage anyone to give this three-day escape. Parasailing is a recreational present for my before dipping us in the ocean a go. It truly was one of the most Call (07) 4099 3188 or visit watersport: a person is towed 37th. I had always first.” memorable experiences. www.farnorthsportsfishing.com. behind a boat secured by a harness wanted to give it a Sharon said the “It was an amazing view. You and towline. try,” Sharon said. feeling of para- only live once. Why not enjoy it?” The harness is attached to a She said the was For parasail safety information, canopy wing, similar to a para- experience was like no visit the Queensland Government ON YA BIKE chute. Once the boat starts, website: legislation.qld.gov.au. PHO TO :C ONTRIBUTED Book for two and save cash

AUSTRALIAN-based cruising, boating and cycling holiday specialist Outdoor Travel Pty Ltd is offering savings on popular Set sail on a new course of adventure bike and barge cycling cruises. Book two people in a THE setting is the stuff of the course to find your own boat handling to advanced twin-share cabin for the price of daydreams and Hollywood tropical island when you learn sailing skills. Courses one on these packages, which movies ... imagine trying to to sail in any of the company’s available in the Whitsundays: include a one-week itinerary in catch the breeze and heading sailing schools in Australia, ● RYA Competent Crew Burgundy in France or from towards a deserted island, Thailand, Croatia, Greece and Course – Level 1 Amsterdam to Bruges on selected where you and your friends can the British Virgin Islands. ● RYA Day Skipper Practical departures. sip pina coladas while watching Sunsail’s Australian sailing Course – Level 2 Cycle and cruise along the the sunset. school, based on Hamilton ● RYA Coastal Skipper canals of Europe from Amsterdam Learning to sail is the first Island in the Whitsundays, is an Practical Course – Level 3. to the beautiful city of Bruges in step towards making the vision ideal place to learn to catch the For details, phone Belgium. Call 1800 331 582 or visit a reality. wind. Courses cover 1800 803 988 or visit www.outdoortravel.com.au. And Sunsail can set you on everything from the basics of www.sunsail.com.au.

|with Tracey Johnstone SAILING NEWS IN DEEP |with Ian McKinnon of Scuba World world championships Snorkel with humpbacks? Hmm THE humpback whale watching beckon Maroochydore’s Bucky season is soon to commence and for the first time some operators ETCHELLS class world champion “We were going to Italy (worlds) Smith’s job will be trimming are promoting snorkelling with Bucky Smith is getting back in the last year as well, but it all got too upwind and doing tactics down- the whales. racing saddle next month after a much with getting time off,” Smith wind, but his primary job will be It will be interesting to hear if year off from competitive sailing. said. rig set-up and making the boat go Workplace Health and Safety The Maroochydore sailor has This year’s World Champion- fast. Queensland has any concerns with been absent from the racing scene ship is at the home of Etchells The team will spend about two this activity. while he built his business in- class sailing, at Newport, Rhode weeks in Newport before the main I know they see sharks as a risk terests and spent time with his Island. A fleet of 95 Etchells will event preparing themselves and to divers and snorkellers and it is family, but the lure of a place on be contesting the June 21-28 regat- the boat. a known fact that large sharks Mark Thornburrow’s team for this ta. “During our training we will be follow humpback whales on their year’s Etchells World Champion- Thornburrow’s team will race finalising our roles,” Smith said. yearly migrations. MASSIVE: Hervey Bay humpbacks ship has brought him out of his under the Hong Kong flag which is “We will be doing the New Yo rk Snorkelling with minke whales PHOTO:CONTRIBUTED sabbatical and back into the game. his home fleet. Smith will be on Ya cht Club Invitational Regatta has proven a safe activity in the Smith has been on the Thorn- the bow. On mainsheet will be and then we have a whole week of protected waters of the Great As well, moderate to strong burrow team for a few years, but New Zealand’s Simon Cooke and training and testing between that Barrier Reef for many years. winds blow constantly during the missed being on board when they on tactics and trim will be dual 470 regatta and the registration for Humpback whales on the other whale season and it is a rare occa- won the Mooloolaba Etchells Aus- class Olympic gold medallist and the Worlds. hand are massive creatures when sion when the surface conditions tralasian Winter Championship eight-time world champion, Aus- “It’s the most amazing fleet I compared to the much smaller are so calm as to allow safe snor- last year. tralian Malcolm Page. will have sailed in.” minke whales. kelling in the open ocean.

Friday, May 23, 2014 Daily