By: Colin Stoecker
Ever wonder what those people off of State Beach are doing with water shooting out of their feet, soaring above the water? Its the newest and coolest water sport called fly boarding, and you can go at Martha’s Vineyard Ocean Sports on the Oak Bluffs Harbor across from Fish Bones!
I have plenty of experience skateboarding and bike riding, but prior to moving to the Vineyard I didn’t participate in that many water sports. I love to swim and ride on boats, and what a better way to experience both of these simultaneously while flying through the air on jet propulsion shoes attached to the output valve of a jet-ski. Fly boarding is the coolest water sport I have ever done by far!
On the boat with Captain Gary from MV Ocean Sports, he mentioned to me and my friend Ryan that fly boarding was extreme, but I didn’t believe him until I met Gene the dolphin machine and Kev Co the Pro! Kev Co shouts instructions from the jet-ski as Gene the Dolphin machine straps you into the flyboard boots.
Feeling a bit like Iron Man, I jumped into the salty water off of State Beach and waited for the jets to kick in. Propelled forward with the force of a jet skit, I felt like a dolphin and then with legs locked I was able to rise out of the water with a little practice steadying the board, fly around 15 feet above the water! It was awesome.
After we both had a go at the fly board, Gene the dolphin machine lived up to his reputation, doing two consecutive backflips in the air and then diving into and out of the water like a dolphin as Kev Co the pro trailed close behind with the jet-ski. This was quite the show and made me feel like a real amateur.
Thanks to This Week on Martha’s Vineyard and MV Ocean Sports in Oak Bluffs for making this possible! I would recommend it to anyone seeking an afternoon thrill in the water off of the Oak Bluffs Harbor!
Check out their website: http://mvoceansports.com/
