Being the adventure capital of the world, it is no surprise that the demand for adventure tours NZ is amongst the highest in the world when compared to other destinations. What makes New Zealand so unique is the vast range of adventure activities that can be taken part in while on an adventure tour of NZ. Bungy jumping, skydiving, parapenting, jet boating…the list goes on and on. These adventure tours NZ and activities are not just for the younger generation either, as many baby boomers and middle aged travellers come to New Zealand for the scenic beauty and friendly people. Perhaps a bungy or skydive is not on the cards during their adventure tour of NZ, but they do want to do something to experience the adventure culture of New Zealand. One popular option is parasailing, whereby a purpose designed parapent is towed behind a boat, gently raising individuals for a thrilling and safe flight which offers fantastic vistas.
Parasailing has become popular off of many resort beaches and is an activity many vacationers look forward to. Parasailing began in the early 1960s when Piere Lamoigne tied his parachute to the back of a car, intending to teach new parachutists and help them get used to heights before letting them go free. At the time, this was called parascending and those who took part were parascenders.
The beginning of parasailing dates back to 1961, where the Pioneer Parachute Company gave parasailing its formal name, but credit goes to Mark McCulloh, who developed parasailing as we know it. He was the first to parasail commercially in 1970. In 1974, McCulloh further developed his platform and attached it to a boat with the ability to pull the parascender back to the boat. This was considered the greatest development of parasailing, since it allowed the parascender to take off and land on the boat platform in the middle of the water.
New and unique ways of parasailing have developed over time. In the beginning, the parascender would lift off directly from the shore, but the invention of the motorized platform allowed the parascender to take off from the shore and land on the platform of the boat after being pulled onto it with the help of a motor. The Winchboat, used by the majority of commercial companies, allows parascenders to lift off directly from the boat and land back on it.
Parasailing can be a fun family activity, but you need to be be cautious and use good judgment. Avoid parasailing in strong wind, and always parasail with a reputable company with experience in parasailing. A certified parasailing instructor should give you some training before taking you out on the water.
New Zealand has some great areas to go parasailing and should be considered a must do activitiy on your adventure tour of New Zealand.
