One of the most unusual sights that I have ever seen on Lake Erie, occurred yesterday when as I was visiting the Outer Harbor State Park. As I was watching the sailboats out on the water, something caught my eye that immediately made me drop everything that I was doing and bolt for the water’s edge. The object of interest was a guy hovering above the water on a flyboard – personal water propulsion boots that lift the rider into the air.
The flyboard rider was leaping into the air, swiveling around, and then diving back into the water. After plunging into the water, the rider would suddenly reemerge, launching back into the air for a second, third, and fourth go around. I was completely transfixed by what I was seeing, as the rider effortlessly hovered in the air before diving back into the water. I’ve seen videos of flyboarders before, but until yesterday I had never seen one in person.
As I was watching the stunts, I noticed a bystander nearby who looked as if he might be part of the operation. Indeed he was, and he explained to me that flyboarding not only looks effortless, it is super easy to learn. “Last week we had a 70 year old lady try it,” he said. “All you have to do is point your toes forward and backward and you will get the hang of it in minutes.”
Apparently flyboarding is becoming all the rage these days because of its growing accessibility, and its ease of learning. The operation that has set up shop at the Outer Harbor is called Lake Erie Flyboard. The outfit regularly takes people out on flying excursions using its Zapata Racing Flyboard, which is attached to jet ski (via a long tube). The jetski (personal water craft) houses a water intake apparatus that creates the propulsion for the flyboard. The rest is pretty self explanatory – strap in, boot up, get the water flowing and up, up and away you go!
Anyone can try the flyboard by simply contacting Lake Erie Flyboard and booking a rental/lesson. The adventure company can be booked by an individual or a group. The rental season runs from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
Lake Erie Flyboard | 716-997-5766 | Facebook
* There is also a hoverboard system that operates much the same way as the flyboard, but uses more of a snowboard type of platform instead of the boots – it combines hovering and surfing instead of hovering and diving.