Parasailing
Another recreational activity slowly emerging and making its name in local beach resorts in the country is parasailing. Sporty tourists and the not-so athletic ones are getting hooked on this high-flying adventure because of the thrill and excitement it brings. With its rich water resources and spectacular views, the Philippines is a great place for this kind of sport.
Also known as parascending, parasailing allows an individual, called the parascender, to “fly” in the air for several minutes while strapped in a harness and a specially designed parachute known as parasail. A boat drives off with enough speed, carrying the parascender into the air. If a boat is powerful enough, two to three persons can ride a parasail at the same time.
One doesn't need to have any special skill or learn a trick in order to enjoy this sport. It's like riding a hot air balloon except one is in a harness and pulled by a boat to stay in the air.
Land-based parasailing is another form of the sport wherein parascenders are attached to a land vehicle instead of a boat. This has been an official competition sport in some countries in Europe. International competitions began in the early 1980's and are still being run today.
There are three methods of parasailing: (1) beach parasailing, (2) platform parasailing, and (3) WinchBoat parasailing.
In beach parasailing, the parascender is strapped into a harness connected to the parachute and to the tow boat via rope. Complete survival training course, in case of an emergency, and basic steering lessons for landings are given before the parascender takes off. Once the parascender is ready, he runs forward and the boat speeds up taking the rider into the sky. The speed of the boat defines the altitude of the parasail. Speed is sometimes adjusted to maintain the desired flying height of the parascender. Once the ride is done, the boat driver positions the parascender over the beach and reduces the boat speed, allowing the parasail to descend. A parascender must know how to steer the parachute from left to right by pulling the rear risers. The boat slows down until the parascender has landed safely.
Methods in platform parasailing are the same as those in beach parasailing. The only difference is that the parascender need not steer the parachute. He ascends and descends in a designated platform located at sea.
Winchboat parasailing is the most popular and widely accepted method. In this method, ascending and descending of the parascender takes place directly from the boat itself. Pieces of equipment like parasail inflation system and hydraulic winch are attached to the boat to launch and retrieve the parascender.
Initially, parasailing is only offered in resorts in Hawaii, Guam, and Australia. It started to become famous in the Philippines when various vacation tour packages and beach resorts started offering the sport to tourists and guests. Even laid back tourists try this activity for the adrenaline rush they experience during the ride.
Sources:
http://www.teampapo.org/
http://www.ppae.org/
http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/you/super/view/20070528-68353/Only_in_Boracay
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=560808&publicationSubCategoryId=111
