A Jet Ski Tour Around Key West, Florida

If you're looking for something to do in Key West, consider taking a jet ski tour. I did one through a company called Fury, which cost $129.95 per jet ski (you can go tandem for the same price) although they have a discounted price of $99.95 you manage to snag the first tour out at 8:30 am. You can also get a discount if you book online on http://www.furycat.com/mobile/jet-ski-tours.php

Too bad I didn't know beforehand!

When I rented jet skis in California they usually tell you can go around a small area of the ocean, which is fine for trying out jet skis. With this tour, though, they actually take you on a 28-mile loop around the island of Key West!

You take off along with about ten other jet skis, forming a well separated line, slow at first until you exit the marina. Then they will tell you that the minimum speed you should maintain is 30 mph and that the faster you go the easier it is to make tight turns. Those who want to go full throttle (that's 45 mph) go first behind the first guide.

For the first half of the tour you enter the Gulf of Mexico. The waves are smaller here, so the ride's not too bumpy. "This is easy", I thought! Until I entered the open ocean ...

Before that, though, there's my favorite spot: the sandbar! The sand here is in fact made up of dead coral reef. Supposedly the sandbar extends all the way to Key Largo (that's 70 miles!). Get off your jet ski, wade around in the crystal clear water with fish swimming next to you. If only I had cold beer and could stay there all day!

 We had to leave soon after, though, and now we enter the Atlantic Ocean. Much bumpier here, my arms were sore for two days from holding on to dear life! And the guides said the waves that day weren't even that bad, only about 3 feet. On some days it can get to 5 feet. Well, for a lot of people that means more thrill and fun though! For me it was fun, but also a little scary!

We stopped near the Southernmost Point of the Continental US (though it looks tiny in the photo below). Since we were in the water south of the Southernmost Point, we were at that point closer to Cuba than the mainland US!

The whole tour takes about 90 minutes and was probably the most fun jet ski experience I've had!