Personal Watercraft, Lake Vacations, and Enjoying the Waterways

Personal Watercraft, Lake Vacations, and Enjoying the Waterways

In addition to having beautiful beaches, Florida also has great lakes and rivers. Vacations at the lake can make for some of the best times you can have on holiday. There are all types of different boating activities that you can enjoy on these lakes. If there are state waterways that run into the lake, they can provide for some other activities as well.



Kayaking is a fun sport that lends itself to rivers and lakes. Many kayakers enjoy running the rapids on day trips, ending up back at the lake in late afternoon, while others prefer longer trips and camping on the river for at least one night.

Depending on the type of waterway that you like to travel, canoeing, rafting, or floating on a towable might be more to your liking. Slower moving water is great for any of these activities. Rafting down the river presents a great family outing for fishing and sightseeing. While the adults fish and raft, the kids can tube along tied off to the raft keeping the group together.

You can set up your trip to enjoy campgrounds on your trip, or have rent a lake house at the end of the journey. Renting a waterfront home gives you the chance to rest without having to be bothered with dragging stuff out of the water and hauling it to a campsite at a time when everyone is tired from the journey.

Waking to a sunrise over the lake is hard to beat, and it's good to follow that with a leisurely breakfast outside as you prepare and make plans for a new day of adventure.

Public waterways are for everyone to enjoy, but always respect the rights of others and do not expect to camp or park your watercraft on private property. Freedom of use does have certain restrictions.

Always carry a trash bag and dispose of litter properly.

A long trip down a waterway requires planning, and a dry run to make certain that the waterway is passable is a necessity. Shallow areas and sand banks may require carrying a canoe, kayak, or raft some distance. Be prepared by having enough help to do this.

Always carry a first aid kit and the proper personal flotation devices.

A boat is nice to have for running errands and water sports, too. Of course, new boats are rather expensive, and some people invest in personal watercraft instead. They may not be good for carrying a large group of people, but they are a lot of fun.

The Jet Ski is a great ride in the water, and quite versatile, too. If you are traveling light, not planning to carry many riders, and you don't plan on fishing, the Jet Ski a convenient way to have fun and get around on the water. If you think the Jet Ski is just for short jaunts, think again. In 2007, the world record distance traveled on the Jet Ski was reportedly set at 11,525 miles.

Some Jet Skis are more powerful than others are, but any one of them is capable of pulling towable water tubes or even skiers. Keep in mind the laws concerning the proper way to handle towables when you choose to pull someone. If you pull a skier behind you, you are required to have a three seat Jet Ski and a spotter riding along with the driver.

Towables, rafts, and any number of other towed recreational devices work well with the Jet Ski. Often we refer to every personal watercraft as a Jet Ski, but that is actually one of several different manufacturer names including the Wave Runner and the Sea-doo.

One of the most interesting additions to personal watercraft in the last few years is the Innespace Seabreacher. This submersible craft can reach speeds of 40 mph on top of the water and 20 mph beneath. It can travel 5 feet beneath the water and can carry two passengers.

This vehicle is fashioned to look like a dolphin, and it performs much the same as the mammal. It will dive, flip, and leap ten feet out of the water. The hatch can be left open for travelling on top of the water, but will seal air tight for diving and traveling under the water's surface.

It sounds like fun, but understand, it is a quite pricey piece of equipment. Prices start at around $48,000 and can easily climb to more than $60,000. Shipping charges on top of the purchase price run from $3,000 to $6,000.

Because the technology is new, prices will remain high for some time, but one day it might be commonplace for people to travel the waterways in submersible watercraft. At that time, they might even be large enough to accommodate several people. This would make travel in the water during inclement weather conditions and cooler weather much easier.

That's all something to think about later. For now, just enjoy the lake.

About the Author

Jane Warren is an avid outdoor water enthusiast who enjoys swimming, diving, boating, towables, and just about anything else related to outdoor water sports. Out of this love of water sports, Jane started the website TowableTubesDirect.com, where she provides information, and reviews, on water sports equipment including Aquaglide inflatables and related accessories. One Aqua glide product great for lakes and rivers is the Aquaglide multisport - it can be used as a kayak, boating tube, and windsurfing board.