Sebago Watersports

It’s no secret; island means “a tract of land completely surrounded by water”. Key West is surrounded by gorgeous, sparkling, crystal clear (on most days) ocean water from the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. Who wouldn’t want to be near it, be in it, for fun and sun? There are so many activities to enjoy in the big blue waters while staying in a Key West vacation rental. Water sports companies are one of the best resources to a water lover. Sebago Watersports is one of the longest established day charter catamaran operators in the continental US with 18 years of experience. Not to mention their unforgettable accommodating staff and crew.

If you’re looking for adventure, you’ve come to the right place. With a variety of activities to choose from, you’re sure to find what you’re looking for. We’d also like to mention that Start with a laid back excursion called Island Ting. Venture out for 6 hours including continental breakfast, snorkeling at the reef, a buffet lunch, a guided kayak tour and an afternoon snack with sangria. Take a step up on the thrill scale and head out for a morning or afternoon snorkeling trip. Trips leave at 9 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. (5 p.m. in the summer) and cost $49. It’s sure to be a memorable experience you won’t soon forget. Pair up your snorkeling adventure with a sunset sail for the same price. Still not satisfied? Head out for sky high thrills on a single or tandem parasail trip. This one of a kind experience is sure to free you while you soar above the open waters. Trips are available from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Feel like mixing it up a bit more? Try the power adventure! Combine parasailing, wave runners, water trampoline, banana rides, water toys, a free buffet and more. It’s sure to provide entertainment for everyone in your party! End your fun-filled day with a champagne sunset sail aboard one of Sebago’s roomy catamarans. Head out around 5 p.m. (6:30 p.m. in the summer) on the open blue waters and enjoy free champagne and margaritas. Add that to the free beer, wine and soft drinks offered on most Sebago trips and you’ll feel relaxed in no time at all. It’s like your own personal party!

Perhaps a more intimate adventure suits your style. Sebago also offers a variety of private sailing excursions designed to fit your taste. Choose from a morning sail with a light breakfast buffet, afternoon sail with catered lunch aboard, a full day (6 hour) sail with breakfast and lunch, a sunset sail with boutique wines, champagne, import beers and island inspired hors d’oeuvres or a tapas cruise including a four-course wine paired sunset dinner. Choose activities from snorkeling un-crowded reefs, back country kayaking, dolphin watching or just floating. Premium beer and wine service is included and the staff will be sure you don’t forget it!

Sebago’s knowledgeable staff are always available to provide instruction if you don’t have experience and to fit you with the proper equipment so you can maximize the enjoyment of your chosen trip. We can’t get enough of the accommodating and helpful crew you’ll find at Sebago. The staff and crew go the extra mile to make sure you’re enjoying your trip. It is sure to be the highlight of your Key West vacation! We’re just covering some of the most popular excursions Sebago has to offer. For many more options visit their website at KeyWestSebago.com! If Sebago doesn’t offer something you’re looking for, let them know; they double as one of the largest ticket brokers on the island.

How Vacation Rentals Can Save You Money

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock somewhere, you know that the economy is serving up less than favorable conditions for everyone. Consumers are spending less and businesses are looking for creative ways to cut costs. The good news is, even under less than ideal economic circumstances, you can still afford a great Key West vacation rental. Keep reading to see our ideas and suggestions for receiving greatest value for your vacation dollar.

Save on baggage fees – With airline baggage fees increasing across the board, it’s becoming more and more expensive to fly. Here’s a cost-saving idea: send a package with your vacation essentials to us. FedEx ground ships suitcases often at cheaper prices than the baggage charge by the airline. We’ll deliver the package to your Key West vacation rental on the day of your check in. It costs less and is less hassle. Arrive with your belongings safely secured rather than lugging them around town.

Bring less – All Rent Key West vacation rentals have washer and dryers available to you! Which means you can pack less! We’re no fashion experts, but two pairs of shorts and a few shirts can create several outfit combinations! Wash one load of laundry mid-trip to create double the outfit choices.

Cook at “home”- Chances are, you’re in the vacation mode and want to sleep in. Don’t rush out for breakfast! Stop by one of Key West’s grocery stores to pickup breakfast and lunch essentials and make them at home. You’ll save more money to spend on your nightly outings. Try baking an oven omelet with a few eggs and veggies as ingredients; it will last you several days!

Don’t sell yourself short of having a terrific vacation! A few creative ideas can help save a few pennies without compromising your outcome. Rent a Key West vacation rental today and still afford the getaway you deserve.

Just Keep Paddling

When I first moved to Key West I was vaguely aware of what seemed to be a popular water sport called paddleboarding. The paddlers looked to me like diehard surfers that couldn’t catch a wave in Key West and instead found an innovative use for their surfboard by adding a paddle. Additionally, I found 99 percent of paddlers seem to be in incredible shape, tan and sport name-brand sport apparel. I was born with very little sports enthusiasm so this new sport was especially intimidating. All my reservations aside, something kept pulling my interest towards it. Overtime I looked at paddle boards in shops, observed paddlers on the ocean and discovered people who were involved with the local businesses that hosted tours and board rentals. My curiosity kept growing.

On the brink of my 28th birthday I decided to try something new and proclaim a new take on life, as I seem to do every year on my birthday. This year my goal was to try paddle boarding. I invited my husband to tag along, as his curiosity was right in tune with mine. I didn’t eat a whole breakfast the morning of our first venture. My nerves were chaotic and my stomach in knots. I’m not sure why I was so fearful. I love the ocean and adore being in it, near it and on it whenever possible.

Our first trip lasted two hours. I sat and kneeled most of the time. I learned that while sitting or kneeling feels more stable, it takes much more effort to paddle efficiently. I sweat like crazy, especially when my husband seemed to be paddling with minimal effort and maintained a 100 foot lead. The view was simply breathtaking, especially in the morning hours when the water was calm. I was happy to be done, but so thankful I tried it. I spent the rest of the day eating horribly unhealthy junk food and laying around the house. I guess I felt like I deserved it.

Shortly after my first paddle I discovered a local water sports company, Lazy Dog, was offering a six-week beginner’s paddle training course. I was apprehensive to try it; did I mention how out of shape I am? With encouragement, I signed up for the class, which I’m now halfway through. Each week is a one hour session and we’ve covered a little more distance each week. With the time limit of one hour, I felt extreme concern that I wouldn’t be able to increase my distance so quickly. Our first paddle was about 1 mile long and last week I paddled 3.5 miles in just about the same amount of time.

For me, paddleboarding is the perfect metaphor for my life; much of it is about balance. If you stand too much to the left or right you will fall off. If you’re not centered on your board, you’re more likely to fall into the water or find it very difficult to paddle forward. Using the right paddle technique is essential to propelling yourself in the right direction. If your paddle is too far away from the board, you tend to wobble and veer to the right or left. When you keep your paddle close to your board you’re more likely to move straight ahead. It’s also a mental workout! If I get stuck against a current or against a strong wind and think “I’ll never get out of this”, odds are it will feel like a heavy challenge. However, if I keep my head down and try to enjoy the scenery while giving a tough paddle, I find I get unstuck much quicker.

Regardless of my experience and opinion, its observable fact that paddleboarding is becoming quite the hot sport. Grab the latest sports and fitness magazine off the news shelf and you’re likely to find an article about it. Lazy Dog has a media page in which they seem to be collecting local news about the sport. I was able to wrangle up a few other resources (PaddleBoarding.com, Standup Paddle Magazine and Stand Up Paddle Surfing Magazine to name a few).

That being said, I want to give a shout out to the other Key West water sports companies who offer paddleboarding. I go to Lazy Dog because I have friends that work there and I’ve had such a great experience. Eventually I’ll branch out to other companies and you should too! Here are a few other Key West companies that offer paddleboarding as well as other fun water activities:

Lazy Dog

SUP Key West

Java Cat Charters

Laura is the Marketing Assistant and Reservations agent at Rent Key West Vacations. In her free time she enjoys singing, writing and traveling. If you’d like to read more of Key West from a local’s perspective, head over to her blog.