“An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is only an adventure wrongly considered.”  ~ G.K. Chesterton

Perched on the balcony I watched all day long. In the morning the boat arrived. The crew worked in a methodical manner to ready the day and after some time the gigantic rainbow sail would finally hoist. Then back and forth across clear blue ocean, sunlight glistening, they’d fly. A beautiful sight. Exhilarating. Peaceful.

Determined to get away for a few days, our plan was to do nothing … sit on the balcony, stare at the sea, sleep, maybe read. So I lazily sat, sipping coffee, and enjoyed the view.  I brought the camera yet had no great ambition. But I couldn’t resist a few captures of the sight before me.

Why not hone my telephoto skills a bit? They were a good distance and since doing nothing was pretty much the goal, I had nothing better to do. Zooming in, however, my interest piqued as I watched. I was taken aback at the skill and finesse of the crew, the size of the sail and cables, then how easy they make it look!

“Flying without feathers is not easy; my wings have no feathers.”  ~Titus Maccius Plautus

I couldn’t help notice the grace with which they lifted off, one, two, three at a time. So rhythmic as the sail climbed higher, and higher. So high. Until …

they were walking on top of the world!

So the next day I handed the telephoto to my husband. Out the door I scrammed, leaving him a few instructions and Auto Mode. 🙂

Next thing I know …

“The air up there in the clouds is very pure and fine, bracing and delicious.  And why shouldn’t it be? – it is the same the angels breathe.” ~Mark Twain

I’m not only on top of the world.

“I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things.”  ~Antoine de Saint-Exupery

I think I went higher!

“The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.”
― Eleanor Roosevelt

So much for doing NOTHING!

When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.  ~Leonardo Da Vinci 

Many “mahalo’s” to Randy, Mark, and the crew at Aloha Watersports in Cherry Grove, North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. They are an excellent parasailing crew, also offering banana boat rides, bicycle rental, and surf-related sports. You cannot find a better bunch of folks. Hospitality and professionalism all wrapped up into one. For a regular dose of beach photos and fun click here for their Facebook page. If you’re vacationing or in the area, give them a call! (843) 249-9908. You’ll be glad you did.

As you can see, I’m hooked! I suppose you could call it “love at first flight”. 🙂

Randy with some young visitors.

Captain Mark giving another beautiful ride.

Other adventure posts I liked:

ThreadsandTies
Far Out in Africa 3-2-1 Bungee!!
Invisible Horse