Parasailing in Puget Sound in Gig Harbor

August 19, 2021

Red Parasail in Gig Harbor

Outside of Tacoma, Washington, I tried parasailing in Puget Sound for the first time. It wasn’t just my first time in this area, it was my first time ever. It’s an epic location for great views and after spending several days watching the parasails soaring high with their colorful sails like oversized birds, I decided to join them. I only wish I would have remember my fear of heights before it was too late.

Parasailing the Puget Sound in Gig Harbor, Washington

Gig Harbor is just outside of Tacoma and is known for having a small-town coastal vibe as you might find on an east coast coastal town like Cape Cod. It’s not far from Seattle, but instead of the Seattle grunge scene, you get beaches, boats and docksiders. The little shops, community events and beautiful homes along the water create a slow, tranquil setting.

While I stayed in town for a few weeks, it was inevitable that’d I’d join in water sports eventually. Except, I was pleased to find that while parasailing the Puget Sound, I never got wet!

Parasail dock in Tacoma
Gig Harbor, Washington. Photos by Rene Cizio

To get to the boat launch, I had to cross the massive Tacoma Narrows Bridge crossing the Sound and through a hilly expanse filled with pine trees and ferns that grow as tall as I am.

The Tacoma Narrows Bridge is two suspension bridges that span the Tacoma Narrows strait of Puget Sound.

Fun Fact: It’s two bridges because, in 1940, the single Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapsed. It was replaced in 1950 with a new, better design and a parallel bridge opened in 2007 to ease congestion. Traffic goes only one way on each bridge.

Parasailing Safety Facts

Each year, an estimated 3 to 5 million people in the United States parasail. Still, that didn’t make me any less scared. My research found that there are no federal regulations or guidelines establishing training or certification for parasailing operators. Further, state laws vary, but there is no requirement for equipment inspection or to suspend operations during inclement or unsuitable weather conditions.

Each company must operate on its own judgment. Because of this, you should be very selective about the company you choose to sail with and read the online reviews. (I booked a parasailing flight with a different company a few weeks earlier, and they canceled due to high winds).

Fun Fact: According to the Parasail Safety Council, creators invented the parasail in 1962 as a land-based activity to teach people how to parachute without using a plane.

In the early 2000s, the Coast Guard released an analysis of U.S. parasailing accidents from 1992–2001. During that time, there were 64 injuries and 3 deaths reported. So, it was my opinion that it was relatively safe.

Parasailing the Puget Sound in Gig Harbor

I arrived early enough to see others parasailing and ask them how they enjoyed the experience. One of the guys said it was “peaceful.” That was promising. It looked easy and fun alleviating any fear I had about trying it.

Red Parasail in Gig Harbor
Parasailing in Puget Sound. Photo by Rene Cizio

The small speedboat that pulls the parasail only holds about eight people. Pulling a parasail isn’t much different than pulling a tuber – except you might fly away, however unlikely. My boat captain, and his assistant, 18, was the parasail attacher (I made that job description up, I don’t know what you call it).

Attaching the Parasail Equipment

When it was time for me to fly, the assistant helped put me into a harness like the one you would use for ziplining or rock climbing. The thick straps went around my thighs, and a belt closed around my waist. This harness had an additional back strap that went around my low waist to relax like a baby swing at the park. The harness had two long straps on either side, like a swing clipped to a bar attached to the sail.

Fun Fact: The Puget Sound is part of the Salish Sea that connects to the Pacific Ocean. It connects to several waterways and weaves between a series of small islands between the mainland and the Washington peninsula. It is one of a kind.

Once attached, the assistant instructed me to sit with my legs straight in front of me on the back of the boat. The parasail was now flying majestically behind me. It’s called a para “sail,” but it resembles a parachute. Once the boat picked up speed, the sail slowly pulled me off the boat floor until my feet hung, and then I was in the air.

Red parasail on back of boat
Sitting on the back of the boat for take off. Photo by Rene Cizio

At first, the novelty of flying was exhilarating. The weightless feeling, the loss of attachment to the Earth, felt good, like leaving something behind. Soon though, about 600 feet in the air parasailing the Puget Sound, I remembered I should be scared to death.

Controlling Fear While Parasailing

The captain had said if at any point I wanted to come down early to wave my arms in a circle and he’d reel me in. I can’t tell you how close I nearly came to doing it.

With each gust of wind, I gripped the straps attached to the bar above me harder. I don’t know what I thought that would do but feeling that I had something to hold onto brought some comfort.

I took deep breaths as the boat turned and Mount Rainier appeared before me. I exhaled.

Mount Rainier from Gig Harbor
Photo Mount Rainier by Rene Cizio

Reaching 14,410 feet into the sky, Mount Rainier is an active volcano and the most glaciated peak in the lower United States. It is an icon of the Washington landscape. It is, in a word, spectacular.

I stared into its singular beauty and forgot what I was supposed to be afraid of. It may have been falling or going someplace I couldn’t control, the height of the sail, or the water below. There were many, many things I could fear, or I could live for moments like these.

Before I knew it, the team was reeling me in, and my view of Gig Harbor became average again. I landed smoothly, walking right onto the back of the boat, and the family clapped at my return to earth.


Read more stories about Washington here.

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More about Rene Cizio

Rene Cizio is a solo female traveler, writer, author and photographer. Find her on Instagram @renecizio

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