Adventure Island!

By Shayne Benowitz

I have to say, in the years I’ve worked at Fury, I’ve enjoyed celebrating major holidays–Christmas, Thanksgiving, 4th of July, New Year’s Day– by working on the water with the Fury crew. We’re a tight knit family, so a lot of times work doesn’t feel like work. On a special holiday or occasion, you want to be with the people who are closest to you, and in Key West that’s my Fury family.

Although this year I’m heading home to the Atlanta area to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family, I have many fond Fury Key West Thanksgiving memories. I’ve worked the Thanksgiving Ultimate Adventure on both the catamarans and the parasail boats. Tomorrow, you can expect all the action-packed fun of snorkeling, parasailing, jet skiing, and so much more with the added bonus of a delicious Thanksgiving luncheon prepared by our very own Andy Saunders.

There’s always a feast for the staff inside the call center, and I’m thankful to have a break in the day to gobble up a bite to eat. Some of the Fury crew members are quite talented in the kitchen. Stephen’s famous for hosting a great Thanksgiving dinner and his rhubarb pie is outrageous!

Wherever you’re celebrating this Thanksgiving, I hope you’re surrounded by the ones you love. I’m happy I’ll be home with my family and I’ll definitely be Key West dreaming. What am I grateful for? Well, I have to say I’m extremely thankful that I get to spend almost every day on a boat in Key West. It’s a true dream life that I love sharing with our customers from near and far. So whether you join us on the Thanksgiving Day Ultimate Adventure or later in the year, I hope to see you on a Fury boat very soon!

Marc's friend Christian flying Sky High!

By Shayne Benowitz

How great is this picture?! Seriously. As a longtime parasail mate at Fury, I’m glad it took the prize this month. The shot truly captures the excitement of soaring 300 feet above Key West’s crystal aquamarine waters. Don’t you love the expression on Marc’s friend Christian’s face and the body language? How much fun is he having?! I wish I was the one strapped in next to him enjoying the refreshing breeze and breathtaking views.

Marc is actually the first international contestant to win our monthly prize. From Germany, he spent three months in Florida at language school and during his time here he made his trek down to the southernmost point on an impromptu road trip. He and his friends didn’t make arrangements for accommodations, but the Visitor’s Center set them up with a hotel and the Ultimate Adventure with a free sunset sail, of course.

Marc may have had an unfair advantage as he is a pro photographer. He has a website with some amazing images that I definitely recommend you check out: www.marc-photographie.com. I also recommend his vivid tumblr blog (http://ft-lauderdale.tumblr.com) where he truly captures the colorful beauty of the great cities of the Sunshine State, including Key West (and the Fury!), of course.

Back at a new university in Germany, Marc says that his time in the Keys was awesome and he’d like to come back whenever it’s possible. It’s certainly a long journey from Europe to Florida, but we entertain many international guests year round at Fury. I personally love meeting people from all over the world. It’s great to share this unique part of the planet with travelers and there’s always so much to learn from them!

Shayne Benowitz is a Fury crew member and freelance writer. For more follow her on Twitter @ShayneBenowitz.

Fury Girl on the slide at Adventure Island.

By Shayne Benowitz

Sweet, sweet summertime. The days of summer are waning as Labor Day Weekend, the last hurrah, is approaching. It’s been an incredible season at Fury in Key West. The weather’s been gorgeous, our guests have enjoyed a host of brand new trips and boats, and we’ve been busy! It’s also been an incredible time on our Facebook and Twitter pages. We’ve hit the 6,000 mark for “likes” on Facebook and every day there’s a ton of interaction with our fans as they post vacation pictures and talk about their trip. It’s almost as good as the real thing day in and day out on the docks at the Westin, the Ocean Key House, and the Historic Seaport.

Parasailing is part of the Ultimate Adventure package.

As usual, we anticipate a busy Labor Day Weekend, so we’re doubling up on the Ultimate Adventure during our two busiest days, Saturday and Sunday September 3-4. In addition to our daily 10am departure, you can rock the Ultimate as an afternoon adventure that includes a sunset sail. Book your 2pm departure and enjoy snorkeling, parasailing, jet skiing, as well as sea kayaking and all the toys at the inflatable water park. Enjoy snacks, an early picnic dinner, as well as all you can drink beer, wine, and champagne. The trip will conclude with viewing the famous Key West sunset before we return to port.

A school of blue tang can often be found snorkeling at the reef!

If you’ve been out with us before, you already know why this action-packed trip is amongst our most popular! It’s also a great value considering two meals are included, as well as a sampling of all the water activities that we offer. Whether you join us on Labor Day Weekend in the morning or afternoon for the Ultimate Adventure or anytime of the year, we’re thrilled to share our love of Key West and it’s beautiful waters with you. Here’s to summer!

Shayne Benowitz is a freelance writer and Fury crew member. For more follow her on Twitter @ShayneBenowitz

The couple who parasails together, stays together! Congratulations Kim & Ronnie!

by Shayne Benowitz

Recently on the parasail boat we’ve had some guests celebrating special occasions. I love talking to our passengers and hearing about what brought them to Key West. For many, it’s just the annual family vacation or a break from school. For others, though, it’s birthdays, wedding anniversaries, family reunions, or an annual girls trip! I love the idea of traveling for a special occasion. It makes life that much more of a celebration!

Johnnie Smith celebrating her 77th birthday!

Last Saturday, Captain Marius and Jumah parasailed Johnnie Smith who was celebrating her 77th birthday! They reeled her out on 600 feet of line with her daughter and they soared through the air at 300 feet. She was so sweet and said that it was an absolute thrill to be up there.

About a year ago, we had an entire wedding party consisting of two newlywed couples reserve a parasail boat to “trash the dress.” This was a trend I had never heard of until then that involves trashing your wedding dress in a creative way after your wedding.

This week, Kim and Ronnie  joined us fresh from the altar in their wedding attire ready to do the same thing. We took them up in the parasail and gave them a nice dip in the water. Kim told us that it was the perfect end to a perfect day and that every bride should “trash the dress” this way! We posted their pix on facebook and got a huge response with lots of “likes” and comments.

We’re happy people think of us when they think of celebrations in their lives. We hope you’ll join us for your next big day!

Shayne Benowitz is a Fury crew member and freelance writer. Follower her on Twitter @ShayneBenowitz

Girls! What's that swimming behind you?

By Shayne Benowitz

The weather lately makes me happy to be a Floridian. Highs in the low eighties, lots of sunshine, mild breeze… It’s absolute perfection for spending the day on the water. My favorite thing to do, of course! I worked on the Fury Flyer earlier this week with Captain Marius. We were busy right from the start with passengers from two Carnival cruise ships. It’s the tail end of Spring Break and the majority of our passengers were families from cold climates like Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin soaking up a little bit of sunshine and warm weather.

On our first trip of the day at 9am, we headed out to the harbor. The water was crystal clear with sea grass and the sandy seafloor clearly visible. At the end of the trip once everyone had a chance to parasail and was back on the boat, I spotted a huge loggerhead turtle surfacing starboard. The timing was perfect. Somehow, everyone was looking in that direction and I didn’t even have to point him out. He gave us a generous show and stayed on the surface long enough for everyone to see him clearly.

A loggerhead sea turtle swimming at the reef.

I explained to our passengers that oftentimes I’ll spot a sea turtle or a dolphin and by the time I point it out it disappears under the water never to be seen again. We were very lucky!

Throughout the morning, that same loggerhead continued to appear during different trips. At one point I spotted a much smaller, baby sea turtle, too. Passengers returned from their flights landing safely on the back deck. One told me that he spotted a shark. Another one said she saw a stingray. And I’m sure they did!

It’s amazing how diverse the Key West waters are. When we parasail, we are close to the backcountry flats and that’s exactly where stingrays, sharks, dolphins, sea turtles and other species live and thrive. When the water is as clear as it’s been, then it’s easy to spot these animals- even from 300 feet in the air attached to a parasail!

Shayne Benowitz is a Fury crewmember and freelance writer. Find her at web.me.com/shaynebeth, follow her at twitter.com/ShayneBenowitz, or email her at Shayne@furykeywest.com.

Dav's winning pic!

By Shayne Benowitz

Drum roll, please. And the winner… Of the first month… Of the first-ever… Fury Fan Photo Contest is… DAV DEMARCY-NORBY with her high-flying parasailing feet. Dav’s vertigo-inducing photo won the coveted spot as our facebook profile pic for the month of March.

Our March facebook profile pic.

We also sent her a fabulous Fury t-shirt and she’s in the running for the grand prize at the end of the year. That’s a two-night stay in Key West plus the Ultimate Adventure, a sunset sail, and dinner for two! For more details, head to the facebook page and keep the photos coming because you could be a winner, too!

I had a chance to message with Dav via facebook. The Louisiana native made time in the midst of Mardi Gras to tell me about her June 2010 honeymoon in Key West after tying the knot with hubby Ron on Fort Myers Beach.

She told me it was a longtime dream to visit Key West and her trip with Fury was the highlight. “The crew was wonderful and we are planning to come back to Fury again this summer, and this time we will bring our 14 year old son. We will have to go on the full Fury ride including the sunset cruise! We can’t wait to see all of you again in June!” Dav said.

Check out Dav’s photo on our facebook page. It really captures the thrill of Key West parasailing. I get a tickle in my tummy just looking at it! Her photo definitely had my vote.

The Fury Fan Photo Contest is going on all year, so please submit your photos and check out the awesome pix rolling in every day!

Shayne Benowitz is a Fury crewmember and freelance writer. For more visit her at web.me.com/shaynebeth, follow her at twitter.com/ShayneBenowitz, and email her at Shayne@furykeywest.com.

Snorkeling. Courtesy of Fury Fan Karla McAllister White

By Shayne Benowitz

I certainly don’t know how to explain it. I’m no meteorologist after all, and I don’t pretend to be. Somehow, though, while one of the largest winter storms swept the nation, we experienced the most beautiful weather of the season. Clear skies, sunshine, temperatures pushing to 80 degrees…

Yeah, that’s what I call paradise! This weekend, I actually felt a little bad for everyone freezing in the snow while I was on the Key West parasailing boat sweating in the sun. Our year round beautiful weather is definitely why I love living in Key West!

Parasailing. Courtesy of Fury Fan Alicia Leelee Campitelli.

Last week, while I was updating Fury’s facebook page, my newsfeed was filled with winter weather pictures. And let’s face it, they’re beautiful, and certainly not something we get to see down here in the tropics.

I made a call to action and asked you all to share your snowy pictures with us, and of course, our wonderful Fury fans came through. First, mother of the cutest (and only ) parasail crew couple Kenna and Eli posted a picture of Kenna’s brother in snowy Kansas. Henry D. Pawlus directed us to his page full of snowy pix! Amy Nykiel-Bacon posted a picture of her snowed-in front yard and Chris Shields posted a gorgeous picture of a frozen tree branch.

Ice ice baby in Indiana. Courtesy of Fury Fan Chris Shields.

The pictures are a veritable winter wonderland, and you should really check them out on our facebook page. But then I started to get a little cold and realized that we weren’t doing our beautiful Key West weather justice. So again, the fans came through posting dozens of sunny vacation pix aboard Fury!

Sunsets in paradise. Courtesy of Fury Fan Dorothy Such.

Remember, if you’re freezing your little tush off dreaming of diving into the warm, blue waters in Key West, we’ve got some pretty rockin’ contests on our facebook page right now. Enter a sweepstakes for an all-0expense paid trip to Key West and enter our photo contest. We’re giving out prizes every month. Keep the pix coming and see ya soon!

XO,

Fury Girl

Shayne Benowitz is a Fury crewmember and freelance writer. For more travel stories visit her at web.me.com/shaynebeth and follow her at twitter.com/ShayneBenowitz.

Parasailing, courtesy of Fury fan Sheridan Kushner.

By Shayne Benowitz

Dear Fury Fans,

We’ve been doing a lot of reflecting in the New Year. We are so fortunate to do what we do every day on the water in the Key West sunshine. And we know that none of this would be possible without YOU! It’s been so fun over the years meeting people from all over the country and around the world aboard our snorkel trips, our parasail boats, and our sunset cruises, not to mention the Ultimate Adventure!

"It doesn't get better than this!" courtesy of Fury Fan Cathy Pauly.

It’s also been great to keep in touch! We’ve received letters and cards from our dearest fans expressing what a memorable time they’ve had with us. And trust me, those cards hang in the Surf Shack for everyone to see! It’s also a thrill when someone hops on board and says, “Hey, you were the parasail mate last year when we were here!”

When we jumped on facebook and twitter a few years ago, everything changed. Now we can have daily conversations, share pictures and memories, and really keep in touch. It’s like you never left the island (well, sort of!)! From a weeklong conversation about Captain Chuck to amazing fan photos of the powerboat races and more, I’ve been thoroughly entertained!

Celebrating 50th birthday aboard the Commotion with Capt. Chuck, courtesy of Fury Fan Kim Lunsford Schadle

We thought it was about time we gave back to our loyal Fury fans because, well, that’s how we roll! If you haven’t visited our facebook fanpage in a while, you’re going to find some great new features. If, for some silly reason, you’re not already apart of our facebook community, simply “like” our page, and you will immediately be entered into our new fans reward program along with the rest of our fans.

Every month starting in February we’ll select a fan at random for an awesome giveaway. You could win a trip with Fury or sweet Fury swag like crew shirts, hats, and other accessories. Click on the “Win A Trip” tab and fill out the quick form to sign up for our eNewsletter (written by yours truly! Come on, you know you want to!) and you’ll immediately be entered in an all-expense paid 3 day, 2 night trip to Key West with luxe accommodations at the Ocean Key House, spa treatments, dinners, and of course, trips galore aboard Fury!

Honeymooning, courtesy of Fury Fan Julie Carty.

For the more creatively inclined, and I know a lot of you are, we’re also starting a Fan Photo Contest. We already receive awesome pictures from you guys, and now we want to reward one fan every month with an Ultimate Adventure for two just for sending your vacation pictures our way. Check out how the contest works on the “Photo Contest” tab of our facebook page, and keep the pictures coming in!

This is just the beginning of how we want to give back to you, so stay tuned for more offers, deals, and contests in 2011. Oh yeah, and don’t be shy about sharing your Fury love with your friends on facebook (and in real life!). The more the merrier!

"Having a blast on the Ultimate Adventure," courtesy of Fury Fan Daron Blake.

Here’s hoping your 2011 is off to a rockin’ start. We’re certainly enjoying ourselves in Key West. And, of course, we hope to see you down here soon! Next time, maybe it’ll even be on us!

XOXO,

Fury Girl

Shayne Benowitz is a Fury crewmember and freelance writer. For more travel stories visit her at web.me.com/shaynebeth and follow her at twitter.com/ShayneBenowitz.

Paradise parasailing.

By Shayne Benowitz

Looking at this week’s forecast, I can’t help but smile. There’s a beautiful pattern developing. Mostly sunny. Highs in the low 80s. Lows in the mid 70s. As the days tick by in October, fall is casting its shadow across the country, and this is what we’ve got in Key West.

The temperature is gloriously comfortable at sea and on land. The sun is warm and laying out a towel on the top deck of the catamaran as you sail south is absolutely sublime. The water temperature at the reef is refreshingly crisp. And, of course, the cocktails that the crew delivers with a smile are the perfect complement to your snorkel trip.

If it’s Key West parasailing that you’re looking for, you’ll absolutely thrill at the boat ride through the harbor without the sweltering summer sun beating down. The ocean breeze is so pleasant! And the view from 300 feet up, breathtaking!

Of course, you haven’t done Key West if you haven’t enjoyed our famous sunset. Join us any night of the week for either the Rum & Reggae snorkel/sunset combo, the live music Commotion on the Ocean, or the classic Champagne Sunset Sail. We’ve got the best seat in the house to watch the sun sink into the western horizon. And this time of year, you might want to pack a light sweatshirt.

On land, the weather is perfect for strolling around Duval Street or riding bikes around side streets. In the evening, sitting outside for dinner is perfection, and you can even get away with wearing jeans without sweating to death. We’re definitely enjoying some perfect fall weather down here, and think that you should be, too!

Sailing to the crystal clear reef.

By Shayne Benowitz

It’s hard to believe, but this time next week it will be the beginning of a long Labor Day Weekend and the official end of summer. I know, I know, don’t get too depressed! No one likes it when summer ends, right? Well, we’ve all got one more weekend to really live it up.

Of course, in Key West we exist in a state of perpetual summer. Maybe you can enjoy Labor Day with us at Fury or maybe we’ll just see you in the fall. Either way, it’s time to toast to the end of a long, hot summer. What have you got planned? Family picnics or BBQs? A quick escape to the beach?

At Fury, it will be business as usual—or perhaps, more than usual. We’re gearing up for a busy weekend of water sports, and of course, we’d love to see you aboard our fleet.

The Ultimate Adventure is by far the most popular trip and the greatest value. It’s the perfect Labor Day package: Key West snorkeling, parasailing, jet skiing, kayaking, inflatable water park, breakfast, lunch, snacks, and all you can drink. That pretty much says it all!

If you’re looking for a quick escape, join us on one of our snorkel trips departing three times daily: 9:30am, 1pm, and 5pm. This is an absolute “Must-Do” in Key West. It would be embarrassing to be this close to the third largest coral reef system in the world and not set out to explore it.

If you’d prefer an aerial view of our island paradise, then the calming thrill of Key West parasailing is for you. Trips depart every hour on the hour from 9am to 5pm. Yep, for some of us that’s the daily grind!

And of course, don’t miss a single sunset while you’re here, and make sure you catch it on the water at least one night. We’ve got a classic champagne sunset sail or a little bit of rock n roll with the Commotion on the Ocean featuring a great live band, appetizers, and margaritas.

Either way, we hope you and your family have a wonderful Labor Day and we hope to see you on the water in Key West soon!

Shayne Benowitz is a Fury crewmember and freelance writer. For more travel stories and a daily dose of what’s cool around the globe visit her Wanderlust Website at http://web.me.com/shaynebeth.