The new Aqua Glide toys.

The countdown to Memorial Day Weekend is upon us and so is the unofficial start of summer! We have to admit, we love this time of year in Key West. The weather is postcard perfect for a day offshore. We’re looking forward to a busy weekend on the water and a summer filled with adventures, Ultimate Adventures, Island Adventures, Dolphin Watching Adventures–you know the drill!

In anticipation of all this time on the water, we’ve got a whole new stable of water toys for you to enjoy on the Ultimate Adventure. This is one of our most popular trips, and it’s perfect for the summertime. Imagine a full day at sea spent snorkeling, parasailing, jet skiing, and kayaking with breakfast and lunch included. The second half of the day is spent at Adventure Island where our very own water park floats in the Gulf of Mexico.

You can choose to sunbathe on the spacious top deck of our 65′ catamarans or test your stamina on our inflatable water toys. It all started with a water trampoline and an inflatable iceberg. Now, we’ve got a huge variety of inflatable slides and jungle gyms for you to climb, bounce, jump, and slide on.

The newest is our Aqua Glide Jungle Joe, which you can see Riaan and Shon trying out in the picture above. It offers countless options for you’re splishing and splashing enjoyment. We’re looking forward to a long hot summer at Fury in Key West, and we hope to have you aboard our Ultimate Adventure for some fun in the sun!

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If you’ve been snorkeling with Fury, then you’re probably familiar with Snorkel School. It’s that part of the trip that we gather everyone together and talk about our delicate reef system, the marine life you’re about to see, how to use your gear, and a few safety instructions.

Well, we’ve had the tables turned on us. Our recent Blue Star Operator status from NOAA and partnership with Mote Marine Labs has brought us back to school. Our commitment to coral reef conservation and preservation is steadfast, and it’s been a great education to work with these important organizations.

Our crew recently attended a Blue Star Continuing Education class. To get a taste for what we learned about, check out NOAAs video above about acropora population recovery (aka coral restoration) and the work that scientists are already doing in Puerto Rico. Really cool stuff!

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It’s the beginning of May, and that means it’s the 18th Annual Key West Songwriters Festival. Over the last few years we’ve loved not only watching the festival grow, but also becoming a part of it. As our fans have come to expect, we’ve got plenty of things to do in Key West this weekend including a Commotion on the Ocean lineup for the 2013 Songwriters Festival on May 3 and 4, 2013. As a bonus, we’re also throwing in an Endless Margaritas Commotion on the Ocean for Cinco de Mayo on May 5.

So what can you expect from our live music sunset sail fiestas this weekend? We’ll set sail aboard one of our state-of-the-art 65′ catamarans, which means you’ve embarked on the biggest floating dance party on the Gulf of Mexico. Our crew is at your service with ice cold beer, wine, champagne, & margaritas, as well as a tasty appetizer selection. Enjoy the scenery of aquamarine waters as the sun slowly sinks into the western horizon. Best of all, the live musicians at the bow of the boat will be rocking to the rhythm of the ocean.

On Friday May 3, we welcome Cliff Cody, Phillip Lammonds, and Django Walker. On Saturday May 4, look forward to Billy Yates, Paul Jenkins, and Phillip Coleman. These musicians represent some of the brightest talent in songwriting today, from Nashville and beyond. Whether you’re a big fan or just looking to hear some of the newest music, these are trips not to be missed.

For our Cinco de Mayo Endless Margaritas Commotion on the Ocean, we welcome back friends of Fury, Thom Shepherd and James Slater. Back by popular demand, these two have performed on countless sunset sails with us. If you like our normal snacks on the Commotion, then you’ll love the spread we’ve got ready for May 5. Look forward to bean and cheese quesadillas, chicken and bean burritos, jalepeno poppers, and chips and salsa. Of course, it’s not a fiesta without margaritas, and we’ll have all you can drink!

We hope to see you this weekend aboard at least one of these rocking sunset sails! Here’s to the Songwriters Festival!

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Chad & Fury Girl by the Green Parrot, circa 2007.

I remember my first day at Fury Water Adventures. It was August 2005. Beau, who hired me, walked me down the docks at the Westin (it was the Hilton then) to the Pacific Fury and introduced me to the crew I’d be training with that day, Captain Chris, Kelly, Josh, Matt, and Chad. Kelly asked me if I’d worked on boats before, and I nervously told her that I’d taken sailing lessons. Matt showed me where to bag ice in the shed, and I listened to Josh’s snorkel speech on the way out to the reef. Everyone was nice and helpful, but Chad stands out especially to me during that first month at Fury.

He showed me little tricks, like how to lift the plates covering the stairs without burning my fingers, how to pull the fin bags through the small hatches on the Pacific, and how to hose off the deck at the end of the night. On top of all that, Chad was friendly. He was probably the first person to ask me to hang out with the crew after work. I’ve always told him that he was my first friend in Key West. The difference between Chad and all the other people I mentioned on my first day is that eight years later, Chad’s still with Fury. And there’s not a new mate since who hasn’t learned from him.

Chad repping a Fury shirt in Morocco.

We recently got news that Chad’s been diagnosed with cancer and is not doing so well. In true Key West spirit, Fury’s throwing a fundraiser bash to raise money to send Chad on an amazing trip. He’s a world traveler. I remember when I first met him, he was planning a trip to South Korea. Some of the many other places he’s been to include Cambodia, Vietnam, and Egypt. He’s also attended Burning Man the last few years with fellow Fury crew member Jumah. His free spirit and kind heart is an inspiration to me, and I know to many others.

One of the beautiful things about working for Fury is that we have the freedom to travel and come back. If you’re a good crew member, you’re always welcomed back with open arms. It’s something that Chad, me, and many other longtime Fury crew members have taken advantage of over the years.

I interviewed Chad for one of our eNewsletters last year, and this is what he said when I asked him what he liked best about working for Fury. “This is a tough question as everyone constantly says, ‘You have the best job!’ For me, it’s actually not the obvious, like sun, boat, snorkeling, and sunsets. It’s working with our crew every day, from the owner Mr. Saunders to our manager Marius, to the captains and the mates. It’s a great group of people.” Chad is Fury through and through! And we love him.

Join us Sunday April 28th from 6pm to 9:30pm for a Commotion on the Ocean on the dock at the Historic Seaport by the Conch Farm. We’re asking for a $25 donation per person and we’ll provide all the beer, wine, champagne, margaritas, and sodas you can drink. We’ll also have appetizers to snack on, a raffle, and a silent auction to bid on. And, of course, it’s not a Commotion on the Ocean without a live band. For more information, visit our Event Page on Facebook.

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Have you heard the news? We’re giving away a free vacation to Key West! Actually, we’re giving away a lot of free vacations to Key West! Starting this month, one lucky Fury fan will win a Key West vacation and there’s a new winner every single month! Pretty exciting, right? Can you picture yourself jetting off to the Southernmost City and relaxing at a luxurious resort for three days and two nights with your water sports fun included?! We thought you might like the sound of that!

So how do you win? Well, if you haven’t already joined the nearly 13,000 fans who like us on Facebook, go ahead and do that. We’ll keep you in the loop with all the fun and excitement on the waters of Key West and that’s where we’ll announce the winners each month. You can like us on Facebook and fill in the entry form here. Then, you’ll be one step closer to that vacation. Your Key West vacation package will include a stay at the DoubleTree by Hilton Grand Key Resort with breakfast and all resort taxes included. What to do during a long weekend in Key West? Hit the water, obviously! You can choose from sunset sailing, Key West snorkeling, parasailing, and the glass bottom boat with Fury Water Adventures. It couldn’t be easier to enter, so go ahead and sign up today! See you in Key West soon!

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Sunset Key on Easter.

Our Fury Fans are stronger than ever! Still, every now again, we’ll post a picture to Facebook that gets a particularly strong reaction. That was the case when I shared this gorgeous picture of Sunset Key on Easter Sunday. There’s something about the lone palm tree, the crystal clear aquamarine water, and the sandy beach with a dock that just screams paradise. I also love that if you look closely, you can see three different parasail boats on the horizon with their chutes up.

The picture was taken by my good friend Betsy who was visiting from Miami over Easter Weekend with her family. During their stay, they enjoyed our jet ski tour and a morning snorkel trip. On Easter Sunday, they had a lovely brunch at Sunset Key (good taste!), and that’s when Betsy snapped this picture.

When she sent it to me, I knew that our fans would love it. I just didn’t know how much! The picture got 236 likes (yes, I think another record breaker!), 28 shares, and 14 comments on Facebook alone. Pretty impressive!

As always, we’re having a blast on the water in Key West. The weather is getting so gorgeous! We also love sharing pictures and stories with you all year round, no matter where you are. It’s never too early to start Key West dreaming, just head to our Facebook and Twitter pages, and join in the fun!

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Cory, now you see him.

Over Easter Weekend, we had more to do than Easter egg hunting and Ultimate Adventuring. On Saturday, we attended Ocean Fest at the Florida Keys Eco Discovery Center to help raise money for Mote Marine Laboratories. It was a fun-filled day, and the Fury crew was out in full force, along with the bosses Scott and Marius.

Mote is a marine science lab dedicated to marine research, conservation, and education, with headquarters just up the road in Summerland Key. Their work is essential to the preservation and conservation of the snorkeling reef, and that’s a cause that’s clearly aligned with what we do everyday at Fury. On the heels of our recent Blue Star Operator status from NOAA recognizing our commitment to coral reef conservation, we’re also partnering with Mote. Our belief in of reef restoration is so strong that we’re donating a portion of every snorkel ticket sold to Mote’s efforts.

Now you don’t.

“We are proud to support Mote’s Coral Reef Restoration Program,” said Scott. “It’s amazing to see the direct impact this program has made and is continuing to make on regenerating our precious reef system.”

In addition to this ongoing effort, we had a great time last weekend at Ocean Fest raising money by dunking notable members of our crew in a dunk tank for $3 donations. Our own Eliza got up there, and so did Cory of the Cory Heydon Band. This was an opportunity Scott wasn’t going to pass up as he threw a winning toss and dunked Cory!

We had a great time, as always, and we’re proud to be working with such important groups as NOAA and Mote in conserving the reef that we care for so dearly. We want to be able to share it with you for generations to come, so remember that when you snorkel with Fury, it’s in the name of reef conservation.

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Our first big event of the spring is, of course, Easter Weekend, and we’re excited to spend Easter the way we spend all of our favorite holidays, with a very special Easter Ultimate Adventure. We’ll have a wonderful Easter breakfast and lunch spread just for you. This year, instead of collecting Easter eggs, why not see how many different types of tropical fish you can spot at the coral reef?

Our Ultimate Adventure is from 10am to 4pm, and you’ll have the chance to not only snorkel at North America’s only living coral reef, but also to parasail, jet ski, kayak, and do some rock climbing on our inflatable toys. If you love the water, then this is one of most entertaining things to do in Key West on Easter Sunday.

Leave the work to us this Easter Weekend, and spend it on a fun-filled day in the waters of Key West! Make our tradition your tradition!

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Smathers Beach before the Fury Cleanup Crew.

Dear Spring Breakers,

This is an open letter to you from Fury Water Adventures and Key West. We love welcoming you to our island for the month of March for Spring Break madness. That’s why we run all kinds of amazing specials, like 50% off for the ladies on our snorkel trips and $20 of the Ultimate Adventure for all. We want as many of you to enjoy the water and the Key West lifestyle as possible. That’s why we’ve also been sharing with you the best Key West Spring Break party spots to visit day and night.

Smathers Beach after the Fury Cleanup Crew.

One of those spots is Smathers Beach, and it came to our attention that you’ve been leaving it covered in litter at the end of the day. The pictures we saw on Facebook from people in our community was appalling so our crew members headed to the beach after work with trash bags to clean up. Brittani, Christina, Lauren, Monty, Cameron, Dave, Morgan, and others spent a few afternoons last week getting Smathers looking the way we like it. Clean and pristine! We know there’s a couple of weeks of Spring Break left and we want you to enjoy our beautiful beaches but please leave the beaches the way you found them & Clean Up!

Sincerely,

The Fury Crew

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Take the plunge! And then hit the town!

The amazing thing about Spring Break is that it’s a 24/7 party. In my last post, I shared some fun things to do in Key West on Spring Break during the day. Today, let’s talk about where to go once that glorious sun goes down. The bars on Duval are open until 4am and you’ve got a lot of ground to cover before closing time! Here’s a list of the top Key West spring break party spots.

1. Rum & Reggae- The Rum & Reggae is the ultimate Fury value package for Spring Breakers. End your day with an evening of snorkeling, and catch the sunset as you sail back to Key West on one of our 65′ catamarans. This three hour trip includes all you can drink beer, wine, and rum punch! Groove to some sweet reggae music and enjoy the scenery while you plot your plan for the rest of the evening. Best of all, we’re offering 50% off for the ladies!
2. Agave- The perfect spot to start your Duval Crawl is at the foot of Duval and Front Street at the brand new Agave tequila bar. They specialize in cocktails made with 100% pure blue agave tequila and they definitely pack a delicious punch! Of course, you could get crazy with shots, but the strawberry jalapeno tequlia cocktail is a favorite amongst the Fury crew. And why not mix it up with some of their tequila infusions, featuring pineapple, vanilla, and other flavors. Opened by the owners of Rooftop Cafe it’s definitely become a new local’s favorite.
3. Lazy Gecko- This is a classic spring break party spot for locals and tourists alike, and your night is bound to get a little crazy at the Lazy Gecko. With live bands, DJs, and an intimate dance floor, somehow a night on Duval always includes a stop at the Gecko. Things definitely get a little wild in here, so don’t be surprised if you find girls dancing on the bar, or if you end up there yourself!
4. Rick’s- This is probably the ultimate Spring Break party spot. Rick’s is nestled in a whole complex for nightlife mayhem. It’s an upstairs dance club with an enormous deck and dance floor. It’s guaranteed to be packed to the rafters during Spring Break luring the party people with drink deals, contests, and special parties. There are eight different bars total, including Durty Harry’s for live music, the Tree Bar when you’re just getting your night started, and many more. Get ready to shake your booty at the biggest dance party on the island. Be safe and have fun!

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