Orlando Watersports Complex supplies adrenaline with wakeboarding adventures – Orlando Sentinel

It’s been three months into Florida’s brutally hot, endless summer, and I’ve been looking for every opportunity to get on the water, from paddleboarding to spring swimming and now wakeboarding.

I’ve done water skiing and snowboarding before, but this was my first time doing water recreation like this. Venue: The Orlando Watersports Complex near State Route 528 has been providing space to Central Florida riders for over 20 years.

In addition to the cable park being the main attraction for visitors, wakeboarders and water skiers can train while being towed by a top-of-the-line Nautique boat (made here in Orlando).

But the park’s appeal extends beyond seasoned water sports enthusiasts to bring in families with an aqua park, tubing, dockside grills and lessons for kids.

“Especially when people go to Disney, they look at the 528 and say, ‘What’s that?'” says instructor Nathan Simmons. “What makes our sport grow is getting beginners here and bringing new people into the sport.”

Simmons, my instructor and coach, knew that my snowboarding background might help me in my wakeboarding endeavors, but I had to teach the basics first.

We started with 2 towers of dedicated cables to teach beginner wakeboarding skills such as how to stand up and turn. With adjustable speed, the system made it easy to practice the basics. This 15-minute lesson is part of the “Get Up Guarantee” program offered by OWC, which includes equipment and his 4-hour cable pass, making it a popular package for first-timers.

A few minutes later, after some sage advice from Simmons, it was time to use a bigger cable. OWC offers a standard cable for riders just starting out and a faster advanced cable with steeper turns.

Sitting on the dock with the board strapped to his feet and the handle in hand, Simmons encouraged him to focus on staying upright on the water and not worrying about turns. In the section I tried, he has five points where the cable changes direction, which can be difficult for first-time riders to master.

As soon as I felt the steering move forward, I was on the water. I cut into the turn without a second thought and felt a little shake as the tension changed on the turn.

I immediately wanted to go back there and try again. Simmons joined me with a rope attached close enough to hold my life jacket and give instructions. I battled fatigue in my arms and legs and focused on having the time of my life.

The water turned to butter under my feet and my feet felt like knives as I slid effortlessly across the surface. However, it required considerable strength and grip to hold myself in that position. This will make your arms jelly later. Undoubtedly, wakeboarding is not only fun, but it’s also quite a workout.

After a few more laps for an even more intense adrenaline rush, we were ready to tackle the jump. On my first attempt, the takeoff was successful, but the landing was unsuccessful. On my second attempt, I got slightly better results, but still found myself going for a swim. But the smile never left my face.

If you have the time and money to add another hobby to your already vast list of hobbies, wakeboarding might be there. and proved to be a complete blast.

The Orlando Watersports Complex is located at 8615 Florida Rock Road in Orlando and is open daily from 10 AM to 8 PM. The “Get Up Guarantee” package for first-time riders is $79. Aquapark sessions start at $29 for 1-hour passes. We also cater for birthday parties and private sessions. For more information, visit orlandowatersports.com.

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