Watersports Activities Blog
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Island Excursions01/14/2012
We had an awesome time with the Orica Mining Group during their Longitude/Latitude Watersports Excursion. They snorkeled, enjoyed an awesome island lunch, went fishing, flew in the sky on our parasail trips, and hunted for "treasure" all along Tom's Harbor Island with kayaks, paddleboards, and Jet Ski tours. We would like to thank Orica for letting us help them make their day a memorable one! -
Parasailing01/11/2012
Come on down to Sundance Watersports at Hawks Cay Resort and hang out with Captain Dan, Captain Mike and their mates, while they get you to experience Duck Key from high in the sky! Take your camera up with you and capture miles and miles of beautiful scenery or hand off your camera to the guys on the boat and let them capture you in action harnessed to the parasail soaring up and away! -
Happy New Year!01/04/2012
Hope everyone had an amazing New Year! Come on down and spend some time with us down here in the beautiful Keys, at Sundance Watersports. We have all you need to spend and amazing day on the water! -
Merry Christmas!!!12/27/2011
Hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas!!! Come spend the New Years with us here at Hawks Cay Resort. We have a range of activities to be done while your spending the holidays with us in the Keys! Come check out our snorkel, parasail, and jet lev trips, our jet ski adventures, our informational segway tours, and take a kayak out to explore Tom's Island in the harbor. Join us also on our sunset cruises to experience the beautiful sunsets in the Keys. Call us at 305.743.0145 for reservations! -
Florida Travel & Life Final Video12/20/2011
Check out Florida Travel & Life's website and watch Paul easily take flight on our new JetLev!
www.floridatravellife.com/jetlev -
Santa was here!12/20/2011
Check out our pictures on Facebook and Hawks Cays website of Santa Claus hanging out with the Sundance Watersports Crew. He came down to the Keys to relax before his big day and we are honored that he stopped by to check out all of the cool activities we offer here at Hawks Cay Resort! -
Christmas is right around the corner!12/15/2011
Come spend your Christmas vacation in Paradise! There's nothing like being on the water while everyone else is dealing with snow :) We will be offering all of our awesome activities all throughout the holiday, these include; snorkeling, parasailing, jetskiing, kayaking, the new JetLev, segway tours, and our beautiful sunset cruises! Give us a call and we'll get you down for some fun in the sun! -
Our Historical Snorkel Spot12/12/2011
The Florida Keys have an interesting and rich history. At Sundance WaterSports, we share our knowledge with our guests on our jet ski adventures and segway tours but, some of our favorite history comes from our snorkeling trips to the reef at Coffin’s Patch. There are a few stories floating around these islands about this particular reef but our buddy, Brad Bertelli, an author and snorkeling enthusiast residing in the Keys, shared with us his historical findings…
It all started back in the early 1500’s when merchant ships sailed from Spain to Vera Cruz, Mexico where the ships were stocked with New World treasures of silver and gold. From Vera Cruz, the ships sailed to Havana Harbor where they were geared up for final preparations before setting off through the unpredictable Florida Straits, past the Florida Reef, and home again. Four hundreds of years, the ships sailed this route transporting treasures. On July 13, 1733, 22 ships departed Havana Harbor only to find rough seas ahead in the Florida Keys. Two days into the voyage, the ships were rocked by strong winds and seas from a hurricane. The fleet had tried to make it back to Havana Harbor however, only four ships managed to do so safely. One ship, the El Africa, survived with minimal damage while the “17 others were wrecked, sunk, or destroyed and the carnage of fallen masts, splintered planks, treasures, and drowned bodies was spread along the Florida Reef for 80 miles, from Key Biscayne to Vaca Key.” One ship of the 17 ships that wrecked was the San Ignacio. The wrecked ship’s cargo of silver specie and bullion and silver and china from the Far East was scattered over a reef off of Vaca Key. The El Floridano was another ship that wrecked on the reef. Over a couple of years the Spaniards were able to salvage more silver, gold and china from the shipwrecks then what was actually reported on the ships manifest. “Much of the extra booty had been treasures smuggled by sailors and unscrupulous captains.”
Coffin’s Patch, a series of six distinct patch reefs that can be found about 3.5 miles southeast of Key Colony Beach, is the reef where these shipwrecks took place. Coffin’s Patches Reef started showing up on the charts in the mid-1850’s, but it appears to be a mistake. You see, the years before were records of shipwrecks in the same area but the reef was noted as Collin’s Patches. Of course there is another story floating around about how the reef got it’s current name. Some say it was the “result of a cargo ship hauling wood coffins that struck the reef and spilled her load. While the image of wood coffins floating over the corals like Dracula’s regatta is wildly entertaining, it never happened.” Locals will sometimes refer to the reef at The Stake which refers to the iron pipe that extends at an angle several feet from the water. “The stake is likely the remnant of a 36-foot marker used back in 1856 by the U.S. Army Coast Survey.”
Although little to none of the wrecked treasure remains at the reef, it still makes for one of the Key’s best snorkeling spots and is apart of Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Preservation Areas. Here you’ll find a “blend of elegant stands of corals, soft slimy sea feathers and brain corals, large barrel sponges and school after school of goat fish, fronts and yellowtail snappers.” Nonetheless, it’s a place you have to see and experience for yourself.
For more information and to make a reservation for one of our snorkel trips, give us a call at (305).743.0145 today.
Reference: Keys Sunday, KeyNoter Publishing Co. July 24, 2011 -
Kayaking is not as hard as it looks, here's some tips!11/29/2011
Lean Back
Rest your back comfortably on the seat - this keeps the boat stable. Your movement should come from your torso.
The Grip
With both arms comfortably in front of you take the paddle in both hands - over-handed with thumbs under. As a general guide, line up your knuckles with the upward blade edge.
Pull and Push
Each paddle stroke is a pull with your downward stroke while the upward arm pushes the paddle shaft away from you. This combined effort distributes the work. Keep your arm comfortably in front of you (like bicycling). No need to hold on too tight - you'll find the rhythm. As you change sides the paddle shaft should comfortably rotate to line up your knuckles with the upward blade - sweeping the water to the end of the kayak. -
Happy Thanksgiving!!!11/24/2011
Happy Thanksgiving from all of us here at Sundance Watersports! Come hang out with us for the day, we're open!!! -
Santa Claus is coming to town...on the JetLev!!!11/22/2011
Check out Santa Claus on YouTube having some fun on our Jetskis, wakeboarding and flying the JetLev!!! Copy and paste this link or you can find it at youtube.com under Santa Claus Jet Lev Sundance Watersports at Hawks Cay Resort.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtNghyh1zIA&feature=player_detailpage -
7 Easy Tips on How to Snorkel11/18/2011
Whether you are learning how to snorkel or you just want to improve your snorkeling technique, here are some easy tips to follow to ensure you have a great experience enjoying one of nature's most marvelous realms.
1. Make sure your snorkeling gear has been properly fitted. Hold the mask up to your face and breathe in through your nose. The mask should seal perfectly and stay on for as long as you breathe in. If air seeps in, water will too so you may need to try a smaller, more fitting, mask. The strap should only fit snugly at the widest part of your head, towards the top of the back of your head. If the strap is at the base of your head, water will probably be seep in. Ladies (and some gentlemen), if you have long hair, pull your hair back in a high pony tail and pull it through the straps so the mask stays secure and the strap doesn't slide down your hair. Once you have the mask secure, the snorkel should rest in front of your ear.
2. Wear fins that are snug but not too tight or too loose. If they hurt or curl your toes especially, you may develop cramps while snorkeling. If you stand on your toes and the fins slip off your heels, they're too big. Keep in mind, the fins will slip on easier when your feet are wet.
3. Defog your mask for better visibility. Here at Sundance Watersports, we carry defogger with us on our trips so you won't need to worry. But, if you're going on your own and don't have defogger, baby shampoo with salt water works well or even good ol' saliva.
4. Practice breathing through your snorkel before you get in the water. Take a deep breath and rest your teeth on the mouthpiece. Breathe in and out of the snorkel. When you're ready, practice floating face down in the water. Give one sharp exhale, also known as 'blasting', to clear out any water that may be in the snorkel tube. Inhale and exhale gently.
5. Your mask should stay dry however, sometimes water will accidently leak in. This may be because your strap slid too far down. If this happens, simply raise your head out of the water and lift the bottom portion of the mask to clear the water out. A little water can remain in the mask which will help keep your mask from fogging up. The same goes with your snorkel...water may get in it. It's normal for snorkels to flood with water periodically because of wave action as you move about on the surface. Practice blasting your snorkel until it becomes routine.
6. To use your fins correctly, kick from the hip and keep your knees and ankles relaxed to prevent your leg muscles from cramping. Your fins should always remain below the water line. Try not to use a bicycling type kick, but instead, a flutter kick with long strong kicks rather than short, choppy ones. The effort should come from swinging your legs and not your knees. Once you have mastered the kick, you will notice that your fins propel you through the water and you will hardly need to use your arms so you can let your arms rest by your side.
7. Relax and enjoy! Relaxation is the key to snorkeling. Focus on the scenery and try not to overanalyze. Practice will improve your skills and comfort in the water. -
Happy Veterans Day to All of our Heroes!11/11/2011
In November 1919, President Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day with the following words: "To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…" From everyone here at Sundance Watersports, we would like to pay respect to all of our military veterans who have served our country. Thank you all for your honor, integrity and sacrafice. -
Come hop on a Segway!11/11/2011
Segway tours here at Sundance WaterSports offers guests the complete experience: a great orientation, informative historical and current-day information about Hawks Cay Resort and the island of Duck Key, dozens of unique and fascinating stories, great photo ops, fantastic service from a member of our crew and not to mention, the chance to ride the coolest machine in the world! -
Check out our pics from Florida Travel & Life photo shoot11/07/2011
Florida Travel & Life came to Hawks Cay to film Jet Lev. Check out the awesome behind the scenes pictures in our photo gallery! -
Happy Halloween!!! :)10/31/2011
Happy Halloween from the Sundance crew at Hawks Cay!!! Hope everyone has a safe and fun holiday! :) -
Haloween is right around the corner!10/27/2011
Come trick or treating and watch a Keys gorgeous sunset from our 65 foot long catamaran, Blue, for Halloween! Be dressed in your best costume and come hang out on Duck Key with our crew! Call for reservations! 305 743 0145 -
Join us for Privates aboard our Catamaran Blue10/21/2011
Blue is our 65 foot long, Australian design, power catamaran. It is basically a huge stable platform perfect for private dinners and events. Call us at 305 743 0145 for prices and booking options! -
The bad weather is GONE!!!10/20/2011
After 4 days straight of rain, we have sunshine!!!! This weekend would be the PERFECT weekend to get out and get on the water! Come out to Duck Key, and enjoy the weather from one of our jetski tours, or from high up while parasailing! Go to Tom's Island on a kayak and see how flat the water is in the harbor. -
It couldn't be any more gorgeous out!10/12/2011
It's flat, it's calm, and it's absolutely beautiful out here! If you're looking to play on some jet skis, now is the time to do it!!! See for yourself! Come visit us at Hawk's Cay here on Duck Key and come hop on one of our guided tours!
Watersports equipment rental and lessons in Duck Key, Florida. Boat rentals, parasailing, wakeboarding, kayaking, sunset sail, party boat rentals and the amazing JetLev water jetpack available for rental. Located on the Hawks Cay Resort property.
Phone: (305) 743-0145
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