Parasailing in Cabo San Lucas: A Wild Ride Above the Sea

There’s a very specific kind of thrill that comes with being strapped to a parachute, clipped to a boat, and launched into the sky over the ocean like a human kite in a foreign country — and I was so ready for it.

Parasailing in Cabo San Lucas had been on my list for a while. Not because I’m an adrenaline junkie, but because I’ve always been obsessed with the idea of flying. Floating high above the coastline with the wind in your face and nothing but the ocean below? Yes, please.

The day was perfect — blue skies, warm sun, and just enough breeze to keep things interesting. My mom agreed to come with me, maybe out of curiosity, maybe because she underestimated how high we’d be going. We climbed onto the small boat that would tow us, got strapped in, and off we went.

At first, it was smooth and scenic. The boat picked up speed, the parachute caught the wind, and before we knew it, our feet were lifting off the deck. I was grinning like a maniac. My mom… was not.

Just as we started to rise higher, she glanced down — big mistake. Below us, clear as day in the sparkling blue water, was a swarm of hammerhead sharks. I thought it was amazing — surreal, like watching a nature documentary from the sky. My mom, on the other hand, completely panicked.

She shouted down to the crew, demanding they bring us back immediately. We hadn’t even reached full height before we were being reeled back in like two very dramatic kites. I was both laughing and a little bummed. Her face was frozen somewhere between horror and “I told you so,” while I was already asking, “Can we go again?”

And I did go again. The crew seemed amused but supportive, and I was back up in the air in minutes. That second ride was everything I hoped it would be: peaceful, thrilling, and oddly quiet. Up there, the world below melted into colors — turquoise water, golden beaches, the distant arc of El Arco. No engine sounds, no conversation. Just wind, sun, and the occasional sea breeze hitting my cheeks. It didn’t feel like falling. It felt like floating. Free.

If you ever get the chance to parasail — especially over a place as beautiful as Cabo San Lucas — take it. And if you happen to spot hammerhead sharks underneath you… try to enjoy the view. Or at least don’t scream too loud.

Because the only thing scarier than being up in the air is getting dragged back down too soon by someone else’s fear.