It’s true, I am now almost used to 5:30 am wake-ups. Despite always pining for just a few more minutes, I’m very good at getting up after the first alarm. Danny and I left his Central LA apartment shortly thereafter, with our final destination being the port city of Long Beach. I originally had an action-packed day planned for us, which included jet skiing to Catalina Island, parasailing once back in Long Beach, and a nice little relaxing paddle on the swan boats at Rainbow Lagoon (a cool-down, if you will). Unfortunately, due to heavy winds, our parasailing adventure was cancelled, so it was down to two. I wasn’t totally heartbroken though; I was very excited about the jet skiing. My interest had been piqued back in January 2022 when Danny and I visited Lake Elsinore. He pointed out the jet skis and mentioned how fun they looked, giving me flashbacks to the snowmobiling I’d done so frequently as a child.
Snowmobiling… but on water.
Of course it wasn’t my first time hearing of jet skis, I just hadn’t really considered them before. I’d always been on a boat, tubing, or playing in the water itself. So when I discovered Jetski2Catalina, I knew it was fate.
I’m a water baby through and through — Aquarius sun (I will die on the hill that Aquarius should be a water sign. It’s right there in the name!), Pisces moon, and Cancer rising. I don’t know if I fully believe in all that astrology business, but what I did believe was that this was going to be one hell of a trip. Partnering with Jetski2Catalina was a dream come true. It’s always a rush getting to collaborate with a company that offers something truly unique, and I can honestly say that J2C absolutely nails it, especially for a Southern California activity.
I was already in my bright pink and black wetsuit when we arrived at the dock. I’m an adventurous person, but I didn’t have any intention of driving that day. My hope was to simply vibe on the back of the jet ski and enjoy the predetermined salt spray on my face and the wind in my hair. Was leaving Danny in charge similar to leaving an overexcited child unattended in a candy store? 100%. I should have known that allowing a rock climber/snowboarder/surfer to take the wheel would end up with us going full-throttle over every possible wave and doing donuts at every given opportunity.
Our guide’s name was Adam, and he was assisted by Kyle and Jacob—who made sure we didn’t “end up in Alaska or Hawaii” by veering too far off course. They also helped us back onto the jet skis when we were thrown off the bucking bronco (more on that later).
We were all assigned to our jet skis, and Danny and I ended up on “Toucan” (identified by a small toucan sticker near the front). We were given a quick briefing—the only constructive criticism the two of us could think of was perhaps a little more information on the safety side of things, which Danny brought up at the end of the day, and they happily took into consideration for the future.
Then we were off.
If you’ve never been on a jet ski, let me paint you a picture of what it’s like to be on the back: you know those little Mexican jumping bean toys you had as a child? It’s like that.
You have two, maybe three, options to keep you in your seat.
- A pair of handles positioned behind you on either side.
Not ideal for wet hands. Very slippery. - A strap handle behind the driver’s seat.
Not ideal if you don’t want blistered/bleeding fingers from holding on for dear life when the driver is going 50 mph and you’re bouncing like you’ve been precariously attached to a wild stallion. - The person in front of you.
Just pray they have an excellent grip and strong arms, legs, and core.
I was leery about holding onto Danny, as I didn’t want my body weight to pull him off the jet ski on a rough turn, but after about an hour of chafing, blistered, bleeding fingers, and being thrown into the ocean at 40 mph (“sorry Em”), I gave in to motorcycle style. If I was going down again, he was going down with me. Half the time, my arms were hooked under his armpits because my fingers were too sore and wet to stay clasped together. That said, I was having a blast.
We made a few stops to swim, play with the dolphins, and, for some of us, regain our composure.
The dolphins love jet skis. It’s fairly common knowledge that they love to play in any sort of wake, but on a jet ski, it’s near impossible to keep a steady, recommended distance because they’re incredibly hyped about whatever is going on. Dolphins are for sure the theatre kids of the sea.
We also took a little swim through a cave, which was absolutely stunning. Adam and the other guides suggested we wear our life jackets, even if we were strong swimmers. I took lessons as a 4-year-old but haven’t taken any since. That said, I’ve done my time and snorkelled in some pretty intense Galapagos currents. The life jackets we were wearing definitely made it more difficult to swim (mine was a little big for me to boot). Danny decided not to wear his, but I couldn’t make up my mind. I didn’t want to inconvenience everyone by accidentally drowning. On the other hand, I knew I could definitely swim better without the life jacket. I brought this up to Danny and he said, “If you decide it’s too hard to swim with the life jacket, you can give it to me.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
So I jumped in with the life jacket and immediately regretted my life choices. He could tell I was displeased, so he put his hands out and took it from me. An angel in our midst.
I wish the swim had been a little less hurried, as the cave definitely had an air of magic I would have loved to linger in. To float on my back through the kelp forest and listen as the ocean water spattered against the rock walls; perhaps snorkel amongst the tangerine Garibaldi fish. But I of course understood the time constraints.
Once we exited the cave, Danny gave back the life jacket and then swam back to the jet ski. I couldn’t do it back up with the currents, so I was attempting to swim with it open. It wasn’t going great and I knew I wasn’t going anywhere fast. Jacob noticed this and decided to poke fun. Jacob: if you’re reading this, I swear I’m not an idiot. I can’t walk and chew gum at the same time though. Or in this case, do up a life jacket and swim.
After over an hour and a half at sea, we arrived at Two Harbors, a dreamy village on Catalina’s west end. There, we learned one of our tourmates had also been thrown off her jet ski—while driving—and seriously injured her ankle. She was adamant that it was just a sprain, as she’d broken her ankle before and this didn’t feel the same. Buuuuut, as it would turn out, she had broken it, and needless to say, she and her partner did not jet ski back. After being taken to the hospital, they caught the Catalina Express back to Long Beach.
Even with no shortage of things to do during our 3-hour stopover, Danny and I simply took it easy and spent most of our time kicking back at the West End Galley. The menu is limited but nothing if not delicious. As fish and chip aficionados, we both knew what we wanted right off the bat. The temptation to snorkel was there, but struggling to get back into the damp wetsuit after lunch was not. So, enjoying the views it was. We chatted with a couple visiting from Ohio, took photos, and basked in the sun like lizards.
On the way home, the waves were choppier, consequently making the backseat a lot bumpier. When Speedy Gonzalez went to do a figure 8, my grip around his waist shifted, and I flew off the ski and skipped like a stone. Glorious. It’s moments like these that I wish there were cameras on me at all times because I can only imagine how ridiculous (and cool) it looked. This time, it was a lot tougher getting back up. My thighs were a little sore from a hike we’d done the previous day, my fingers were throbbing, my arms ached from the absolute death grip I’d had around Danny’s body, and there were bigger waves. It took a hot minute to get back up there.
Things I Lost to the Sea:
- An acrylic nail
- My sunglasses
- My phone (not quite, I played a dangerous game, but it ended up just being under Danny’s butt)
- A bit of dignity
I am embarrassed to admit that I spent a good amount of time on the ride back with my face pressed into the back of Danny’s life jacket. With no sunglasses, the salt was in my eyes and at the speed we were going, I once again had his body in the equivalent of a core chokehold. But hey, I was smiling the whole way!
I like to think that getting yeeted from the jet ski at 40 mph is part of the experience. It’s honestly kind of exhilarating. The not-so-fun part is getting back on the machine.
If you’re in the LA County area and looking for an extraordinary escapade, allow me to buoyantly suggest this jet ski adventure. You can wave goodbye to any dull moments; between the surging adrenaline, the playful wildlife, the fin-tastic Catalina Island vibes, and that swell ocean playground, it’ll be a day to remember. Bring your favourite pal, your significant otter, or a family member. Trust me, you won’t forget it anytime soon.
Price: $525.90 USD for 2 people (on a single ski)