Marco Bay Yacht Club Jets Through 10,000 Islands

The Marco Bay Yacht Club (MBYC) Jet Ski Special Interest group is back in action for the 2024 season.

Riders have already been out with both the “rabbits” (the fast riders) and the “tortoises” (the slow riders).

The rabbits weave a mind-bending flight through the labyrinth of mangroves from Marco Island to the Everglades National Park border, testing the limits of personal watercraft (PWC) access. 

Rabbits ride to Seminole Park on Tamiami Trail, sometimes seeing an alligator or two, through remote channels and rivers as far from the Gulf as one can safely ride, often in channels not much wider than a PWC.    

The tortoises take a slower stroll through some of the same channels to enjoy more of the view and serenity of this amazing area, almost becoming one with the mangroves. A tortoise ride does not cover as much territory as the rabbits and is the recommended group for those with limited to no PWC experience or those who do not crave extreme exhilaration.

Both groups typically stop at one of the islands off Gullivan Bay for a short break. The average ride time is about three hours. MBYC Craig Cats can also participate in the tortoise runs. 

MBYC member Bob Gagnon teaches a PWC safety course for the Coast Guard Auxiliary. Riding in the mangroves has unique risks, and this course covers those risks in detail. Gagnon covers a wide variety of fundamental topics specific to PWC operation and a section specific to riding deep into the mangroves south of Marco Island.

See the Flotilla 95 website for more info and course times.

https://wow.uscgaux.info/content.php?unit=070-09-05&category=boating-courses

To learn more about Marco Bay Yacht club, go to https://marcobayyachtclub.com.