Towed buoys : what are they ?
If you've never seen these huge buoys parade before your eyes over the sea or in lakes, you absolutely must try them out ! The buoys, which can be of any shape, are designed to give you place to sit on them and hang on to them. They are towed by a boat that propels you at full speed as you surf the waves !
![banane bouee](https://www.esterel-cotedazur.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/experience-bouee-banane-580x370.jpg)
![bouée slydsit](https://www.esterel-cotedazur.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/experience-bouee-slydsit2-580x370.jpg)
![bouée flyfish](https://www.esterel-cotedazur.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/experience-bouee-flyfish3-580x370.jpg)
And the faster you go, the better chance you have of... ...to overthrow you! Luckily, the speed is adapted to the audience and you don't have to fall overboard. Finally... that's also what makes this activity so original ! Which one of you will fall first... ?
Hang on : thrills and speed on the program !
After a quick briefing, we get on the first buoy, the "Flyfish", at 3. The middle place, the most stable, is coveted by the girls of the team Antoine, our intern, devotes himself to take a side place (the one where we have the most chance to fall... haha.).
Our instructor connects the buoy to the boat and here we are quietly walking away from the seaside! Once the safety zone is passed, we admire the coast from our buoy ! The beach of Saint-Aygulf is in front of us, a feast for the eyes!
One last recommendation from our instructor Will and we're off ! He makes the boat's engine roar and we go straight from the relaxed position, to the position of well hooked to the buoy to try to stay seated ! The boat starts to turn and we are leaning to the left and then to the right, the waves brushing against us on both sides, a delight !
I can hear my 2 acolytes laughing on each side who have to try as hard as I do not to fall down ! At the highest peak of speed, the buoy takes off from the water and here we are at the perpendicular with the sea !! We lose one of them on the way... Antoine has joined the fishes ! The boat stops right away and turns back to go and rescue our intern who takes the opportunity to make a few fathoms !
Flyfish, banana, slydsit... crazy laughter guaranteed !
![flyfish bouée](https://www.esterel-cotedazur.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/experience-bouee-flyfish2-440x410.jpg)
The Flyfish
This buoy in the shape of a large inflatable square is made up of 3 tubes on which 3 to 6 people can sit. If the middle boudin is the most stable place, you are much more shaken on the sides! Beware of sharp turns at full speed !!!
![bouée slydsit](https://www.esterel-cotedazur.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/experience-bouee-slydsit-1-440x410.jpg)
The Slydsit
If the Flyfish buoy is the one that made us feel the sensation of speed the most, the "Slydsit" buoy is much quieter. In the shape of a sofa, there is very little risk of ending up in the water with this one ! You still have to hold on tightly so that you don't end up piling up on top of each other. Its advantage ? It can accommodate up to 8 people, ideal for family outings or stag and hen parties.
![bouée banane](https://www.esterel-cotedazur.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/experience-boue-banane-440x410.jpg)
The banana
As its name suggests, the banana buoy has the shape of the fruit. Two, three, four or five people sit on it, one behind the other, with their legs on either side of the buoy, holding on to the central handle. Like the flyfish, it is very difficult not to end up in the water with this buoy ! Less stable than the others, the aim of the game is to stay as long as possible sitting without falling into the water. Because if one falls, everyone falls ! And Will, our companion, has decided to give us another taste of the water !
Flyboard : play the flying fish over the water
The 2 bravest of us have tested the Flyboard ! This "hydropropelled lift" machine allows you to fly over water thanks to a flexible piping system located under your feet, itself connected to the turbine outlet of a jet-ski.
![flyboard](https://www.esterel-cotedazur.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/experience-bouee-flyboard-580x370.jpg)
And it's Martino and Noémy who go first ! After 10 to 15 minutes of briefing / initiation, they put on suits and helmets, and connect to the projection platform, similar to 2 ski boots linked together. Then they head out to sea! We take our marks for the navigation by starting by making small turns on our backs. Once away from the seashore, Will makes a sign for the top start! We pass on the belly, and off we go for the propulsion !
![flyboard](https://www.esterel-cotedazur.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/experience-flyboard-580x370.jpg)
We start with some fairly simple tricks : vertically in the water, we activate the propulsion and gradually get out of the water. Not easy ! The flyboard requires you to stand up straight and to sheath your muscles well to stay stable. Don't forget to keep your knees straight to get off the board. After a few attempts, you get the hang of it! We climb higher and higher until we have a great view of the beach and the surrounding boats !
In short |
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After 2 to 3 hours in the water, we are all exhausted but delighted ! The towed buoys allowed us to refresh ourselves, have a good time and above all, have a good laugh ! This is a perfect activity to do with family or friends as it doesn't require any special needs apart from knowing how to swim and being comfortable in the water (life jackets are distributed to everyone before starting the activity). For the little ones, the instructor will adapt the speed so that everyone can fully enjoy the joys of sliding on the water ! |
Infos & Booking : Towed buoys
You up for an adventure ? Book your outing now on our website experiencecotedazur.com ! Online booking allows you to choose the day and time of your choice and the buoy you prefer !
City: Saint-Aygulf (Fréjus)
Price: From 70€ (for 1 to 8 pers.)
Infos & Booking : Flyboard
You up for an adventure ? Book your outing now on our website experiencecotedazur.com ! Online booking allows you to choose the day and time of your choice and the buoy you prefer !
City: Saint-Aygulf (Fréjus)
Price: From 80€ (2 options)