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Soaring overhead

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Deirdre Newman

Imagine flying high above Newport Harbor with the ocean breezes

circling around you as you watch the waves undulate below.

It’s possible to float 600 feet above the ocean by parasailing, a

sport that combines the adrenalin rush of skydiving with the thrill

of water sports.

And you don’t have to jump out of a plane.

In fact, all you have to do to parasail in Newport Beach is sit in

a swing, says Mike Perrin, captain of parasail operations for Balboa

Peninsula-based Marina WaterSports.

The company uses hydraulic winch boats so it’s possible to inflate

the parachute while the boat is moving and before the parasailers are

attached to it.

“The risk before was in the inflation process and landing [on the

beach],” Perrin said. “This way, [parasailers] don’t have to fly by

any immobile objects. The worst that can happen now is they get wet.”

On Wednesday, two Newport Beach 12-year-olds -- Kenny Bick and

Dane Berman -- tried parasailing for the first time. Both were hooked

into the parachute so they could experience the adventure of

parasailing together.

As the cord attached to the parachute extended, sending Kenny and

Dane higher and higher, they seemed to get smaller until finally they

appeared to merge into one person with four dangling legs.

When they were finally lowered after a 10-minute ride, their

excitement was evident.

“It’s very blood-rushing,” Dane said. “When you first start to go,

that’s the best part of all.”

Kenny said it was weird to see birds flying in front of his face

and seeing the waves at different levels in the ocean.

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