PE.com - Tourism Blog

Seven-Year-Olds in the Sky

Kids are fearless. Well, some are. I screamed bloody murder on nearly every relatively swift moving ride in Disneyland when I was seven-years-old.

But other seven-year-olds will be parasailing in Big Bear Lake, no doubt, now that the resort has chosen to drop the parasailing age limit there from the ripe old age of 18 to age seven.

The Professional Association of Parasail Operators reccomend parasailers should weigh at least 90 pounds and companies should exercise "extreme caution" with folks under the age of 12. Also an "older companion must accompany children under the age of eight while in flight," according to the association's 2005 guidelines.

The Big Bear Lake Resort Association said the decision was made when Big Bear Parasail met all of the requirements to join the Professional Association of Parasail Operators (PAPO) and the Big Bear Municipal Water District approved the age choice after considering the company's safety record.

Mark McCulloh, chairman of his Parasail Safety Council which isn't connected to PAPO, said by phone though that the new policy could spell disaster.

“That is so scary. That’s outrageous," he said. "Parasailing is generally safe ... Could a person go up at seven? Sure, ya."

But McCulloh said he worried that if a true emergency happened mid-air, an adult might be able to handle it but a child may panic.

“A seven-year-old? They don’t know what to do," he said. Granted children under the age of 12 will be flying tandem with an adult.

So be careful young adreneline junkies.