Activities & Days Out / 1 May, 2018 / My Baba
Take the plunge and experience the seas inside a giant orca. That’s exactly what you can do at the Royal Victoria dock, thanks to adrenaline junkies Predator Adventures. Leap and dive inside this high-speed shark-shaped seacraft for this once in lifetime, whale of a time ride.
The last thing I thought I’d review was a ride inside a supercharged killer whale, but here we are. The chances are you’ve never tried it either — unless, of course, you’ve a spare £100,000 to spend on a one of these incredible sea explorers. Even with that you’d need a yacht to tack them onto the side of, until now. This year, Predator Adventures have brought the first Seabreacher of its kind to the UK. They’ve gone commercial so we can all give flipping about in the water as a giant sea creature a whirl. In fact, we’re the big trial run for the rest of Europe. If the petrol-powered whale takes off, we could be seeing these half-subversive sea boats across the country and the rest of Europe.
It’s an 18-foot killer whale. It shoots and skims across the top of the water and plunges 18 feet below the water before launching itself up above the surface to equal measure. It reaches speeds of 60 mph above the water and 40 mph when it plunges below.
You get strapped in, alongside your pilot and hold on for the sweet ride. The seacraft has a viewing window for you to take in the Victoria dock surroundings, the depths of the docks (which aren’t connected to the murky Thames!), and all the envious people taking in the Seabreacher spectacle.
You come along and enjoy the ride. It’s very much comparable to a rollercoaster. You won’t get to controller the Seabreacher; you need a licence for commercial ones (I checked), but sitting back and riding out the experience is equally excellent!
On arrival you’ll meet your friendly and qualified pilot. They’ll answer any questions and address any concerns you have. I asked if he ever got tired of charging up and down the Thames inside the killer whale all day. He said never. It made me wonder where I could get my hands on my own Seabreacher – turns out Predator Adventures sell them too.
Before you board, you’re asked to complete a waiver. If you’re under 18, a guardian will need to be present to complete any forms. Next, one of the crew will talk you through any safety info and assist you in getting your life vest on. Then it’s time to board the Seabreacher, so prepare yourself for the thrilling ride! The pilot will help you get settled into the seacraft and then it’s time to sit back and enjoy the experience.
The seabreacher will head out onto the water and you’ll be able to chat to the pilot about how wild or mild you’d like the experience to be. Would you prefer lots of leaps and dives, or some speedy skimming through the water? It’s pretty loud inside the seacraft once it gets up to speed but your pilot will check in with you during the ride to make sure you’ll enjoying it. They can also fix in a GoPro to record your reaction to the whole experience!
Post experience, your pilot will unstrap you and you’ll be back on dry land to check out the crazy (or cringey) footage of your experience.
It’s super safe. I often get worried about these things moments before, but the crew are very reassuring. Predator adventures make passenger comfort and safety a priority. There is also a speedboat that is nearby at all times in case of emergency.
There age restrictions is minimum six years, because the ride can be fast and jolty ride, which may be scary for little children. Those under 18 must be accompanied by a guardian to sign the waiver, but the child only ride with the professional instructor.
The height restriction is 6ft 4inches and the weight limit is 224lbs (16 stone). This is to make sure passengers can get in and out of the seacraft comfortably and safely in the unlikely event of emergency.
You can click through here to their website and pick a package and time slot here.
Heelys, the original two-in-one wheely shoe launched in 2000, is preparing for the upcoming Easter holidays with its new spring collection. Ideal for encouraging an active, healthy lifestyle, the stylish designs will ensure kids (big and small) will roll through the holidays with ease.
The collection consists of 19 designs, including three brand new Heelys shapes: Reserve Ex, Reserve Low and Pro 20 Half Flood. The Reserve Ex has a basketball shoe style, while the Reserve Low and Pro 20 Half Flood tap into the current Y2K trend for an extra chunky sole.
Match your Heelys to your mood, with designs split across two main aesthetics – a darker colour scheme vs. a lighter, spring-inspired palette. Think camouflage print, graffiti text and paint drips contrasting with pastel colours, tie-dye, metallic laces, foil and rainbow print.
Available in the UK and Europe on the Heelys website and retailers, the collection is available in sizes C12-7 across single or two-wheeled styles. RRPs range from £49.99 to £69.99.
Kids' Fashion / 20 March, 2023
