Priced per activityFits a cruise dayTaxi fare listed

Jet Ski and Watersports at Cockleshell Bay

Everything on the water at Cockleshell Bay, each item with its own price, from a US$25 set of snorkel gear to a US$239 pass that covers four hours of it. Most of these run 15 minutes to an hour, so you can stack two or three into a beach day. The taxi from Basseterre is US$40 or EC$109 for one to four people, one way.

A jet ski
A jet ski. Stock photo.
Parasailing behind a boat
Parasailing behind a boat. Stock photo.
A jet ski on turquoise water
A jet ski on turquoise water. Stock photo.

No payment at booking

One invoice link comes after the slot is confirmed, and we add no card fee.

Weather is the operator's call

If wind and swell cancel your activity you pay nothing, and anything paid comes back in full.

A late ship moves the slot

These run all day, so send your new arrival time and we move you.

What is at Cockleshell Bay for jet skis and parasailing?

Cockleshell sits at the far end of the South East Peninsula, looking across the channel at Nevis, with Nevis Peak filling most of the view.

  1. 1
    Green hills above the sea
    Green hills above the sea. Stock photo.

    Sheltered water

    The water here is on the Caribbean side and sheltered, which is why every machine on the list operates from this beach.

  2. 2
    Two riders on a jet ski
    Two riders on a jet ski. Stock photo.

    The machines

    Jet skis and the jet boat go out off the sand. Parasailing launches from a boat. A jet ski runs 15 to 55 minutes, the jet boat 20 minutes, and parasailing about an hour.

  3. 3
    A kayak on clear water
    A kayak on clear water. Stock photo.

    The glass bottom kayak at night

    The glass bottom kayaks also run at night, at the same US$45. It is the one item on the list you will not find elsewhere on the island.

  4. 4
    Umbrellas on the sand
    Umbrellas on the sand. Stock photo.

    No lifeguards

    There are no lifeguards and no warning flags on any beach in St Kitts, and Canada's government travel advice says rescue services may not meet international standards. The operator sends a guide out with the snorkel trips and keeps the jet ski area marked. Nobody should swim out past the machines on their own.

How long does a jet ski day take, and does it fit a cruise day?

Ships in Basseterre are usually alongside from about 8am to 5pm or 6pm. Allow 40 minutes each way to Cockleshell plus whatever you book. The all day action pass covers four hours of activities and fits a long call. We do not publish fixed start times, because these run through the day as machines come free. We confirm your slot in writing when we confirm the booking.

  1. StartTaxi from Basseterre down the South East Peninsula
  2. +40 minutesAt Cockleshell Bay
  3. Your slotActivities of 15 minutes to an hour each, or four hours on the all day pass
  4. AfterTime on the beach, chairs and bar paid there in cash
  5. Finish40 minutes back to Basseterre

How much is jet ski rental and parasailing in St Kitts?

Where a price says a person, it means a person. The rest are priced per item or per machine. We take no payment when you book. One invoice link comes after the slot is confirmed, and card payments on this island commonly carry a 4.5 percent fee that we do not add.

Included

  • The activities you book, each at its listed price
  • A briefing on the sand before a jet ski
  • A guide on the snorkel trips

Not included

  • Your taxi, US$40 or EC$109 for one to four people each way
  • Beach chairs and umbrellas
  • Food and drink at the beach
ActivityPriceHow long it runs
Jet skiUS$8915 to 55 minutes
ParasailingUS$119About an hour
Stand up paddleboardUS$35Board hire
Glass bottom kayakUS$45Night tours available
Extreme jet boatUS$8920 minutes
Boat snorkel tourUS$99 a person1.5 hours
FlyboardingUS$15530 to 60 minutes
Jet ski snorkel adventureUS$239 a person2 hours
KiteboardingUS$149Lesson
SurfingUS$892 to 3 hours, or all day
Wakeboarding or waterskiingUS$10920 minutes
Hobie Cat sailboatUS$7530 minutes or more
Snorkel gear rentalUS$25The day
All day action passUS$2394 hours

What to bring

  • A swimsuit under your clothes, and a towel. Changing facilities at the beach are basic.
  • Sun cover you can put back on after an hour in salt water. Parasailing and a kayak session both leave you in full sun with nothing over your head.
  • Cash in small notes. Chairs, umbrellas and the bar at the beach sit outside anything we book, and small purchases move faster in cash. US dollars are accepted everywhere on the island.
  • A dry bag or a waterproof pouch for your phone. Phones go in the sea off jet skis more often than anyone admits.
  • Your driving licence, if you plan to ride a jet ski. Operators here normally check one.

Is it right for you?

  • Anyone who cannot swim should stay off the jet ski, the flyboard, the wakeboard and the kayak, life jacket or no life jacket.
  • Jet ski operators here normally require a rider to be 18 and will check a licence on the day. The rule belongs to the operator, so we confirm the age and licence requirement in writing when we confirm your booking.
  • Flyboarding and kiteboarding need a reasonable level of fitness and a tolerance for falling in over and over. Neither is a gentle first go on the water.
  • Anyone pregnant, or with a back, neck or shoulder problem, should skip the jet boat, the jet ski and the wakeboard. All three slam.

Questions people ask

What does the taxi to Cockleshell Bay cost?
US$40 or EC$109 for one to four people, one way, or US$10 a head one way for five or more. Budget both directions. If there are five of you the per head fare drops hard, so travel together.
Is the all day action pass worth it?
At US$239 for four hours it beats booking separate items only if you will use three of them. A jet ski at US$89 and a parasail at US$119 comes to US$208, so the pass pays for itself on your third activity and not before.
Can I ride a jet ski if I have never done it?
Yes. The operator briefs you on the sand and the machines stay inside the marked area. The licence check and the age rule still apply, and we will have both confirmed for you in writing before you pay.
Do you hire out chairs and umbrellas?
No. The beach does that, separately from us, and you pay for it there in cash.
Can we do the glass bottom kayak at night?
Yes, night tours run, at the same US$45. We confirm the start time in writing when we confirm the booking, because it moves with the light.
Is there a lifeguard?
No, and there is not one on any beach in St Kitts. No lifeguards, no warning flags, anywhere on the island. The operator's guides are the supervision you get, which is the argument for booking a guided snorkel trip over swimming off on your own.
How much is parasailing in St Kitts?
US$119 at Cockleshell Bay, for about an hour. It launches from a boat and leaves you in full sun with nothing over your head, so bring sun cover you can put back on.

Send a request. Pay only once it is confirmed.

Tell us your date, which activities you want and for how many people, roughly what time you would like to be at the beach, and your ship name if you are on one. Say if you need a taxi and we will arrange it at the taxi fare. We reply within one working day.

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