Oyster Bay Water Sports, based out of Oyster Bay NY, is an exciting new way to spend a few hours and to make memories for a lifetime!
They offer professional instruction in water sports like waterskiing, wakeboarding, wake-surfing, as well as tubing rides!
They were the first to bring the newest and most exciting Water Sport activity to the North Shore of Long Island - Wake Surfing.
You can only wake surf behind specially designed wake boats, with inboard motors, so the rider's are far away & safe from the motors propellers. Wake surfing is not hard to learn and with OBWS's beautiful state of the art wake boat, they can custom shape the wave to meet the needs of beginner through expert.
Wake Boarder's too, will experience the best shaped wave they've ever ridden on......kind of like the difference between snow skiing out West verses the icy conditions here in the East.
OBWS also offers water skiing and tubing - Fun for all!!
Photo Credit: Oyster Bay Water Sports
In addition, OBWS take's clients on wonderful sunset & dinner cruises to a number of awesome destinations across Long Island Sound, including favorite restaurants in Port Chester, Greenwich, Stamford & Rowayton.
OBWS is a seasonal enterprise; and is in its second summer serving the North Shore of Long Island. The companies founder and owner, Roland Afzelius, has been an avid water sport enthusiast since he was child.
"My family has always had a boat. I learned to water ski and wake board and got pretty good at it", he said. "Some years back on a family trip, we did a water sports charter with someone else; and I thought, you know what? I'll get my US Coast Guard Captains license and start doing this myself."
60 hours of intense coursework & a number of rigorous tests later, Afzelius found himself a US Coast Guard certified Captain, with the ability to take up to 6 passengers commercially; and with his high end wake boat, Oyster Bay Water Sports was now a reality.
Passengers don't need to bring their own water paraphernalia; Roland and his crew provide a wide variety of sizes in; water skis, wake boards, surf boards, and life jackets; all that anyone could need. All his customers need to bring along are their swim trunks, towels and a desire to experience something new and exciting this summer season.
Photo Credit: Oyster Bay Water Sports
The company’s vessel itself is a specialized piece of engineering; designed not only to create variable size & shaped waves for wake boarding and wake surfing; But as Afzelius notes, the interior is extremely comfortable and in terms of luxury - no other wake boat come's close; ensuring that passengers will have a blast in the water and then come in and can relax in a fine, opulent environment.
Interestingly enough, Oyster Bay Water Sports is one of the few local businesses that were not adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic; in reality, the company's first season in 2020 was quite successful not despite the virus, but possibly because of it, Afzelius said.
“It was great. We started getting everything going in June” he said. “COVID actually helped a lot because people were looking for things to do in the outdoors during the summer, and what we do is pretty socially-distant already, so it was a perfect fit. It was a really great first season, and this year is shaping up to be even better."
Oyster Bay Water Sports’ second season officially started earlier this year; they first opened their doors for business on May 20th, and are slated to continue throughout August 25th.
And for anyone who's always wanted to try a water sport but perhaps felt that it was beyond their abilities, Afzelius makes a note of saying that practically anyone of any physical ability can have fun on an Oyster Bay Water Sports outing.
Photo Credit: Oyster Bay Water Sports
“We've created ways to help people get up on boards, skis & to have safe fun tubing, regardless of athletic ability or prior experience,” he said. “We have unique ways of helping our customers to practice before even getting in the water, so by the time we set out on the boat, they'll always be able to have a great time.”
During the off-season, Afzelius is a junior at Boston College, where he's majoring in computer science; and one day hopes to start his second business venture. But during every summer break, he said, it's always back to the water for him, saying “I always want to continue it, because it's something I truly Iove and a lot of fun.”
But in the end, Afzelius said, it's a spectacular feeling to have taken something that he's had a passion for a great number of years – getting out there and turning it into a successful business.
“It's unbelievable. I'm out in the sun every day, and I'm teaching people how to do a lot of really great, fun things,” he said. “Just showing up to the boat every morning, and getting it ready and taking people out...it's just a dream job.”
Lastly, I have to think…when your children's teacher asks them in September, what was the most memorable & fun thing they did this summer, odds are pretty good they might respond, "Surfing the endless wave" with OBWS.
OBWS - truly helping to make memories for a lifetime!!
To find out more about Oyster Bay Water Sports and to schedule an outing, you can call 516-413-1930, email info@oysterbaywatersports.com, or visit oysterbaywatersports.com.