#LiveSWFL: Hold on tight, Pure Florida jet boat is a speedy, scenic ride

You may travel through Naples Bay on a jet ski, fishing boat or yacht. But what about a jet boat? 

If you haven't, look no further than Pure Florida.

Owned and operated by father-son team Lance and Harry Julian, the tourism company, with locations in Naples and Fort Myers, offers sightseeing, river and sunset cruises, jet ski and boat rentals and fishing trips and charters.

Including rides on a bright red 24-passenger jet boat, which jumps, spins and glides with speeds up to 35 miles per hour through Naples' waterways.  

Docked at Tin City in downtown Naples, the jet boat sets off every day of the week for hour-long voyages through Naples and Dollar bays to the northern edge of the Ten Thousand Islands in the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. 

On a recent sunny Thursday afternoon, curiosity led me to Tin City where I was joined by nearly 20 tourists and locals looking to get soaked.

As we slid into the watercraft's rows of bench-style seats, salt water stains on the floors foreshadowed what was to come. 

Oh boy, I thought. 

I instantly regretted straightening my hair in the morning.

Jet Boat Eco Thrill Tour Attraction in Naples, Florida | Pure Naples

As we fastened our life vests, our captain and tour guide Joe Popka assured us no one has gone overboard in the five years he's driven the jet boat. 

"Please don't be the first. Sounds like a really bad day if you do," he jokingly warned passengers before climbing aboard and starting up the boat.   

"This isn't a cocktail cruise. We're going to go fast, hit bumps and spin around in circles and get wet," Popka said. 

But he assured us he has plenty of experience maneuvering through the waterways, which made me breathe a sigh of relief. 

Popka, a retired marine patrol officer, has spent the last seven years working as a tour boat captain.

If you're wondering what a jet boat is, Popka described it as a "big jet ski." 

"The bottom kind of looks like an old cast-iron bathtub, and it's got two jet drives that are like fire pumps or fire nozzles," he said. 

"There's no rudder or propeller in the water. It picks water up through a shoot and pressurizes it and shoots it out a nozzle in the back. And those nozzles turn from side to side with the steering wheel and that's how we steer." 

With that, we started our voyage with a leisurely tour of the commercial part of Naples Bay past million-dollar yachts and waterfront homes. 

What ensued was a nearly hour-long (safe) joy ride. 

We started picking up speed as we traveled from Naples to Dollar bay passing by other boaters probably wondering what we were doing. 

Once we were in the clear, Popka raised his hand and formed a fist signaling us to hold on tight. And then he moved his fist in a circle-like motion, meaning he was getting ready to do a 360-degree turn. He went over the hand signals at the dock. 

I closed my eyes and felt the boat spin in a circle as water sprayed on passengers. Everyone roared with laughter. 

I put on my brave face and opened my eyes for the rest of the exhilirating seven or eight turns that followed.

Warning: If you suffer from motion sickness, you might want to rethink boarding a jet boat.  

There were several moments in the journey in which Popka slowed down or stopped the boat to explain the wildlife we were seeing.

We passed by mangroves and saw ospreys in nests, an eagle on a faraway tree branch and several friendly Atlantic bottlenose dolphins playing with one another. 

By far, the friendly mammals were the most popular attraction, causing nearly every passenger to jump to their feet to take photos or video of the close encounter on their cell phones. 

Whether you're a nature lover, photographer, adrenaline junkie, or all of the above, the jet boat is a great option to see Naples in all its glory.

Jet Boat Naples

What: A 24-passenger jet boat, which reaches speeds of 35 miles per hour while making 360-degree turns

When: Noon and 1:30 p.m., daily. 10:30 a.m., 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m, subject to availability.

Where: Tin City (1200 5th Ave. S.)

Cost: $45 per adult. $22.50 per child, ages 4-12. $115 for a family pass (two kids and two adults).  

Info: Call 239-263-4949 or visit www.purenaples.com/jet-boat/fun-thrills/the-experience/