About IWC Parasail
IWC Parasail is Catalina Island's dedicated parasailing operator, launching flights directly from Avalon Harbor that lift guests up to 800 feet above the water for sweeping aerial views of the island, the harbour, and the open Pacific. The experience requires no prior training — passengers are harnessed to a parachute, lifted from the back of a custom parasail boat, and gently set back down on the deck at the end of the ride, all without getting wet unless they want a quick ocean dip on descent.
Flights are available in single, tandem, and triple configurations, making it easy for couples or small groups to fly together. Early-bird departures between 8:30 and 11:00 a.m. offer discounted rates and calmer morning winds, while afternoon and sunset flights deliver the most dramatic lighting over the island's rugged hillsides and the glittering harbour below. Each flight lasts approximately ten to twelve minutes in the air, with the full boat trip running about forty-five minutes including the ride out, ascent, and return.
What makes IWC Parasail a must-do on Catalina is the perspective. From 800 feet you can see the entire town of Avalon laid out below, the bison-dotted hills of the interior, and on clear days the mainland coastline stretching from Long Beach to Newport. The crew prioritises safety with modern equipment and a smooth, winch-based launch system that eliminates the running beach takeoffs of older parasail operations. For visitors who've already snorkelled, biked, and kayaked their way through Avalon, this is the ultimate way to cap off a Catalina day trip.
