Ocean Watersports (405 S. Ocean Blvd., 843/445-7777, www.parasailmyrtlebeach.com) takes groups up to six on well-supervised, well-equipped parasailing adventures ($50 per person), with tandem and triple flights available. Observers can go out on the boat for $20. They rent Jet Skis as well and offer “banana boat” rides ($15) in which a long—yes, banana-shaped—raft, on which several people straddle, is towed by a boat up and down the beach.

Downwind Watersports (2915 S. Ocean Blvd., 843/448-7245, www.downwindsailsmyrtlebeach.com) offers a similar menu of offerings, with the addition of good old-fashioned sailboat lessons and rentals ($16). Parasailing is about $65 per person single ride, banana boats $16 for 20 minutes, and Jet Ski rentals about $100 an hour.

Farther up the Strand in North Myrtle, between Cherry Grove Beach and Little River, you’ll find Thomas Outdoors Watersports (2200 Little River Neck Rd., 843/280-2448, www.mbjetski.com), which rents kayaks in addition to Jet Skis and pontoon boats. They offer several Jet Ski tours—including a dolphin-watch trip—from $75–125, and an all-day kayak rental is $45 per person.