Monica Exantus
Central Bureau Chief
Do you enjoy watersports? Are you looking for a safe and secure place to have fun with your family? If you like sailing, scuba diving, team building, ropes, kayaking, windsurfing, canoeing, stand-up paddleboard and climbing parties, Broward College’s Tigertail Lake Recreational Center is the best place for your next trip to have fun.
“We offer kayaking, paddleboarding, canoeing, windsurfing, sailing and hammock rentals every day of the week, from 9 am to 5 pm. Since installing our inflatable Aqua Challenge course in April, our popularity has skyrocketed. We have a lot of repeat guests that love playing here. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays have always been our most visited days, and they continue to be for walk-in rentals. We also offer teambuilding, the ropes course, birthday parties and classes for scuba, sailing and windsurfing which are planned in advance,” said Laurel Forbus Baez, a former Broward College student currently working at Tigertail.
Tigertail Lake Recreational Center offers day trips, weekend trips, and week-long trips to discover Florida. Tigertail is not only a recreational place, it is also an educational place. They offer classes like PEN2136 and EDE0853 as continuing education or for a 1-credit elective in activities such as scuba, sail and windsurf. If you are looking for an educational trip for your school, Tigertail also helps with planning designed field trips that are perfectly suitable for any grade’s curriculum.
“Before I graduated from Broward College in 2015, I was introduced to Tigertail Lake through the scuba class, EDE0853. After going on the camping, sailing, scuba and biking trips, I was hooked, so I stuck around,” said Forbus Baez.
“With only $20 per person for each session for the general public and $10 for school students and staff with ID, whether you enjoy being in and group or by yourself, you can still have a good time,” said Natalie Justice, manager of Tigertail.
“Watersports rentals and Aqua Challenge sessions are both hourly. While the watersports rentals can be rented any time we’re open, the Aqua Challenge sessions start every hour, at the top of each hour. The first session starts at 10 am, the last session starts at 4:00 pm,” said Forbus Baez.
Broward College students receive a discount and can still have fun for free on some selections. “Watersports rentals are completely free for Broward College students, and the Aqua Challenge is a steal at just $10/person for the hour session,” said Forbus Baez. “A lot of students don’t know that we are here, they don’t realize that they have the opportunity to come here for free or reduced rate. We are trying to spread the word, so they can come out and enjoy with friends,” said Justice.
With lots of activities and an enclosed place, Tigertail is where to take your family, so you can feel at ease to let your little ones play and run without worries. “Come out and have fun,” said Justice. “Even if you are new to kayaking or paddle boarding, we will help get you set up, and everybody has a life jacket on.”
With its well-trained and experienced lifeguards, Tigertail helps keep you and your family safe. “If you are not comfortable in the water, we try to make you comfortable with brief instructions. It is a great place to learn to do these activities especially for young people for the first time. It is easier to learn here, you don’t have to worry about waves and currents. It is different from the ocean,” said Justice.
Whether you are a professional or an amateur, your next trip to have fun, with well trained and experienced people, has never been easier. For more information about Tigertail Lake Recreational Center, call at 954-201-4500 or visit the website www.broward.edu/watersports.
exanm4@mail.broward.edu
Photo info: The aqua challenge is now up and running at Tigertail Lake
Photo Courtesy: Tigertail lake