Photo credit: Lloyd

Speed Boats on the San Diego Bay – a great way to spend a day! The Patriot Jet Boat is part of the Flagship San Diego fleet and provides a unique and exhilarating way to experience San Diego Bay. If you are a follower of this blog, you may recall that at the beginning of last summer I posted about my “Summer Bucket List”. One of the activities I wanted to try was a ride on the Patriot Jet Boat. It took nearly a year, but we finally took a thrilling ride on Memorial Day in late May 2016.

What can you expect on a Patriot Jet Boat excursion?

“Get ready for speed, screams, and splashes!

That’s right, you will get wet during this

turbo-charged thrill ride across San Diego Bay.”

Patriot Jet Boat is an E-Ticket Ride, San Diego Style! Lars the Gnomad had a fun time and yes, we got wet! Photo credits: Krista & Lloyd, Patriot Boat Crew, and Flagship San Diego website.

Highlights of the Patriot Jet Boat ride include:

• 30 minute high-speed tour on an open-air jet boat
  • Two 1,400 HP engines
  • Speeds up to 50 mph!
• Spins, tricks, and turns performed by Flagship’s skilled captain
  • Stops on a dime
  • 360 degree turns!
• Spectacular views of San Diego and unique photo opportunities
• Runs daily in the summer (Memorial Day – Labor Day) and weekends year round.

Photo credits: Krista

We purchased our tickets around noontime for the 4:00 p.m. ride on Memorial Day. Advance tickets are also available online. Adult tickets are $27.00 each and Child (ages 4 – 12) tickets are $22.00 each. Discounted tickets may be available for military. Also, groups of 20 or more should ask about group rates. The queue meets 15 minutes before departure on the dock in front of the Flagship Cruises & Events ticket window. The address is 990 N Harbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92101 – along the Embarcadero between Broadway Pier and the USS Midway. Passengers on the Patriot must be at least 4 years old and 40” tall to ride. The “Before You Depart” section at the bottom of the website states: “Only guests in good health should ride the Patriot.”

Krista on “Candid Camera” during the jet boat ride | Photo credits: Lloyd

Before boarding the 70-foot, 139-passenger Patriot boat, a Flagship crewmember snapped a keepsake photo on the dock. We decided to sit near the front of the boat and settled in for a fun ride. The crew offered ponchos and a small closet was available for stowing purses and bags you wanted to keep dry. We had dressed accordingly with water resistant lightweight jackets so we passed on the ponchos. The crew went around and offered to take pictures prior to departing. After the safety overview, we were off for our fun-filled adventure of San Diego Bay.

Photo credits: Lloyd

We first headed north and went toward Point Loma. Next, we turned around and went along the North Island Navy Base. After that, we sped along toward Coronado Bridge and did some 360s. We went under the bridge and did some more fast maneuvers in the water. The last portion of our excursion included showing off for some people on a traditional harbor cruise. As the captain said, “Let’s show them what they’re missing!” We finished our time with cruising at a slower speed past the Kissing Statue and the USS Midway. We had plenty of time to take pictures of the San Diego skyline and key landmarks from a unique perspective. The crew came by again and offered to take pictures and then we pulled into the dock. When we disembarked, the souvenir photos were available for viewing and purchasing.

USS Midway from the San Diego Bay | Photo credit: Krista

The ride on the Patriot boat did not disappoint! We had a fun time seeing the sights, speeding along the water, and experiencing the thrill of the nearly 360-degree turns and sudden stops. True to the advertising, we did get wet (sort-of)! The captain and crew were great and I would recommend a trip on the Patriot boat for anyone wanting an “E-ticket” ride! For more details and pictures about the Patriot boat experience, be sure to check the official Flagship San Diego website.

Have you been on the Patriot Jet Boat? What did you think of your ride?

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”