By Maddy Vitale
Savanna Pregler, 20, of Souderton, Pa., and William Markley, 19, of Silverdale, Pa., carefully navigated the waterway on two gleaming new Kawasaki jet skis that were rented from Bayview Watersports & Marina in Ocean City.
Their smiles said it all.
“This is the second day in a row we went out,” Pregler said. “We are going again tomorrow.”
Markley added, “It gives you a real workout and a major thrill.”
For the couple, who never tried out jet skiing before, they were hooked.
“It is something you have to do in your life,” Pregler added. “We will be back again and again.”
Pregler and Markley are two of the latest customers to fall in love with Bayview Marina. Bayview Marina owners Wally and Maira Middleton explained why the jet ski business has remained a popular attraction since 1987. It continues to offer entertainment, enjoyment and education for watercraft enthusiasts.
The Middletons continue to offer vacationers and residents an awesome experience on the water, one that combines fun with safety, they said.
Their experience of being the first and original Jet Ski-Waverunner rental center on the entire East Coast, along with a highly knowledgeable, skilled and friendly staff, offers the right mix for novices such as Pregler and Markley or for the more advanced jet ski rider.
The Middletons have been married for 25 years and have two daughters, Brielle, 18, and 11-year-old Brooke, both of whom share their parents’ love of the water and skill with sailing.
In addition to jet ski rentals, Bayview Marina provides year-round storage of jet skis, sales and service. They also sell quality clothing, sunglasses and other accessories in their shop.
One of the ways the Middletons continue to attract customers year after year is their fleet of jet skis.
There are 24 new or nearly new jet ski rentals. Each year they replace half their fleet with new jet skis to ensure the highest quality equipment is offered to the customers.
Parasailing, water skiing, tubing, boat tours and kayaks are available on site, too. All of the attractions are offered at competitive pricing, they said.
“We have an experienced staff. The employees give people a guide to using the jet skis,” Wally Middleton said. “It takes about 30 minutes. They are apprised of the boating laws, marine laws and sign papers stating that they did so.”
“First, it is about safety above all else,” Middleton stressed. “We will turn away people for safety concerns.”
But that doesn’t stop the thousands of new customers who flock to Bayview Marina for a new hobby or a dream come true.
“A lot of customers come back every year,” Middleton noted. “Some return a few times over the season. Our return business is very big.”
Maira Middleton said the couple has been in the business of offering customers a wonderful, fun experience on the water.
They do it with a lot of thought and hard work.
“We take pride in the quality of equipment we provide. My favorite part of the business is watching people go out on the water and come back so happy,” Maira Middleton said. “At the end of the day, everyone is happy and safe.”
Knowledgeable staff guides customers through how to operate jet skis and also offer important tips on watercraft safety.
Zach McCloskey, of Egg Harbor Township, has been working for Bayview Marina for four seasons.
“It’s important to be thorough when talking to customers about going on the water. Safety comes first,” McCloskey said.
Wally Middleton said this summer season is already starting off strong.
To meet growing customer demand, Bayview Marina also installs floating jet ski docks as another facet of its business.
Middleton said his team travels as far north as Brigantine and south to Avalon for jet ski dock installation.
“I tell my customers saltwater takes a toll on the docks,” he said. “Nothing lasts forever.”
Something else quite popular now is the resale market for jet skis.
Middleton noted that the marina sells a lot of used jet skis and also does repairs.
When it comes to jet ski repairs, Middleton said there are different factors to repairing watercraft. One important thing is to know what happened to it.
“It really helps to know,” he said. “If you don’t know, we run the simple diagnostics check. Either way, it gets fixed.”
And when it comes to riding jet skis, the season extends far beyond the summer months, Middleton noted.
“Really, you can jet ski six months out of the year,” he said. “Some of the best rides are in the fall.”
Bayview Watersports & Marina is located at 312 Bay Ave. For more information, call 609-399-5100 or visit www.bayviewmarina.com.
