OC Waterpark Looks to Make a Big Splash This Summer

By Donald Wittkowski Climbing the stairs to the top of the Serpentine Body Slide at OC Waterpark is like going on a mountaineering trip. Up, up, up you go, until you finally find yourself a full eight stories above the Ocean City skyline. Panoramic views of the ocean and beaches unfold for miles and miles from this high up. In the distance, you can see the water tower in Somers Point. Even farther away, you can spot the soaring smokestack at the B.L. England electric plant in Upper Township. “You can see Atlantic City on a clear day,” said Barb Myers, food and beverage manager for OC Waterpark. But the thrill seekers who trek to the top of the Boardwalk’s Mount Everest of waterslides aren’t on a sightseeing excursion. For them, the real fun begins when they slip into the rushing water and begin an exhilarating ride down to the bottom. “We boast that we are among the fastest waterslides in the state,” said Ed Myers, OC Waterpark’s general manager and Barb’s husband. A pirate ship serves as the centerpiece of the child-friendly Lil Buc's Bay. (Photo courtesy OC Waterpark) The sprawling waterpark complex will open Memorial Day weekend for the summer season through early September. Considered one of Ocean City’s most iconic amusement parks, it includes a series of water attractions overlooking the Boardwalk at Plymouth Place between Seventh and Eighth streets. The super-fast Serpentine ride is said to be one of the best body slides on the East Coast and will “keep you coming back for more,” OC Waterpark says in its promotional material. There’s also Tube Journey, a popular tube slide that takes riders through an array of curves before plopping them into a center pond hovering above Lazy River. The ride ends with a plunge down a gang slide into an activity pool. Lazy River allows riders to meander along in a tube, passing through winding turns and waterfalls at a sedate pace. There’s also Splash Down Falls, an exciting ride for daring swimmers that includes a steep body slide plunging into a pool of water. Finally, a child’s fantasy comes to life at Lil Buc’s Bay, a pirate’s cove featuring a shipwreck, a fort, a lighthouse and palm trees that rain. Parents can relax in lounge chairs while their children take a journey with their “shipmates” in a safe, shallow-water environment. Overall, 465,000 gallons of heated, chlorinated water are used to operate the attractions. All of the water is cycled through a huge pumping and filtering system to keep it clean, Ed and Barb Myers said. To ensure the safety of its patrons, OC Waterpark uses 22 or 23 lifeguards per shift to watch over the water rides. All of the lifeguards are certified at the highest level of safety, said Kristen Fitzpatrick, the park’s hospitality director. “Safety and cleanliness, those are some of the things that set us apart,” Fitzpatrick said. Barb Myers, food and beverage manager at OC Waterpark, stands at the top of the eight-story-high Serpentine slide. OC Waterpark also has “dry attractions” that give landlubbers plenty to do. They include miniature golf and a 35-foot-high climbing wall. There’s also an “Air Jumpers” ride that gives you the thrill of soaring 25 feet into the air. Riders bounce off of air mats, allowing them to perform backflips and other airborne stunts while harnessed in for safety. As opening day approaches, OC Waterpark is preparing to introduce a number of new amenities and attractions for this summer. One of them is an all-day pass that includes miniature golf. The park is also adding new cabanas with additional seating and a larger party pavilion capable of hosting birthday parties, wedding receptions, corporate get-togethers and fundraisers. This year, OC Waterpark officials are hoping for a repeat of last summer’s steamy temperatures, the perfect weather for a cool dip on the water slides. “I think we had to close only one half-day last summer. That was unprecedented,” Barb Meyers said. “A hot day with a land breeze, those are the days when we are packed. Hot and humid days, that’s when they really come here.” Painters Bill Krzyk, foreground, and Charles Wright do touch-up work on the miniature golf course to get it ready for the summer crowds.