This Classically-Trained Chef is on a Jet Ski Side Quest
By Gaby Keiderling
Nick Roldan has never strayed far from the ocean. Born and raised in Miami, he practically grew up in the water. Yet despite his love of the waves, Roldan began his career as a classically trained chef. Eventually, he traded in the kitchen for a career in sales and has spent the last 20 years working with chefs and restaurateurs improving their business models and most recently joined a major food manufacturing company as a sales consultant. But Roldan’s real passion? Personal watercraft adventures, specifically riding his WaveRunner in the Florida Keys.
Whether he’s exploring hidden sandbars, weaving through the mangroves, searching for the ultimate sunrise or sunset, going 150-200 mile long rides, or chasing adventures in the Caribbean with my family, Roldan lives out pirate-inspired love for the sea every single day. We spoke to the jet ski aficionado to hear about his life—both on and off the water.
The Wake Edit: When did you begin jet skiing and what drew you to it?
NICK ROLDAN: I started jet skiing at a young age, I grew up around the waters in Miami so jet skis were always available to ride. My passion took over right around the time of the pandemic. I found myself wanting to be out on the water—away from the world to find beauty during a scary time. At that time, I had parked my boat. I was starting to feel burnt out from the process of the amount of pre-trip prep, the stress of the boat ramps, concerns of “Will there be a breakdown today?” and the cleaning process, which would take up almost an entire day once I went out. I found the process to be more stressful than enjoyable. So I made the decision to buy a jet ski. From there I discovered a sense of freedom, peace, and liberation I hadn’t felt before on the water. It wasn’t until about 2 years ago that I made a decision to start sharing my adventures in a public setting and that’s when @Sofla.Nick was started.
Today my passion is just as much if not more than when I bought my WaveRunner. Every time I’m on the water it’s just me, the moment, and the ride. All the stress of the world seems to fade away once I jump on my jet ski.
TWE: Where is your favorite place to ride?
NR: It’s hard to pin down one specific spot. I have done a lot of traveling with my WaveRunner—if there is water near where I’m going, the Ski is coming! But with all that said, I find myself always wanting to explore more of the Florida Keys. There is so much to see and do. There are spots where you find those crystal clear waters and also get those deep blue colors from the ocean only found in the Caribbean; you have endless reefs to explore, mangroves that feel like they go on forever, unlimited sandbars, and the amount of the historical spots that can only be seen from the water or air, top all that with the vibes and parties you only find at the Islamorada sandbar has to put the Florida Keys at the very top of my list!
TWE: What do you do when you aren’t on a jet ski?
NR: Usually I’m spending time with my wife and daughters. We are outdoor people so if we aren’t on the ocean, we are hanging out pool side, long boarding, going to renaissance festivals or comic book conventions, going to Walt Disney World or Universal Studios, Traveling to a Caribbean destination. I also DJ so I put some of my time into that passion (still trying to figure out how to incorporate it into my jet ski adventures).
TWE: What is your favorite model?
NR: This is a tough question to answer, because I ride 2 different models. I ride a VX limited HO as well as an FX Cruiser SVHO. Both are amazing machines. But hands down the VX limited HO has been an amazing WaveRunner and has traveled a lot with me. It’s all around a great ski, whether you’re riding rivers, lakes, or ocean—its maneuverability is second to none. The 1.8L high output naturally aspirated engine is bulletproof. Top that with the longer fuel range due to less consumption makes it a great ski for long distance riding. It’s great for riding with a family as it is a three seater and the weight distribution of the ski itself makes it very maneuverable with three people onboard. This ski and I have been through many rides both short and long, and it has always gotten me back to shore without any issues.
TWE: What is your favorite part about jet skiing?
NR: The peace, freedom, and thrill of the ride. I consider myself a long distance rider as I mentioned before. Typically my rides are anywhere from 150-200 miles, I start early and end late. When I’m on those rides the noise of the world seems to fade away. In those moments while I’m riding my mind completely clears. It’s as if the world stops and all I can think about is the sound of my ski, the crashing of the waves, the wake left behind, and what is ahead in the water. There’s no experience like it. I think many people think of jet skiing as something you do when you go on vacation and never really get to experience the freedom and liberation of riding a WaveRunner to different destinations and not on a time restraint or tour. There are so many places to explore on the water and many of them are only accessible by jet ski.
Follow Nick Roldan’s jet ski adventures on his Instagram: @Sofla.Nick
