story by

 

Liesel Schmidt

  |  

photos provided by 

Jen Deeb/Brand U Solutions

T

IME

 

TO

 G

ET

 W

ET

!

W

ater activities can be an expensive hobby to 

pursue, which often puts them out of the realm 

of possibility for many people. Add to that the 

cost of buying and maintaining the equipment, 

the hassle of storing it, and lugging it from Point A to Point B, 

and you have the perfect formula for sinking those dreams of 

becoming an avid water-sports enthusiast faster than a defl ated 

dingy weighted down with a rock. 

For people like couples Ray Proffi tt and his girlfriend Elena 

Bochkareva and husband-and-wife team Jake and Steph 

Maurer, however, those obstacles were an inspiration. And 

combined with their own passions for all things water related, 

simple inspiration gave rise to a business concept centered 

on offering every type of water activity to those who might 

otherwise never experience the thrill for themselves. 

Splashing onto the scene in the summer of 2017, Wet, Inc., 

has begun carving out a niche for itself and its unique offerings, 

providing a combination of beachside services as well as 

equipment rentals for paddle boarding, surfi ng, and kayaks; 

guided tours of the area’s best waters; high performance and 

casual apparel; and premium outdoor accessories. “In opening 

Wet, our main goal was to give locals and visitors alike the 

opportunity to experience a side of Destin that they may not 

usually get to see without breaking the bank,” says Jake, whose 

own love of water activities began at a very early age when 

his family came to Holiday Isle on vacations from St. Louis. 

“Whether that’s paddling in the Harbor, heading out to Crab 

Island, or looking for dolphins in the Gulf off the beach, it’s 

such a unique experience; and I love providing people with 

access to that.”

And Wet is nothing if not a point of access, as their list of 

services includes everything from free delivery of rented boards 

and kayaks to the Eco Glow Paddle Board tours for which they 

have become known. “Wet is more than a company—it’s a 

lifestyle. We care about our customers and hope that they come 

back to us every time they’re here,” says Profi tt, an avid paddle 

boarder who fell in love with Destin after moving to the area as 

a military contractor in 2015. “I’ve always been interested in 

water activities, and my home in Knoxville, Tennessee, was on 

the river where I fi shed, paddle boarded, and swam. I’ve lived 

near the water my 

entire life because I 

love it so much,” he 

goes on. “Personally 

speaking, water 

sports like paddle 

boarding have 

provided me with 

a means to stay 

active even after 

suffering multiple 

spinal injuries 

from competitive 

ADVENTURE

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