Overview
Water sports are recreational activities available in Grand Theft Auto VI that take advantage of the game's extensive waterways and coastal setting. The state of Leonida features ocean coastline, river systems, lakes, and island chains, providing diverse environments for aquatic recreation. Confirmed water sports include kayaking, a first for the GTA series, and jet skiing. The free-roam activity montage in the Extended Look shows jet skis, kayaking, swimming, scuba diving and boating through the swamp.
Kayaking
Kayaking is a new addition to the Grand Theft Auto series, confirmed through official Rockstar screenshots. Players can pilot kayaks through the rivers of Mount Kalaga National Park, paddling through natural environments that show the game's vegetation, water physics, and wildlife. Unlike motorized watercraft such as jet skis or airboats, kayaks provide a quiet, immersive way to explore Leonida's waterways.
Official screenshots show characters paddling down river channels surrounded by dense vegetation, confirming that kayaking takes place in the more remote, natural areas of the map rather than the urban waterways of Vice City. The activity emphasizes exploration and scenery over speed, fitting the relaxed pace of the national park environment.
Jet Skiing
Jet skiing has been confirmed through both Trailer 1 and Trailer 2. One of the final scenes in Trailer 2 shows Jason and Lucia riding together on a jet ski across open water, with the scene serving as a moment of recreational downtime between the trailer's more intense action sequences.
The Speedophile Seashark is the named jet ski model. The warm coastal waters and extensive island geography of Leonida make jet skis a natural fit for both transportation and recreation. Players can use jet skis to travel between islands in the Leonida Keys, cruise along the Vice City beachfront, or race across open water.
Confirmed Water Sports
Activity | Status | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
Confirmed | Mount Kalaga rivers | New to GTA series; shown in official screenshots and the Extended Look | |
Jet Skiing | Confirmed | Coastal waters, Keys | Jason and Lucia shown riding together in Trailer 2; jet skis also appear in the Extended Look |
Watercraft
Beyond recreational water sports, GTA VI has a range of watercraft visible in trailers and screenshots. Boats, speedboats, and airboats have been spotted in various scenes. The airboat, a flat-bottomed vessel powered by a large rear propeller, is particularly suited to the Grassrivers swamplands and shallow waterways of inland Leonida. These vehicles serve both transportation and potential mission purposes throughout the game.
Setting Advantages
Leonida's geography makes water central to the setting. The state is surrounded by ocean on three sides, contains a major freshwater lake (Lake Leonida), has an extensive swamp system, and includes a chain of islands connected by bridges and waterways. This means water-based activities are not confined to a single area but are distributed across the entire map, giving players reasons to engage with aquatic gameplay throughout the experience.
Kayaking: A First for the Series
Kayaking marks the first time a paddle-powered watercraft has been available in any Grand Theft Auto game. Trailer footage and official screenshots show characters navigating rivers and swamp channels aboard single-seat kayaks, using a paddle to steer through narrow waterways that motorized boats cannot access.
The kayak is ideal for exploring the winding waterways of Grassrivers and the mangrove channels of the Leonida Keys. Its quiet propulsion means it does not startle nearby wildlife, making it useful for approaching animals for observation or photography. Screenshots from Rockstar's official website show a character paddling through Mount Kalaga National Park's river system, surrounded by pine forests and rocky banks. The Ultimate Edition includes a Crest Kayak kept at Jason's safehouse; how kayaks are otherwise obtained has not been detailed.
Jet Skis on the Water
Jet skis appear in GTA VI for more than simple transportation. Two jet ski models have been identified in trailer footage: the Speedophile Seashark and a new unidentified model inspired by the Sea-Doo RXT-X 300, a high-performance personal watercraft. The new model seats two riders and appears capable of higher top speeds than the Seashark.
Trailer footage shows several jet skiers riding in the water off Vice Beach. Rockstar has not announced jet ski races.
Airboat Adventures
Airboats are confirmed as a primary means of traversing the Grassrivers wetlands and other shallow-water zones across Leonida. These flat-bottomed, fan-propelled vessels are a staple of real-world Florida Everglades tourism, and their inclusion adds an authentic regional flavor to the game's water activities.
Trailer footage shows airboats cruising through flooded grasslands as flamingos scatter overhead. In Trailer 2, Jason is shown piloting a helicopter in pursuit of an airboat through Grassrivers, confirming that airboats play a role in story missions as well as free-roam exploration. Airboat rides may also be available as a tourist activity, similar to real Everglades fan-boat tours.
Underwater Exploration and Scuba Diving
Scuba diving appears in GTA VI, both in official screenshots and in the Extended Look's activity montage. An official screenshot from the GTA VI website shows a scuba diver exploring the waters off the Leonida Keys, surrounded by eels, sea turtles, coral formations, and tropical fish. A dedicated dive boat has been identified in Trailer 1, featuring a rear diving platform designed for deploying divers. See Scuba Diving for more.
Rockstar has not described underwater mechanics beyond the scuba diving shown in official screenshots and the Extended Look.
For more on swimming and diving mechanics, see that article. Information about available boats and watercraft can be found on the vehicle pages.
Trivia
Kayaking is the first non-motorized watercraft activity in a GTA mainline game, signaling a shift toward quieter, exploration-focused recreational options.
The jet ski scene in Trailer 2 has become one of the most iconic images from the trailer, frequently used in fan discussions about the game's lighter, more relaxed moments.
The rivers of Mount Kalaga, where kayaking takes place, run through one of Leonida's most visually striking natural areas. This shows the game's vegetation rendering technology.