The 5 Coolest Water Sports Activities To Try This Summer
Summers have seemed quite hot the last few years. Good thing there’s a few ways to stay cool. One of the best is to spend your time out on the water. You’ll catch the breeze and the water will cool you off. This article explores the top 5 ways to stay cool this summer.
1. Wakeboarding
This sport is great for beginners. You’ll learn how to balance yourself before you get into the more intense water sports. As you swivel your weight, you will move left to right. You can even let yourself jump the wake of the speeding boat. This will send you soaring a few feet in the air.
Start with a shorter rope to keep it easier to balance yourself. Use the foot you’d normally kick a ball to put forward. This is known as your best foot. Doing this will keep your balance more easily. Begin the session in a low crunch and stand up as you get more comfortable.
Doing this at 14-19 miles per hour is quite an experience. You’ll feel the wind and water whipping against your skin. If this doesn’t make you smile, what will? You can read our guide about picking the best wakeboards right.
2. Para Sailing
Here’s a memorable way to get a bird’s eye view. You’ll glide behind a boat and lift hundreds of feet in the air. Everything will seem tiny from your perspective. There’s also a nice breeze to help cool you down.
The boat’s forward progress and the wind keep you in the air. Make sure to inspect the sail and harnesses. Para Sailing is fairly safe, but you should always be cautious.
Check the company’s review and reputation. Go with one of the best in the area to prevent accidents. Look for a company with a long track record. They’ll show you the ropes and keep everything enjoyable.
3. Jet Skiing
This is a classic water sport you should try at least once. You can tear through the water at over 50 miles per hour once you have practiced.
Make sure to never turn at too sharp of an angle at high speed. Also, watch out for large waves and bodies of water with lot’s of boating traffic. Keep your distance or you might not have enough time to respond. Wear the “kill cord” around your wrist to prevent a runaway jet ski in case you get knocked off.
Many states require a bating license to operate one. You should be able to find a school that will help you acquire it. A license should cost a few hundred dollars at most.
Once you pass, you’ll be able to go in water that’s too shallow for boats. Jet skis also give the feeling you’re going much faster than you are. The wind whipping over you might make you feel like some kind of ninja on a water motorcycle.
4. Canoeing or Kayaking
It’s recommended to begin in a lake or bay. This will let you get the hang of things. As you progress, you can move on to rivers or even oceans. Make sure to bring maps and compasses and a few days of supplies if you canoe or kayak on the more dangerous places.
This is a fantastic way to exercise and enjoy the peace of silence. You can put your mind at ease for a few hours to come back to civilization feeling refreshed.
Check a map to get a basic feel of the water and its hazards. Its advised to hire a guide or bring an experienced friend to make sure everything goes perfectly. Don’t go near areas with strong currents on your first few times out.
Make sure to not lean your weight. Tipping over is no fun. Some kayaks and canoes tips more easily than others.
5. Stand-Up Paddle Boarding
This is a growing sport and has even been included by the Olympics. It’s like kayaking and surfing combined. A big reason it’s popular is it gives you a full body workout.
You basically stand on a board and use a paddle to move yourself. You may be glad to hear that it’s not as hard as it may sound. After a few splashes, you’ll get the hang of things. The boards are usually quite more buoyant than you’d likely expect.
Some people even bring a picnic with them to enjoy their food out in the middle of the water. Others use their stand-up board for surfing. The larger size usually makes it a little less thrilling to shred a few waves.
Make sure to use a life jacket and a safety whistle. Paddle boards are classified as vessels by the Coast Guard. This will make sure you don’t get tickets or hurt in an accident.
General Safety Tips
These activities may seem dangerous at first. Follow a few common measures to stay safe:
1. Wear A Life Jacket.
This will keep you from drowning in almost all cases. Even great swimmers can get exhausted after a day on the water.
2. Ease Into The Throttle.
Everyone can wait for you to impress them once you get the hang of things. Many accidents happen from someone trying to take a cool selfie or consuming more beverages than they should.
This will help you fall at an angle to avoid belly flops. Tuck your head if you feel yourself falling too.
3. Always Wear Sunscreen.
This might sound very lame. The reality is that spending time on the sun in the middle of the water increases your sun exposure. Water will reflect the sun’s rays on your skin. Too much can lead to skin cancer.
Sunscreen lowers this risk and keeps your skin looking young. Put it on every 20 to 30 minutes and you should be fine.
4. Drink Plenty Of Water
It’s too easy to forget about your body’s needs when you’re having fun. The sun will still cause you to dehydrate. Take a break every hour or so to sip water. Bring a few bottles per person and keep the bottles in a cooler.
You can read a more in depth safety guide here.
Final Thoughts On Summer Water Sports
There are many water activities to help you stay cool in the summer. As long as you keep the basics in mind you will do well. Safety doesn’t have to be a hassle once you cover the basics. Water sports are a cool way to enjoy the summer heat waves.
