You may already be a sucker for sports but have you ever thought of taking your passion to the ocean? If you’re going on holiday to the coast or have recently found a new home by the sea, why not try a water sport? Here are some of the most popular aquatic leisure activities that people choose to take up.
Surfing
A physically demanding sport, most who have tried surfing or its bodyboarding variant will know that it is not for the faint hearted. Most of your time is spent swimming into the waves and not riding them. However, once you’ve mastered surfing there is no greater feeling in the world. This is a great sport for those looking to improve their core and upper body strength.
Scuba Diving
For those with an interest in marine wildlife or simply relish an adventure, scuba diving opens up a whole new world. Those who have practiced snorkelling beforehand will pick it up fast, as the controlling breathing is one of the hardest things to adjust to. You will also need to buy a lot of equipment including a tank, wetsuit and a watersports facemask – making it certainly not a cheap hobby. It does however become less expensive after training and once you have all the right gear you can use it to explore unseen sights all over the world
Windsurfing
A very technical sport, windsurfing is for people with patience. It’s best enjoyed in pretty hostile weather but can be a real adrenaline rush as a result. Like other water sports, the cost of equipment can be pricey. However, there should be no need to shell out on a professional board, if you’re just starting out. All your body will be tested in this sport from arms to legs to core.
Kayaking/Canoeing
This sport can be practiced in rivers and the ocean. It also doesn’t have to be physically exertive – many people go out for a casual paddle with their family and stop and have some lunch somewhere. Many long-term kayakers will try and aim for speed, which is where you will feel the burn. It’s an ideal sport for those wanting to tone up their upper body. The canoe and paddle can be quite an expense, but after these purchases there are few other major costs.
Water Skiing
This potentially dangerous sport isn’t for everyone and requires having someone to drive the boat and a spotter or observer with you. Using many of the same muscles as skiing, this sport is more leg orientated. Due to the nature of it, it is one of more expensive watersports out there as you must pay for the time of the other two people present – the driver and the spotter. Variants include wakeboarding (which uses a board instead of skiis), kneeboarding (in which you are positioned on a board on your knees), tubing (a variant often practiced by kids in which you are pulled along in a large tyre-like circular rubber tube) and barefoot water skiing (water skiing without the skiis!).
