5 Best Unique Water Sports to Get Started In

Tired of bobbing around in your swimming pool all summer long? Is your beat-up boat getting you down? Do you wish you were more active instead of just sitting by the ocean, sipping a martini?

Extreme watersports may be for you – something that could quench your thirst for adventure that you’ve been hiding. Which ones are worth trying?

 

Barefoot Skiing

Barefoot skiing
Source: Wikimedia Commons

You might have thought about waterskiing from time to time, but that’s child’s play. Why not ditch the skis and just go barefoot? Yes, this is really a thing!

Barefoot skiing is exactly the same as regular waterskiing, sans skis. It doesn’t take long to get up and running, too. Beginners use a boom, not a rope, to steady themselves when first hopping in the water. Skiers start off by being pulled on their stomachs. They quickly flip their body up so they’re riding on their rear end. Then, they transfer weight to their hips to get themselves on their feet.

Before you know it, you could be flying down the water on one foot, no feet or even your hands.

 

Skimboarding

Imagine surfing, but along the coastline – where people can actually see you so you can show off your skimboarding prowess. Skimboarding is an easy sport to get into, because all you need is a board – and you can get one for cheap.

A skimboard is made to coast along the surface of shallow, outgoing waves. A rider throws the board down, skims into a wave and rides the wave like a surfboard.

When you get good enough, it’s possible to do tricks on skimboards. It looks cool, it feels amazing and if you bail, you’ll land on a refreshing burst of water.

 

Wakeskating

Wakeskating
Image source: Wikimedia Commons

Instead of sitting inside all day playing Tony Hawk video games, why don’t you join one of the fastest-growing watersports out there – wakeskating?

It’s all the fun of wakeboarding – which is where you stand on a board and get towed around by a boat – without the binding straps that keep your feet in place.

This means that you can do flips and shuvit tricks, just like on a regular skateboard. Also, you don’t take the whole board with you when you fall, which can be painful. You might want to start wakeboarding first, but if you have some experience with skateboarding, here’s your new thrill.

 

Whitewater Rafting

There’s a lot of teamwork in whitewater rafting. Participants guide an inflatable raft through a body of rough water, usually rivers. Everyone involved must keep the raft afloat and moving, which is why it’s considered a high-risk sport.

Whitewater experiences can range in difficulty from 1-6. Level 1 involves few rough areas, and 6 is considered dangerous and nearly unnavigable.

Whether you want a near-death experience or just a fun ride, the choice is up to you!

 

Windsurfing

Windsurfing

Why sit on a sailboat when you can surf on one? Windsurfing combines the best of both worlds.

The mast of the sail is connected to a slightly modified surfboard by a joint that rotates. This gives a surfer full control of which direction the sail goes to catch the most wind.

You’ll need to know the basics of sailing and surfing, but these can be picked up fairly quickly. It’s practicing that’s the fun part. As a windsurfer, you can enjoy skimming rapidly across waves, going places where surfers are unable and even participate in slalom courses.

Next time you’re pondering what to do this summer, consider hitting the water for these exciting extreme sports.

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