Water Sports are one of those activities that give people a thrilling experience for a good adrenaline rush. Activities that are done in water have several perks that land-based sports cannot give. Water Sports allow people to master the forces of waves and the rushing rapids of rivers thus giving them a lot of excitement and joy.
Engaging yourself in water sports will give you a new amazing experience. Today, I will present you with the most thrilling water sports that you need to try.
Individual or Team Water Sports?
There are two types of water sports – individual and team-based. Team water sports are good if you are looking to spend time with your friends. On the other hand, you should go for individual water sports if you are looking to challenge your skills.
Between the two, I prefer individual water sports. Costs for enjoying good individual water sports are very cheap. Aside from this, you may engage in doing them whenever you like.
But if you prefer team water sports, then you shouldn’t hold back. Team water sports help you and your friends build a more solid relationship. Aside from this, you will get to enjoy fun trips with them.
That said, let us proceed and take a look at the individual and team water sports that you might love.
Unbelievably Awesome Types of Water Sports one should Try!
Surfing
Surfing is a very popular individual watersport. Each country, whether developed or developing, have their own surfing resorts where tourists visit every year. It’s estimated that there are about 35 million surfers worldwide and this figure might increase as more people are getting engaged in surfing.
To get started with surfing, you need a surfboard and a good instructor. The cheapest pro surfboard sits at $380 dollars and a surfing lesson may cost $23. Aside from a good surfboard, you don’t need other equipment. Therefore, you don’t have to spend money on a lot of things.
Learning how to surf properly might take 1 to 3 years of diligent practice.
Whitewater Kayaking
Some make the critical mistake that whitewater kayaking and conventional kayaking are the same. In reality, these two are very different. Normal kayaking is pretty laid back as a paddler only breezes along streams and lakes without problems. On the other hand, whitewater kayaking is done on rapid rivers where a rider might get tossed, slammed to rocks, or carried by the current.
An estimated 25 million people are engaging in whitewater kayaking in the U.S. This is not surprising since the U.S has lots of ideal locations for whitewater kayaking such as the Colorado River, Rogue River, Arkansas River, etc.
Whitewater kayaks have prices between $400- $1000 dollars. However, this price range is not very steep considering that whitewater kayaks come with free paddles and other essentials. Helmets are sold separately but it’s possible to find whitewater kayaks that offer this for free.
Wake Boarding
If you are feeling intimidated by the waves of the sea, then you might engage in wakeboarding instead of surfing. Wakeboarding is done on calm seas and lakes. To move, you hold on to a cord pulled by a motor or a jetski. You may even do several maneuvers that are strikingly similar to skateboarding. Wakeboarding is not very difficult to learn because much of it only requires balance and control.
A beginner’s wakeboard may be purchased at $200 or more. Professional wakeboards, complete with features that help with control and easier use, are sold at $800 dollars or higher. On the other hand, a wakeboard session might cost between $15 – $30 per hour.
Water Skiing
Water skiing is a bit similar to wakeboarding in that locomotion is done through holding a cord pulled by a motor or powerboat. It is also done in lakes and calm seas. Compared to wakeboarding, water skiing is slightly difficult to master since it demands you to coordinate your feet aside from maintaining balance and control.
About 11 million individuals waterski. Water ski participants are ages between 11 to 45 years old.
A pair of water ski may cost between $300 – $900. There are cheaper choices but I doubt that they can be used for a long time. Other accessories needed are helmet, life vest, and a pair of armbands.
Skim Boarding
Skimboarding is another good alternative to surfing. In skimboarding, a person rides the smaller waves of beaches near the shore. Skimboarding is safer than surfing in a lot of ways. If you are not ready for surfing yet, you may try to skim boarding because some of its basic techniques may be applied to surfing.
This watersport is significantly popular in Europe where most of the participants hail from Poland. Still, there are amateur skimboarding competitions done in the U.S to raise its popularity.
The price of skimboards might vary depending on the type of material used. Wooden skimboards are sold at $50-$100. On the other hand, foam skimboards are sold at $150-$300. More expensive ones are sold but there’s no need to buy them if you are still learning the basics.
Boogie Boarding or Body Boarding
This is another watersport that closely resembles surfing. In bodyboarding, you will ride intimidating waves by lying flat on the surface of a bodyboard. For this purpose. most bodyboards are usually large both in length and in width. In bodyboarding, you maintain your control and stability through coordinating your hands and body.
As a watersport, people are starting to warm up to bodyboarding. There are those who call it the “sport for people who can’t surf”. However, there are now bodyboarding competitions held annually in the U.S that are making people respect bodyboarding as an individual watersport.
Bodyboards for beginners cost at $120 – $200. Professional-grade bodyboards cost at $250 to $450
Cliff Diving
Cliff diving is the waterport for people who are not afraid of heights. In cliff diving, a person jumps from a cliff and performs several diving routines while heading straight towards the water. Usually, the height of the cliff where a person jumps from is about 85 meters or more. This is pretty similar to jumping off a building with 8 floors.
Cliff diving is popular even though it is dangerous. In 2019, Red Bull sponsored a cliff diving championship where cliff divers from different countries joined.
There is no equipment needed for cliff diving. Money is mainly used for getting to ideal spots for a cliff dive. Usually, such spots are waterfalls and high cliffs facing the sea.
Kite Surfing
In kite surfing, a person rides a miniature surfboard or wakeboard while holding on to a cord pulled by a kite. This watersport doesn’t only require balance and control but also intense focus. While kite surfing, a person has to be attentive for the kite to catch the wind and keep him moving. With the right technique, a kite surfer may ride at fast speeds.
Aside from a surfboard or wakeboard, you will need a kite for kiteboarding. A kiteboarding kite costs at $2100 dollars and the cord and the handle may range from $250-$600.
Water Polo
Water polo is one of those popular water sports that will get participants swimming like crazy. This watersport is a very old Olympic event and has continued to be popular ever since. Two teams consisting of 7 players compete with one another in this game. Engaging on this waterport will teach participants to be agile, coordinate with others, and follow different strategies.
White Water Rafting
In white water rafting, 8 people work together to keep their boat balanced as it braves the merciless rapids of a river. Teamwork is important since a slight communication might cause the boat to lose direction and slam on rocks or tip over. The best part of white water rafting is when someone gets tossed off the boat. The remaining riders have to do everything they can to haul the person back while keeping the boat steady.
Rowing
Rowing is just another form of boat racing. However, in this watersport, the boat is not powered by a motor but moves forward through rowing. This is why it is the ideal watersport for toning the arms and shoulders. At least 6 or 9 people may engage in this watersport depending on the size of the boat. Aside from toning the arms, rowing will develop a person’s sense of rhythm.
Dragonboat Racing
Dragon boat racing is one of those popular water sports that is very fun to watch. This is similar to rowing in many aspects except that it requires more people and the boat is big and looks very stylish. 20 people participate in dragon boat racing.18 of these people row in unison with the beat that the drummer gives. Lastly, one is tasked with controlling the direction of the boat.
Synchronized Diving
In synchronized diving 2 persons or more dive at the same time while performing diving maneuvers in unison. Persons taking part in synchronized diving don’t only master diving skills but also skills related to gymnastics. People engaging in this watersport look very graceful and awesome while doing their dives. Aside from this, most have perfectly shaped bodies as a result of their rigid training practices.
Sailing
Sailing is an Olympic water sport that looks very intense. In sailing, boats are manned by 8 people or more while doing their best to keep them running on fast speeds only through the use of sails. This sport may look simple, but catching the wind is no easy task as it requires an excellent spacial awareness and arm strength. It gets even harder when the wind and waves becomes unusually strong.
Synchronized Swimming
In synchronized swimming, a team consisting of four to 1o people swim on a pool and dances while staying afloat. This watersport is very complex as it combines movements in professional swimming, dancing, and gymnastics. People who engage in synchronized swimming are trained on how to stay afloat without moving too much in order to execute various artistic choreographies. Commonly, such choreographies are executed in unison with music that makes synchronized swimming more complex.
Conclusion
The popular water sports that I mentioned here will surely give you a new definition of fun. Personally, I recommend that you try individual water sports because they’re easier compared to team water sports. Still, if you are looking for more challenging stuff, engaging to team water sports will not be bad.