Boating Life
Water is available in the Pacific and Inland Northwest in abundance. It’s a matter of minutes away, sometimes a matter of steps to the water’s edge. So with summer coming in hot, it’s time to brush up on some water sports – practice up and suit up to maximize the fun factor for summer.
There’s water sports available for every skill level, from those who prefer to relax on a floatie at the beach to those who take it to the extreme – surfing, diving and flying above the water’s surface. Adrenaline junkies beware, the next few pages might spark a new love for the water.
Wakesurfing
Do you dream of giant tubes surfing the North Shore? Grab a taste of reality and adapt, because wakesurfing is here! Grab your boat, or your buddy’s boat, your surfboard, and a rash guard and get going! Once you’re out there, get your momentum trailing behind the boat holding onto a ski rope. When you’re feeling it, let go and ride that man-made wave out.
Wakesurfers take it to the next level, creating new tricks and trying to do one better than the next guy. Fun fact: Canadian musician Chris Hau recorded a video in 2013 in which he played a song on a guitar while wakesurfing. Try to top that!
Flyboarding
The wave of the future is here. Why ride in the water when you can ride over it? Create your own breeze on a hot summer day by strapping on some jet packs and coasting above the water’s surface. Helmets and floatation devices are a must if you’re renting your gear, but the flyboard itself is buoyant, so feel free to take a breather in the water if your legs can’t handle the pressure. Also, you’re connected to a watercraft via a large hose that forces water into the boots and down through the jets, giving the rider the ability to fly up to 49 feet in the air or dive up to eight feet underwater.
Paddleboarding
Who doesn’t want a casual day of fun on the water with friends? Paddleboarding is a great low-impact exercise when you propel yourself through the water using a paddle, standing or sitting on a paddleboard. Paddleboarding was originally performed in the open ocean, with the participant paddling unbroken swells to cross between islands. These days, and in our Northwest region, it’s all fun and games. Paddleboards can be surprisingly affordable to own, and most rentals are even more affordable for a day’s use, making it the perfect water intro sport for newcomers to the area. Bonus points: Paddling standing up puts tension on stabilizer muscles, building strength, stability and increasing your center of balance.
Air Chair
Air chair, also known as hydrofoiling, is basically sit down waterskiing. With the motto “Be safe, have fun, go BIG”, air chair is gaining a name for itself. Your balance skills have to be onpoint in this sport, as it takes some strength and balance to maneuver over the wakes your boat will throw back at you. Once you’re up, you’ll start to rise out of the water and onto the lower blades of the air chair, and you’ll be able to feel the wind rushing underneath you. If you don’t look down, it will feel like you’re miles above the water, minus the spray from the waves. We won’t talk about the spray.
Diving
Diving conjures up such an elegant picture. While we don’t have the tropical coral reefs that we typically associate with when we think of diving, the Pacific and Inland Northwest is home to varied water life that can be seen best when fully submerged. Diving requires some lessons, as there is a lot of gear involved. Our inland lakes, such as Lake Pend Oreille, have a depth to them that is best explored from below, as you can dive further than the light can reach. Further to the west, the ocean salt water teems with life, from the mundane to more unusual special of swimmers.
Tubing
Tubing is a sport the whole family can enjoy. Grab your life vest, your tube, your proteges, and again, your buddy’s boat if you don’t have one, and head on out to the water. If you trust your friend driving, you can build up speed and get a little adrenaline rush. If you have a little guy on the tube with you, they might prefer a more relaxing turn around the water with you. Either way, you’re outdoors, enjoying the sunshine and maximizing your Northwest experience. Ever played the “corner” game? When tubing, you want to lean to the inside edge when you turn or your tube will dip down and buck you off.
Barefoot skiing
Tough as nails. That’s what your feet will be if you have a love for barefoot waterskiing. Who needs boards? Free the feet! It’s a lot of fun to watch someone waterskiing, only to realize that they do not have waterskis! The water seems to spray a little more without the extra skis attached to your feet, but if you can hang on for that eight second ride, we’ll tip our hats to you. Just one more way to enjoy your day on the water. Try to jump a wake barefoot and tell us how it turns out!
