February 23, 2012

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Water Sports for the Whole Family

Whitewater kayaking, Isére, Bourg-Saint-Maurice

Image via Wikipedia

There are not many things that family members of different generations can do together as a family but enjoying the water and water sports is something that family members of all ages can enjoy. Rather than just planning a family reunion, think of planning a family reunion around the lake or ocean.

There are many water sports that center around the water that the whole family can enjoy. If someone in the family owns a boat or wants to rent a boat for the occasion the elder members of the party can enjoy basking in the sun and watching the younger generations play in the water. Everyone will also enjoy sailing around and seeing the sites.

Other activities that people of all ages can enjoy are fishing trips. Children will enjoy being able to catch a fish while older generations will enjoy teaching the younger how to cast and reel in a fish.

If the members of your family are still active and up for an adventure suggest taking the whole family kayaking or canoeing. Kayaking and canoeing are great ways for the whole family to get involved in something that is both a work out and a whole bunch of fun. Kayaking and canoeing will also allow you to take your family to new and exciting places that boats are not able to go to because smaller vessels can squeeze into caves and float around coves. If you need some refreshing in being active, consider going to http://www.411.ca and hiring a trainer to help you out.

While planning a trip for the whole family can be difficult because of various ages and various athletic ability, if you plan to do something around the water the whole family is likely to have a great time.

Filed Under: Canoeing, Fishing, Swimming, Water Sports Tagged With: , ,

Know How to Stay Safe in the Water This Summer

A young girl taking a break in a swimming pool... 

Image via Wikipedia

Warm weather is here, and that means the water is calling! Pool pro or not, brushing up on water safety guidelines is a smart way for your family to start the summer; chances are good you’ll be spending a lot of it near water. Check out this quick safe swimming refresher course before you and your family dive into water activities.

 

Safe Swimming

 

  • Learn to swim. Even basic swimming skills can provide a measure of safety.
  • Inexperienced swimmers and children should use an approved flotation device.
  • Never allow a child near a pool alone. Keep your eyes on your swimming child at all times.
  • Choose pools or beaches monitored by a lifeguard, and obey safety signs and posted rules.
  • Know the condition of the water you’re swimming in and its environment, especially lakes, ponds, and oceans. Know depth, wave conditions, and potential hazards before you swim.
  • Establish family rules of water safety which should be followed even at a friend’s house.
  • Don’t swim alone, and make sure you stay within a safe distance of land or friends should you need help.
  • Even experienced swimmers can overdo it; don’t swim if you feel fatigued or ill.

 

Water Safety: More Than Swimming

 

The American Red Cross provides a wealth of excellent water safety guidelines specific to each water activity you’ll be enjoying this summer. Safe swimming guidelines will provide basic protection for most water activities, but it’s important you know the rules and guidelines for other water recreation. Days on the beach? Afternoons on the boat? Testing out new jet skis? Know how to stay safe while you have fun.

Filed Under: Swimming, Water Sports Tagged With: , ,

Tips for Teaching Your Child to Swim

If you are trying to teach your child to swim you might want to follow a few of these tips for a more enjoyable lesson that just might save their life. Swimming is a major skill that could save a child’s life when there is no adult around to watch them. If you have a pool make sure that it has a fence and a locked gate. This helps detour children from going into the pool alone, but kids do climb and find ways in. This is where lifesaving swimming skills comes in.

If you have a toddler the best way to teach them is with your hand underneath their belly. This gives the child a safe feeling and that they won’t drown. Teach your child with arm floaters at first so they get used to being in the water. The easiest way for a child to swim is the dogpaddle this simple technique can save their life if they fall in a pool without their floaters. Your child can dogpaddle to the side of the pool so they can then use the wall to maneuver to the shallow end and get out.

Help your child learn to swim by going into the shallow end and asking them to come in. When they see that there are other people having fun they can’t help themselves and have to jump in. Stand in the shallow end and when your kid is ready to jump in they will. Do not force your child or they may develop anxiety to water and swimming. When they jump into the pool be there to grab them before they start struggling to keep their head up. Place your hand underneath them and have them start dogpaddling for you. Do little circles first and when they get tired have them dogpaddle to the side of the pool to hand on and catch their breath. This shows them that the edge is the safe zone and if they find themselves alone in the middle of the pool they can always swim to it.

Filed Under: Swimming Tagged With: ,

Learning Swimming Strokes

Swimming can be a great way to relax and have fun, but when you want to swim better what is the best way to learn? What is it called when people swim on their back? Which positions make you swim faster?

First of all there are many types of strokes involved with swimming. The most common are breaststroke, backstroke, butterfly and freestyle. These kinds of strokes are used in competitive swimming. The best way to learn how to do these stokes is to get out in the water and practice.

First, the breaststroke is swum on your stomach. You start by moving your legs in a frog motion while doing the same with your arms. Usually you do not want your arms to pass your shoulders. They should stay out in front of your body.

Next, the backstroke is done much differently. For this stroke your back should be against the water and you should be looking toward the sky. For this stroke you must kick your legs and pull yourself through the water by bringing your arms over your head and dragging them down through the water. Alternating your arms this stoke is one of the easiest.

The butterfly stroke is known to be the hardest stroke of all to learn. It is one of the most exhausting and difficult strokes for any swimmer. This stoke starts with dolphin kicking, which involves kicking simultaneously with both legs to maneuver through the water.
Along with kicking simultaneously your arms should move together as well. They should provide a windmill-like motion.

The last stroke is freestyle, which a lot of people learn when they are young. This one is what most people think of when they think of swimming. You start on your stomach and kick alternatively with both your arms and legs. Freestyle is the easiest stoke to learn.

Filed Under: Swimming, Water Sports Tagged With: , , ,

Maryland Canoeing

There are many places to go canoeing in Maryland. It is a great area for anyone who likes to get out on the water. Paddling through Maryland can be a fun and beautiful experience. Both canoeing and kayaking have become popular sports in Maryland that anyone with an adventurous spirit would enjoy. But where can you canoe?

Canoeing is a leisure activity that is both relaxing and exciting. But finding the perfect area to canoe is an important part in your adventure. In Maryland there are many places that have been known to be wonderful for canoeing and kayaking. There are three different bodies of water to paddle on. You can paddle on a river, a lake or the ocean. Separated into the three bodies of waters, you can find the perfect canoeing area for you.

Ocean:
· Assateague Island
· Assateague National Seashore
· Chincoteaque Bay
· Kent Island
· Prospect Bay (Kent Island)
· Spa Creek / Truxtun Park
· Taylor’s Island WMA
· Tilghman Island

Lakes:
· Blackwater NWR
· Clopper Lake
· Gunpowder Basin
· Piney Run Reservoir
· Rocky Gorge Reservoir
· Sinepuxent Bay
· Thorne Gut Marsh
· Triadelphia Reservoir

Rivers:
· Antietam Creek
· Broad Creek Landing
· Catoctin Creek
· Chesapeake & Ohio Canal
· Cox Creek
· Gunpowder River
· Janes State Park
· Liberty Reservoir
· Martinak State Park
· Mattawoman Creek
· Monocacy River
· Mouth of Susquehanna River
· Octararo Creek
· Patapsco River
· Pocomoke River & Tributaries
· Point Lookout State Park
· Potomac River at mouth of Monocacy River
· Potomac River at Point of Rocks
· Potomac River at Violette’s Lock
· Prettyboy Reservoir
· Seneca River
· Skipton Creek/Mill Creek
· Transquaking River Loop
· Tuckahoe Creek
· Wye Island
· Wye Island Regatta

Filed Under: Swimming, Water Sports Tagged With: , , ,

Synchronized Swimming Gear

What is synchronized swimming and what does is needed to be able to do it? Synchronized swimming is the art of swimming in patterns along with music and other swimmers. To swim in this fun sport, on a professional level, you do need a few things.

First you must be physically fit. To be flexible and have the movement of a dancer is almost an essential in this type of sport. Elegance and flexibility go a long way as those are two main points that judges expect to see when judging swimmers.

The main gear you need is your swimming suit. On a professional level there are regulations to what kind of swimming suit you can use. As a team, the swimming suits much match each of the other swimmers on your team. They must also not be too revealing and are usually custom made.

Each swimmer on the team has gelatin in their hair and painted on makeup. This adds to their costumes and benefits the audience near the pool. The gelatin also helps to keep their hair in place.

The nose clip is one of the most essential parts of a synchronized swimmers gear. It helps prevent water from getting up into the nose canal especially when doing upside down movements in the water. Each swimmer should also have another nose clip on their swimming suit incase the one they are wearing falls off.

The last part of synchronized swimmers equipment is the pool itself. There are rules to how big and wide the pool can and must be. It is required to be a minimum of 30 meters by 20 meters and it must be at least three meters deep. The temperature of the water is also in question as it should not be less than 25 degrees Celsius.

Filed Under: Swimming, Water Sports Tagged With: , , ,