marathon travel: Having Fun on a Boogie Board

Friday, August 17, 2012

Having Fun on a Boogie Board

Have you ever gone boogieboarding? It?s enormously fun, which is why I?m grinning like crazy in the photo above. ?I probably only caught three or four waves my last time out, but when I did get right on top of the wave and it shot me to the shore I screamed with delight. So did my kids and everyone else who had a boogie board that day.

Boogie-boarding, or bodyboarding?as it?s officially known, is a form of surf riding, but it?s not nearly as difficult as real surfing. (I tried once. It was really hard.) There?s an intuitive aspect to spotting the right wave and maneuvering yourself into the correct position for the wave to grab the board, but other than that it?s pretty easy. Mostly, you just need the right kind of waves and a bodyboard. When you see a nice big wave point your board toward the shore, jump on top of it and kick like mad. If you?re lucky the wave will scoop you up and you?ll shoot like a rocket to the sand. WikiHow offers these seven?step by step instructions that will give you a good idea how to bodyboard, or if you prefer you can watch this intensive?bodyboarding tutorial. I?ve never worn flippers or a wet suit as they recommend in the video nor have I done any of the tricks, but they do look like fun. Boogie-boarding has always been a casual beach activity for me.

Even though I don?t boogie-board as a serious sport I still need the right gear. A ?good quality board helps to make the activity fun and easy, and a snugly fitting, sport-style swim suit that allows for freedom of movement is important as well.?The bikini I?m wearing in these photos has a racer back which makes it easy to paddle. Whatever you choose to wear make sure it won?t fall off in the water.