One of the greatest parts of traveling is that it pushes out your edges. Everyone has familiar routines and comforts … these are the edges. And you rely on these edges to provide structure in your day. But suddenly your exciting vacation arrives, you are blissfully outside your daily structure, and the time is right to push through those edges and welcome a flow of new adventure. Trying a brand new water sport is one way to break away from the ordinary. If you’re feeling excited to give your edges that extra push, it’s time to explore the wide world of unexpected water sports.
Race in an America’s Cup Sailboat – St. Maarten
How many times during your travels have you admired the sleek sailing yachts in a harbor, thinking to yourself, “Ahh, that’s how the other half lives — if only I had enough money, I would buy myself one of those fashionable skipper hats and learn to sail.” Good news: Your sailing dreams are within reach. Welcome to St. Maarten, where you can experience the thrill of racing an authentic America’s Cup sailboat in a head-to-head regatta, and no skill whatsoever is necessary. You and your teammates will board your boats and get your assignments — sail trimmer, winch grinder or stopwatch puncher — or choose to just be along for the ride. While the professional crew assesses the wind and water, pulling together the race-day strategy, you’ll be getting to know your fellow racers, practicing your assignments and feeling the adrenaline flow. And you’re off! The wind and saltwater spray are in your face as you and your fellow travelers keel to one side and then the other, sails billow overhead, and you cheer as you realize that someone is actually letting you drive this spectacular boat. At the end of the race, you’ll be thrilled, salty, and perhaps a little sore, but you’ll cherish this day of camaraderie and excitement. Skipper hat not included.
Cave River Tubing – Belize
Many miles inland from Belize’s spectacular coral reef and ocean wonders, its Cayo District welcomes you with its wild natural beauty, deep Mayan history, and its extensive limestone cave systems and subterranean rivers. Most tours to the Caves Branch begin with a relaxing but mesmerizing walk through lush, tropical rainforest, then an arrival at the river. Guests are outfitted with their water sports gear, which consists of a voluminous inner tube, a personal flotation device, and sometimes a helmet, then begin a peaceful drift in the sublimely cool river water. But is riding an inner tube through a subterranean cave system really a water sport? Well, it all depends on your competitive mindset. Who can count the most stalactites and stalagmites (and who knows the difference)? Who can spot the most Mayan remnants and artifacts? Who floats the fastest though the mini rapids? Who spends the most time with a giant smile on their face? You get the idea — whether it’s a competition or a chillout, it’s a day with friends and family gliding through otherworldly waters.
Learn to Row a Gondola – Italy
One of Venice, Italy’s iconic experiences is a slow ride in a gondola down the city’s magnificent Grand Canal. But what could make this experience even more memorable? Picture this: it is evening in Venice, the sun has descended like a soft halo, diamond light from streetlamps shimmers across the calm water, and you expertly dip your gondola oar into the canal and glide forward. Yes, YOU are the gondolier in this experience, as you learn to row a Venetian batela (the much-more-stable precursor to the recognizable gondola) perfecting your stroke in the side canals before emerging into the main event … the Grand Canal. During these evening lessons, you’ll experience ambient Venice from a fascinating vantage point, and most work boats will be happily moored away for the day leaving you to carve out a crooked and stress-free path through the water city. Rumor has it that no one has ever fallen off a batela during rowing lessons (and jumping in on purpose for a great Insta story is frowned upon), which is good news for anyone who intends to cap off their rowing lesson with a stylish latenight dinner reservation in La Serenissima.
Surf Your First Wave – Dominican Republic
If you were glued to your television watching the Olympic surfing competition at Tahiti’s Teahupo’o surf break last summer, you may have felt both inspired and gripped with fear by the surfing theatrics. If it was inspiration that dominated, taking a surf lesson in the Caribbean should be on your watersports to-do list. Several Caribbean islands are blessed with wave conditions that are newbie-friendly and have beachfront surf shops offering lessons that are perfect for day trippers. You might feel like you have no chance of shredding a wave like Kelly Slater, and that’s probably true; however, catching a wave is a moment of pure joy and is totally attainable with the right conditions, gear, instructor and location.
For catching your first wave, you can look to the town of Cabarete in the Dominican Republic. You’ll start your wave-riding adventure on land, learning how to “pop-up” on your surfboard. Once you’ve got the hang of it, it’s time to get in the ocean and work muscles you never knew you had. Start by lying prone on your surfboard, get a gentle push into a wave from your instructor, paddle paddle- paddle, then execute your pop-up. And you’re riding! The ride might only last a few seconds before you ungracefully dismount into the ocean, but you’ll be totally stoked. An added bonus — many surf shops also offer photography services, so you can document the day you conquered the waves for all posterity.
Right from Your Resort and Just as Fun – Jamaica and other Caribbean destinations
You’ve surfed, sailed, rowed, and tubed, but you feel like you’ve still got more to give to your water sports checklist. You’re in luck if you’re staying at one of the many Sandals and Beaches Resorts throughout the Caribbean; these resorts are notable for their robust variety of water sports offerings for guests. Maybe your travel partner is an avid scuba diver who has kindly suggested (more than once) that they’d love your company under the waves. Now is the time to embrace those kind suggestions and take your first scuba lesson. Lots of travelers call this initial lesson a “resort course,” because you will literally complete your training session in the swimming pool at your resort, but the official name for it is Discover Scuba Diving. Sign up for the course, and you’ll be rewarded with a beautiful day in paradise as you and a handful of other excited scuba novices jump in the pool, acquaint yourselves with your new gear, and learn essential skills like reading your air pressure gauge, clearing water from your mask, and communicating with hand signals. For the main event, you’ll transition from the pool to the ocean where you’ll descend through the blue to a maximum depth of 30 feet, feel weightless like an astronaut and revel in a spectacle of rainbow-colored tropical fish and coral reef majesty. Imagine the spectacular scuba diving tales you and your partner will have to share at dinner, no prompting needed.