Best Beaches in the Continental U.S.

January 27, 2011 by Leave a Comment

With a slow economy and high gas prices, many people cannot afford a big vacation. Instead of hopping on a plane or a cruise ship, people are looking for vacation options that are closer to home. If you are looking for a beach destination you can drive to, there are several in the continental U.S. to choose from.

Florida offers many great beaches. Bahia Honda State Park has many beautiful beaches that offer white sand and great swimming. Since it is a state park, many of the beaches also offer amenities such as picnic pavilions and shower houses.

Another great Florida beach is at Fort Desoto Park near Tampa Bay. In addition to the beach, visitors here can enjoy camping, fishing, boating, nature trails and more. Siesta Beach in Florida has been named the Best Sand Beach in America. The beautiful soft white sand is made almost entirely of quartz, and this beach is also well-known for gentle surf that is good for ocean swimming.

Ocracoke Island in North Carolina also makes the cut as a great American beach. Ocracoke is a barrier island and can only be reached by water or air. This beach not only offers long stretches of uninterrupted sand, it is full of history. The famous pirate Blackbeard is said to have spent time here. If you visit here, maybe you’ll even find some buried treasure!

Cumberland Island, Georgia, is the final beach on this list. This 17-mile long island offers more than just a beautiful beach. Visitors here can also see marsh, tidal creeks and mudflats. The wild nature of the island harbors abundant wildlife, dunes and even some historic buildings.

While all of these beaches are on the eastern or southern shores of the U.S., there are many good beaches on the west coast, too. You are sure to be able to find a good beach that is close to you.

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Great Hawaiian Beaches

January 22, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Hawaii is one of those places nearly everyone wishes to visit sometime in their lives. Maybe they want to go for the climate, or for the culture or for the food. But guaranteed, one of the main reasons they want to go is so they can spend hours relaxing on a beautiful beach and swimming in the warm ocean water. The good news is that Hawaii has many great beaches to choose from!
One of the best beaches is Hanalei Bay Beach, on the island of Kauai. Located on the north shore, the bay is the biggest on the island and is framed by a gorgeous white sand beach. The water here is clam and the ocean floor slopes gently away from the beach, so it’s great for swimming. There is also a boat ramp, and coral reefs are available for snorkeling.
Another famous Hawaiian beach is at Hanauma Bay on Oahu. The beautiful bay is home to a large number of tropical fish. In fact, it’s become so well-known as a prime scuba diving and snorkeling spot that the Hawaiian government has placed limits on how many visitors can be at the bay at one time. If you want to see this site on your vacation, be sure to plan ahead.
Lanikai Beach, also on Oahu, is known to many who live in Hawaii as a great swimming beach. The clear, sparkling water and wide, white sand beach are a big draw. The reef offshore protects the water here so it remains calm most of the time.
Kapalua Bay Beach on Maui also makes this list. It’s ideal for families because of the calm water. This beach also features a beautiful coconut grove. Another good family beach is Poipu Beach on Kauai. Located on the south shore and protected by breakwater of small boulders, it is an ideal swimming spot.

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Surfer Conquers Major Wave at Night

January 18, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Surfing, especially surfing big waves, can be challenging in the daytime. There are so many dangers to watch out for. If something goes wrong, at least the daylight makes it easier for your surfing partner to find you. But one famous Australian surfer known for conquering big waves has done something amazing. He successfully surfed the famous Jaws wave in Hawaii. And he did it in the dark.

Jaws is a 30-foot wave off the coast of Maui. Surfer Mark Visser used a life vest and surfboard equipped with special LED lighting to surf the ocean in the pitch-black night. During the winter swell season in Hawaii, the waves break so quickly that surfers must be towed out by personal watercraft as this surfer was. His ride was filmed by a cameraman on a helicopter, and will be part of a movie of extreme adventures that is supposed to be released later this year.

If you’d like to go surfing in Hawaii, don’t try to surf at night. Even Visser has admitted how frightening it was – though he has also said the footage is unbelievable. Hawaii surfing offers a variety of wave types to suit every surfing skill level. Where to find the waves really depends on the time of year you go. The North Shore of Oahu is the place to go in the winter, while good summer waves can be found on the south side of the island.

Hawaii also offers many surf resorts, on almost every island. Some decent, but lesser-known and therefore less crowded surf spots include Pinetrees Kahalu`u and Upolu on the Big Island. You can also take surfing lessons in Hawaii. Choose your surfing school wisely – you will want an experienced instructor who can teach you the basics such as paddling and balancing in just a couple of hours. Any longer than that and you are bound to be too tired after your lesson to continue surfing.

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Taking the Polar Bear Plunge

January 4, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Dressed in swimsuits, wet suits, or sometimes just shorts and a T-shirt, the crowd lines the beach in the dead of winter, waiting for the signal to begin. Then on cue, they will run into the nearly freezing water, submerge themselves, and dash back out.

To the uninitiated observer, it looks crazy. But it’s not. Well, OK, maybe it is. But “it” has a name – it’s a polar bear plunge.

In the United States, plunges, as they are often known, have a long history. One of the more famous plunges, The Boston New Year’s Day Polar Bear Plunge, has been around since 1903. Most plunges here raise money for charities, such as the Special Olympics. The largest plunge in the country, Maryland’s Plungapalooza, supports this charity. The event has raised more than $2.2 million dollars a year for the group, and has had more than 12,000 people plunge at once.

In the U.S. plunges occur all winter long but in Canada, they are typically associated with New Year’s Day. Events there date back to the 1920s, and typically include thousands of participants. One exception to this rule is the annual Freezin for a Reason plunge in Yellowknife – this one happens in the early spring once things begin to thaw out.

No one seems to know how or why polar bear plunges got started. Perhaps it was just an attempt to break up the monotony of a long, cold winter. Whatever the reason, “plunge fever” has swept the nation and thousands of groups now hold these annual events. The bold come out in droves for the chance to freeze themselves for a good cause.
No, taking the plunge will not do a thing to improve your swimming skills. But if you are tired of indoor workouts and will do anything to get back into the lake or the ocean, this just might be your chance.

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How The Olympics Inspired Betting on Swimming Events

October 20, 2010 by Leave a Comment
U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps shows off his Olym...
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In the summer Olympics of 2008 the world saw Michael Phelps break world record after world record. While the majority of the world was busy celebrating this amazing once in a lifetime achievement, others were using this as a unique opportunity to place bets on the Olympics.

Sports betting sites all over the Internet were flooded with people placing bets on a number of events in the swimming category. There were people who were betting on the recorded time of Michael Phelps, others who were placing bets on how many gold medals he’d win and even people who were betting that he wouldn’t break any world records. At one point, odds were even placed on whether he would be able to swim as fast as people believed he could.

Normally sports betting sites are filled with bets on professional sports such as baseball, football and horse racing. This new interest in placing bets on swimming events has lead to a new trend on sports betting sites. The use of the sites for other events other then the professional sports.

Many critics of sports betting sites wonder exactly where the betting will stop. Currently on any given sports betting site you can place a bet on college events, professional events, the Olympics and even some amateur events. Critics believe that eventually these sites will start to allow betting on high school sports. At the moment, high school sports have been left alone but considering the interest in betting on the Olympics, it could be a matter of time before high school sports are being bet on.

Seeing how many people were interested in betting on the Olympics in 2008, it’ll be amazing to see what type of turn out these sites get when the summer Olympics roll around in 2012. Who knows what people all over the world will be betting on during those Olympic games.

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Use the Pool to Keep Fit During Pregnancy

October 17, 2010 by Leave a Comment
Pregnancy 21 weeks
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Swimming has always been considered to be one of the best forms of low-impact aerobics. Water isn’t much different from the human body in terms of density, so it provides swimmers with natural support and resistance without taking its toll on bones or joints. Swimming has been used for years as a safe method of exercise for individuals with arthritis, fibromyalgia or an injury.

Did you know it’s also an excellent form of exercise for expecting women? The water naturally supports your body and your baby during a time when activities such as running or hiking are too rough for both of you. While gaining weight is a normal, and even essential, part of the pregnancy period, gaining excessive weight could place health risks on you and your unborn baby. Swimming is the perfect solution. Most gyms, health clubs, swim clubs and many YMCAs regularly hold aerobic swimming classes designed specifically for pregnant women — some may be called prenatal water exercise or aerobics. They’re a great way to stay in shape and meet other women who are also experiencing the excitement (and challenges) pregnancy brings, while still trying to stay fit.

Don’t worry about finding a swimsuit for your swimming class; these days, clothing stores and online specialty stores carry a fabulous array of swimwear for pregnant women, all just as flattering, sporty or sexy as those offered for non-pregnant women. You’ll also need something to tote your clothes, shoes, towel and most likely water and snack to the pool. Washable or waterproof handbags are a practical and still utterly stylish poolside necessity. Goggles and swim caps? Your call!

So now that you know all about how perfect swimming is for you and your baby’s health, take a look at the prenatal swimming fitness classes available in your area and your post-baby body will show off all that hard work in the pool!

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How the Best Beach Workouts Result in the Best Beach Bodies

July 25, 2010 by Leave a Comment
Beach Volleyball Spanish Championship 2004 in ...
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The ideal “beach body” is something for which most people yearn. However what they don’t realize is the fact that there are several exercises that can be done on the beach to improve the condition of that body.

The first pretty straightforward beach exercise is running. A run on the beach is far different than a run on land, exclusively because the terrain is not nearly as stable. By running on sand, the legs and calves are required to call upon a different set of seldom-used stabilizing muscles to ensure the rest of the body remains upright. Although these stabilizing muscles are hidden at first, they will certainly become tone and attractive once they have been given a proper workout.

Another ideal beach exercise is swimming. Swimming is an endurance exercise that results in lean, tone muscle more that large, body building muscle. It is also a phenomenal exercise for those concerned with keeping their abdominal core in shape. By spending some time swimming at the beach, you can not only flaunt the beach body you have worked for, but also spend time improving it.

For those who are more interested in a casual and fun way to exercise, beach volleyball is an excellent way to burn off some extra calories and have a good time while still spending a day bumming around at the beach. It may not be phenomenal for muscle tone (though it does work some upper body muscles), however it is a great way to sweat and have a good time with a large group of friends. It certainly will do more for your waistline than just lying on a towel, and is a lot more fun too.

Although many people work out all winter in the hopes of achieving a remarkable body by the summer, it mustn’t be forgotten that the summer itself is the perfect time to sharpen and perfect that body. And while working out is often difficult, there’s no reason why once in a while it can’t also be a day at the beach.

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