I have a phobia of having my head under water so I compensate by doing water sports: I have an extra incentive to stay above water when kayaking etc.
A couple of years ago there was a wakeboarding exhibition put on at my local water sports centre which I went along to watch and to help out. Afterwards they tried to get members of the public to give it a go but were having trouble getting any takers so I volunteered. They didn't have a wet suit in my size but I had my own with me :-)
Knowing what a wimp I am, some of my friends trailed me in power boats so that they could get me out ofthe water quickly. I found it a lot easier than water-skiing to get up and, with lots of encouragement, tried a few slaloms. Weaving inside the wake was easy, so I went wider and started crossing backwards and forwards outside the wake. I started to feel confident and thought I would try a small jump. Hey, I knew what to do, I had been watching other people doing it and I had seen an instruction video, how hard could it be?
I angled towards the wake, I straightened my legs at precisely the right time and shot up into the air. My friends later told me that there was a good six feet of air between my board and the water which is more than my body height. Trouble was, no-one had told me how to land. I came down at speed on my ass and went deep under.
I was wearing a life jacket and came flying out again like a cork out of a champagne bottle. My concerned friends, laughing their heads off, got to me within seconds. Despite being trained first aiders, there was nothing they could do to stop me laughing, my grin would have needed to be surgically removed.
I now wakeboard whenever I can afford it. It isn't cheap, but it is the most fun you can have on/in the water! I would strongly recommend trying it out.
Unknown Playful
- 16 years, 10 months, 11 days ago
