Welcome in 2022!

New Years is the perfect time to take on a new adventure.

The top 5 most common New Year’s resolutions are to exercise more (be more active), lose weight, spend more time with friends and family, spend more time in the outdoors, and to take up a new hobby.

Want to meet all these resolutions in one go? Watersports!

There are so may options for all levels of skill and each different sport has its own benefits, so there’s something for everyone. Here are some different options to give you inspiration.

Wild swimming –

This is the cheapest of the hobbies on the list, as it only really requires yourself and some water. However, if you’re going to be taking a dip in the early months of the year, we recommend you take some precautions to keep yourself warm where possible.

When you’re in the water, a wetsuit is great for keeping you warm and therefore letting you stay in the water for longer. Then once you’re out, a changing robe and change mat is ideal for getting back into some warm dry clothes ready to get a hot drink in you that’s been kept warm in a flask.

Cold water wild swimming carries all kinds of health benefits. Take a look at this short documentary that highlights why people feel drawn to it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Oe5Qnip9Bs

Paddleboarding –

This is a hobby that became very popular over the last couple of years, and for good reason. It’s a perfect way to relax out on the water whilst still getting fit and building up your core strength. You can explore a wide range of places/routes with the more experience you gain, and because it isn’t a high intensity activity, it’s an easy way to spend quality time with family and friends and share your experiences.

There are a lot of different types of paddleboards on the market, check out the different options we have for you: https://www.escape-watersports.co.uk/sups/sup-boards

We also recommend keeping a dry bag with you to keep your essentials protected, along with wearing a buoyancy aid to keep yourself safe too. If you are planning on paddling in the colder months, you might feel the need to add a wetsuit or dry suit to your paddle boarding trip as it can get pretty chilly if you happen to fall in.

Surfing –

Here’s a water sport that is great for those that enjoy high adrenaline. Surfing requires a lot of skill and commitment to master which makes it a great way to get fit this year, drawing in on your core balance and muscle strength. It is also a great way to meet new people and join communities that share the same interests.

Of course, to get started you will need a surfboard, whether you buy your own or practice on a friends to get to know the sport. Surfing also requires you to be in and out of the water a lot so a wetsuit to keep you warm is a must, with a towel robe or change robe and a hot flask of tea waiting for you back on shore making it even more pleasurable.

Kayaking –

Bringing it back to one of our favourites, kayaking. This is another one for the adrenaline lovers and requires a lot of core strength and control to keep the boat moving and going steady. You can go from calm non-moving water to challenging rapids depending on your fitness and skill level, and it is a great way to push yourself and give yourself goals to work towards.

Kayaking is a great way to get your heart rate up and build your cardio strength as well as building up muscle strength, no matter what level you’re at.

To get started with kayaking you will need to choose your kayak, ranging from inflatable kayaks, sit on top kayaks, and sit in kayaks. You’ll also need some paddles to get moving, and for sit in kayaks a spray deck helps to keep the water out of your kayak.

Buoyancy aids are of course an absolute must for kayaking.

When it comes to clothing dry tops and dry trousers will keep off the wind and water throughout the day. But, if you think you’ll be in the water most of the time rather than on top of it, it might be worth looking at a dry suit instead.