Neoprene Wetsuits

posted by admin on Apr 29

If you are a beach lover, then you probably made sure that your Port Macquarie accommodation was as close to the beach as humanly possible. There are so many fun things to do on a beach, and the warm sand plus the captivating sounds of the surf is a downright relaxing place for those of us who relish the chance to get away from the rat race of life for a little while.

You’ll have lots of sand, as there are a total of eight separate beaches in Port Macquarie which means you have your choice of walking along the edge of the ocean while enjoying the view, enjoying some great fishing, swimming, having a picnic or barbecue (careful of the sand!) or doing some surfing.

Ah. Surfing. Some call it merely a sport, while others insist that it is an art, a dance form or even a lifestyle. Competitive surfers usually don’t wax as rhapsodic as those who are surfing just for the sheer joy of it. These joyous surfers are known in Port Macquarie as Soul Surfers. As a matter of fact, the term is so ubiquitous that there is a surfing school called the Soul Surfing Experience. A soul surfer enjoys surfing with or without a group of people around. They want to experience the sights and scents, the waves and the wetness all alone. Soul surfers just enjoy the ocean!

If you are a surfer who is visiting Port Macquarie for the first time, you may want to take advantage of the Soul Surfing experience and their surfing tour and/or surfing lessons. The surfing tour Ultimate Experience package provides very nice accommodations at Port Macquarie hotels with wonderful beach views. The catering package that is included will allow you to enjoy breakfast, morning tea, lunch, and a two course dinner each day. One and a half hours of Yoga classes are provided each day of your stay, and spa treatments such as massages are also included in the tour package.

A surfing tour is available for you to have two hours of surfing every morning, and you are transported to the day’s selected beach in a very nice 4WD vehicle. If by chance you need a surfboard or a wetsuit, they can be provided. Port Macquarie is noted for its beach locations that are away from the crowds as well as its ‘family style’ beaches. Soul surfing is easily done on a beach that is not full of a lot of people! You will be driven down the coast until just the right waves are spotted, and once this is done, you and the ocean can get acquainted.

There is another, longer tour offered, this one called a ‘Full Day’ surf tour, from 7 AM until 2 PM. There is also a surf tour just for the ladies, called Woman’s Surf Tour, from 8 AM until 1 PM.

Soul surfing can be one of the most pleasant experiences you will have while you are visiting Port Macquarie!

By: Gloria Dekker

Technorati Tags: contest surf, surf vacation, surfboards

posted by admin on Apr 28

Is your child interested in learning to surf? The sport or surfing is growing in popularity, especially among kids. If your child wants to learn to surf, this article is for you.

It’s common for parents to search for the ideal place for their kids’ "learn to surf" experience. However, here might not be a "best" place to learn to surf in the traditional sense. Instead, certain elements must be in place to make sure your child’s learn to surf experience is a safe and positive one.

Learning to surf should be a safe, fun and rewarding experience. In general, there are three main components to your child’s "learn to surf" experience.

These include:

1. The instructor(s);
2. The beach and ocean environment; and
3. The equipment (the surfboard itself)

The first and most important criterion is that your child takes surfing lessons from an experienced and qualified instructor. Seems obvious, right? And yet, you’d be amazed how many parents either try to teach their kids themselves (bad idea!), or who just buy their kids a surfboard and send them into the water to fend for themselves (an even worse idea!).

Not only should you make sure your child’s surfing instructor has the proper skills and credentials, you want to also be certain he or she has lots of prior experience teaching other kids your child’s age. Ideally, your child’s surfing instructor will provide a well-rounded surfing lesson curriculum incorporating surf etiquette, water safety, environmental awareness and more.

With respect to beach and ocean environment, the ideal atmosphere will offer warm, clean water, gentle surf, a soft sandy bottom, consistent wave activity and a long stretch of beach. Small crowds are and added bonus so your child is not distracted by others and does not infringe upon other surfers’ space while learning. It is also important to learn to surf at a beach staffed with public lifeguards.

Safe, modern equipment is an essential component to your child’s learn to surf experience. Your instructor should provide a user-friendly (long and wide) surfboards since these types of boards are easier to maneuver and learn on. The board will ideally be constructed of soft foam (rather than wood or fiberglass) with flexible fins and a long leash for added safety and learning pleasure.

Since the ocean water is generally cold, and because kids get cold easily, be sure your child wears a rash guard at a minimum, but preferably a wetsuit, for the duration of the lesson. If you don’t have your own, your surf instructor should provide this for you.

Where can you find quality surfing instruction? Summer camps that specialize in instructional surfing activites are one of your better options, because not only will your son or daughter learn to surf, they’ll make lots of new friends in the process. But you can also find individual/private instructors by looking on the internet or asking friends for a recommendation.

If you go the summer camp route, we recommend a surf camp that’s accredited by the American Camp Association. Accreditation ensures the camp meets or exceeds up to 300 best-practice industry standards relating to safety, presentation of activities, supervision and more.

In any case, make sure you check references and that you are completely satisfied with your choice in surfing instruction before making any financial commitment. At the very least, you should be promised a money-back guarantee if for any reason the surf camp or surfing instructor does not deliver what they promise or you are unsatisfied for any reason.

Here’s to a great "learn to surf" experience for your child. Surfing is so much fun!

By: Eric D. Naftulin

Technorati Tags: kids activities, surf beach, waves surf

posted by admin on Apr 27

In this category, the bulk of available choices in infant wet suits is all about buoyancy in the water. Since the occurrence of infant scuba divers or infant competitive swimmers is extremely rare, almost all designs center around the single most important factor for infant swimmers — keeping them afloat in the water. In the rare instance where you happen to have an infant who is also a scuba diver or a competitive swimmer you’ll probably have to purchase the smallest wet suit you can possibly find in the marketplace and then have it custom-tailored to fit your special infant.
There are individuals around, although they are few and far between, who have the tools and the skills necessary to custom design a wet suit without altering its heat-loss properties or its buoyancy which can result in a beautiful, colorful and still effective infant wet suit should someone need it. But no company is going to manufacture them, with the same input and features as an adult wet suit, for such a tiny market.
There are, however, a vast array of choices for infant wet suits depending on the cartoon character your child likes or the color patterns he might look best in. In addition, there are infant wet suits with varying degrees of buoyancy built in, depending on the swimming ability of your child.
Obviously, the Barbie Princess wet suits are for that sweet little girl in your life and those Superman ones are for the little guy who thinks he’s a superhero. The most important feature to look for when purchasing an infant wet suit is maximum swimming help. Many have built-in flotation devices while some are made out of the same materials as triathlon swim suits, only more so. Since competition is not a factor, the suits can be a bit thick and clumsy, but as long as they’re keeping that little one safely afloat, that’s all they have to do.

By: Peter Emerson

Technorati Tags: childrens wetsuits, neoprene scuba, swimming wetsuits