iOutdoors Blog, Kids Fishing, Surfing, Water Sports
Everyone loves spending time with their loved ones, and if you can go outside to spend quality time with family, even better. There are tons of things you can do outside to help make the most of your time together and to make sure that everyone is having a blast.
1. Plan a Picnic
For those who are spending time outside, a picnic is a great way to get their favorite food and to get some fresh air while you are at it. Choose a spot that is special to you and your family and pack everyone’s favorite items. Let the kids help set up the tents, make food or snacks. Take along some games that everyone can play like football or Jenga or water bucket relay if you are on the beachside and have a great time.
2. Plan a Treasure Hunt
Treasure hunts are much more than just looking for hidden objects. You can weave little games into the process that take up a few hours outside with your family while you play, and encourage teamwork and problem-solving. A great treasure hunt is engaging for the entire family and can make a huge difference in the overall way you see your surroundings.
3. Go Bowling
You might not consider it, but bowling is an excellent, fun game. But who says you have to head to a gaming zone or a mall for that! Yard bowling is a great idea to get outside and to get active. You can use items you have laying around the yard or invest in a lawn bowling set complete with bowling pins and a ball. It helps to hone hand-eye coordination and to build up throwing strength in younger kids. It is also an all-ages game, so perfect for everyone.
4. Grilling Fish
This activity is going to bring the perfect dinner to your table and spend some quality time with your family. You can grill fish over an open flame on the grill, or in an outdoor oven. Fish is something that kids may be hesitant to eat, but taking the time to involve them in the process can make a big difference in how willing they are to try new things. In the process of grilling fish your whole family is involved in cooking and eating a meal together, no matter what time of day it is.
5. Outdoor Games
There are so many games to play outside that won’t only give you quality time, but keep the family fit. You can play tag, hide and seek, Frisbee, and more. These are all games in which you can involve your pets as well. With outdoor games, the sky is the limit. They are a great way to get everyone moving and to let your family members have a bit of freedom depending on what they have chosen to play. If your family is competitive and athletic, you can plan a volleyball or hurdle race, or three-legged race. If family members simply want to have some fun time outdoors, twister, tug of war, Pictionary, etc. can be your go-to option.
6. Fishing with the Kids
Everyone loves fishing, especially kids. Fishing is a great way to spend quality time together. The downtime between catching fish is great to reflect and to talk to each other or just be together. Fishing with kids might become the go-to activity that both of you enjoy to the core. Later, you can grill your catch together, which we have discussed earlier. To catch exotic fish, you may need to hire fishing charters as you may not be able to catch them at the shore.
7. Camping
Camping is an opportunity to go out of your comfort zone and learn to live with bare essentials. Be it camping in the wilderness or just in your backyard, it will teach you new skills, appreciate and enjoy nature, and unhook from technology for a while, so that you can truly be yourselves and spend time together with your family. Kids love camping and setting a campfire. Complete the trip with s’mores, it’s a great way to wrap up the night before you sleep under the stars.
8. Surfing
Surfing is another great outdoor sport if you live near the sea. It provides a full-body workout and is perfect if you want some pace and adventure in your life. Surfers glide across the surface of the water until the wave breaks and lose its energy. It is also a great way to get some sun and to learn a new skill that you did not have before.
No matter what you choose, spending time outside with the family is always a win-win. These are just a few suggestions about what you can do outside with the family. Have fun, be courageous, and just do what makes you and the family happy.
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iOutdoors Blog, Surfing, Water Sports
Surfing in Florida
One of the best places to get stoked about surfing & water sports is in Florida. Here, there are 1,350 miles of coastline, quite a lot to explore, and is also known as the surfing Mecca of the East Coast. Approximately 40% of the East Coast surfing population is located here in Florida.
Great Swells in Florida Beaches
Perhaps one of the most popular reasons for surfing in Florida is the great swells or waves that come up to the coastline which are perfect for surfing. However, though Florida may be home to some quality surfing spots, the swells are also pretty inconsistent. So before heading off to surf in Florida, it is best to know when the great swells appear.
The best time to surf in Florida is during the summer cyclone season from August to October. The swells coming in at this time come from the cyclones tracking from Africa to the Caribbean which produce great waves measuring up to 10 feet. This type of wave is perfect for surfing because it provides surfers the opportunity of a long, continuous surf which is open for any exhibition a surfer would dare.
Best Surfing Spots
The most famous and also the busiest surfing spots in Florida would be Cocoa Beach and Sebastian Inlet. However, any beach in Florida can be great for surfing because of its warm water, sandy beaches, and the warm sun.
Cocoa Beach
Home to many surfers, but none bigger than six-time world champion Kelly Slater. For Surfing in Florida to be popular locally it takes having famous surf shops. Cocoa Beach is a legendary spot for being a top spot in Florida. It has big crowds, with great waves for beginners and experts-a-like. The destination is also home to many local surf contests, lie the Easter Surf Festival. These types of contest promote surfing locally and include categories that range from men’s and women’s surfing, single and tandem. Even a dog surfing contest.
A legendary location for surfing is Ron Jon Surf Shop, this is the location of its flagship original store. is stocked with more beach gear than any other single location. Cocoa Beach Surf Company is also another excellent stop for loading up on watersport gear.
St Augustine
In Florida, St Augustine is known as it’s the oldest city. Which make sense its also one of the oldest surfing location in Florida. Now, the city of St Augustine has started to recognize the sport louder and prouder than ever before. Suffers are still not a primary activity in the area, but the surfers that do visit there experience with the most intimidating waves from the Atlantic Ocean. Common in these markets is that you will find the tightest communities of local surfers.
St Augustine has both a Surf Station and a Surf School. They offer surf lessons, camps, and rentals. The Surf School will even deliver boards straight to your hotel door.
Miami Beach
Miami’s South Beach is home to many things, fancy hotels, great restaurants, and incredible after-hours nightlife, and some of the most glorious beaches in Florida. Miami has always provided very wide beaches, centralizing spots for local surfers, and out-of-towners alike to hang in tandem. Known for its incredible spring breaks and summer fun from June to November. Like most surfing spots, the handout is at nearby jetty or pier. First Street is one of the best surfing spots in Miami.
A legendary location for surfing information and supplies is Island Water Sports. Miami store is the location of its flagship original store. They provide the area with the latest gear and best equipment for board sports. They also provide lessons, just Google Island Water Sports or South Beach Surf School.
New Smyrna Beach
New Smyrna has a 10-mile stretch of sandy white beaches on the Atlantic ocean. One of the original surfing locations in Florida that set the standard for the state of Florida. Many things stand out about New Smyrna that makes it should a popular surfing location in Florida but none more than the capability of loading up your car and drive right onto the shore with all your equipment. They say the harder packed beaches add consistency to the wave’s size, gap, and speed. More so than anywhere in the entire state of Florida.
Gnarley Charley’s Surf Series provides the area with the newest gear and best equipment for board sports. They offer private, group, or family instruction. And a complete specialty coaching for students wanting to surf competitively.
Conclusion
Florida has produced a massive fan base for surfing that there are surf shops and surfing schools available throughout the coastal areas of Florida. First-time surfers don’t have to bring anything including experience because everything can be provided for you right near the beach.
Air to Ground, iOutdoors Blog, Sailing, Surfing, Water Sports
Windsurfing – So Much Fun!
With its long stretches of white sand beaches, it is no wonder that Florida is a haven for water frolickers. A growing number of tourists in the coastal state want to take the adventure directly into the water, and among one of the thousand possibilities for fun is windsurfing!
Windsurfing is quite a unique activity, being a blend of both surfing and sailing. A windsurfer can perform more freestyle maneuvers compared to one who is simply sailing and can ride more seemingly insurmountable, bigger waves in contrast to a normal surfer. As the wind blows to allow the sail to glide through the waves, a windsurfer would usually feel both the excitement of surfing and the peace intimacy of water and wind of sailing at the same time.
South Florida is the perfect place to learn windsurfing. Not only does the state’s coastal area have the widest practice playground for windsurfing, but it is also teeming with windsurfing schools. Schools offering windsurfing classes offer instructions that range from beginner level to advanced level. Classes offered also range from private to group clinics, including kid’s windsurfing camps. Most of these schools also own shops where you can buy or rent on an hourly to weekly basis, top windsurfing equipment, gears, and accessories. In choosing the best Florida windsurfing school though, make it sure that it is certified by a reputable organization.
The best thing about windsurfing is that it has no age limit! Anyone from the age of 8 and above will surely enjoy gliding through calm waters or jumping above waves. If you are a beginner, do not be intimidated. With further practice, you will soon find yourself performing freestyle moves from simple jumps to spinning and inverted loops.
There is no mistake that Florida is one of the best places in the world to go windsurfing. Not only is its coastal area dotted with hotels and establishments for tourists’ convenience, but it also has a beach lifestyle that is perfect for laidback people. Top that with an endless number of windsurfing spots to choose from like Cocoa Beach, Satellite Beach, Daytona Beach, Jacksonville Beach and the Florida’s Space Coast area. Next time you embark on a Floridian vacation, get that adrenaline rushing, and discover and enjoy the art of windsurfing!
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iOutdoors Blog, Lobster Catching, Surfing
JellyFish are NOT Your Friends
Jellyfish are free-swimming species that are often associated with painful stings. However, not all jellyfish species have stings that are painful or harmful to humans. Still, those that do sting humans have earned this creature a negative reputation, in general. Anyway, if you are stung by a jellyfish, it is bound to be painful and can cause red welts to break out from your skin. The following are some tips on what to do if you get stung by a jellyfish.
- Get out of the water. The sting of some jellyfish species can be so powerful and painful that it can impair you from swimming or floating – this can cause drowning. Once out of the water, use salt water to rinse the affected area.
- Get rid of the tentacles. The tentacles continue to sting anything it is in contact with. Thus, ensure that you remove them immediately – do not use your bare hands, use a towel, gloves, tweezers, seaweeds, or anything available.
- Rinse it with vinegar. Vinegar helps deactivate the remaining nematocysts that hold the venom and can also soothe the affected area. Pour a liberal amount unto the affected areas. If vinegar is not immediately available, human urine can also do the job. You can also place baking powder, flour, cornstarch, or meat tenderizer on the area to help alleviate the pain and to keep it dry.
- Use topical anesthetics. If the sting persists, you can use topical anesthetics such as hydrocortisone. Ammonia is also a good option. If the sting hurts a lot, drink pain killers.
Those who show signs of an allergic reaction or have been stung really badly must be taken to a medical facility as soon as possible.
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iOutdoors Blog, Surfing, Water Sports
Cocoa Beach – The Surf Capital of the US
Cocoa Beach is located on a barrier island, nestled in between the Atlantic Ocean and the Banana River Lagoon on the Central East Coast of Florida. Cocoa Beach is known for many things, predominantly as a link to the birth of the Space Age giving it the nickname the Space Coast. Cocoa Beach is also known for being the surf capital of the United States for having one of the greatest swells in the East Coast.
Where Surfing is Living
Cocoa Beach has a lot to brag about when it comes to surfing. Its shoreline boasts of perfect weather year-round. It is open 24/7 year round, has perfect Southern waters, and an average temperature of 73 degrees Fahrenheit during the day.
There is no problem at all when it comes to looking for great places to surf in Cocoa Beach because it is home to over 100 of the best surfing spots in the East Coast alone. Cocoa Beach is not just a surfing capital but is also the hometown of surfing champions. In fact, 8-tinme World Champion surfer, Kelly Slater, comes from this place.
Cocoa Beach Attractions
Of course, Cocoa Beach has a lot more to offer its visitors other than just surfing. In fact, there are many attractions that are a must-see for visitors in the area including Cocoa Beach Pier, Alan Shepard Beachfront Park, Cocoa Beach Golf Course, Thousand Islands Conservation Area, Cocoa Beach Aquatic Center and Pool Complex, I Dream of Jeannie Lane, and the “Glass Bank”.
Just about anything under the sun can be done in Cocoa Beach from watching a space launch from the beach, observing animal species in their natural habitat, swimming and surfing in the ocean, kayaking off the Banana River Islands, or playing golf. There is always something for anybody in Cocoa Beach.
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iOutdoors Blog, Surfing
Surfs up Dude!
The state of Florida is considered by some as the “Surfing Mecca” of the United States for being the location of several of the top surfing beaches in the world. Beach-loving people like wakeboarders and surfers describe Florida as a place with the world’s best breaking waves. Southern Florida is surrounded by water, thus, it is naturally rich in surfing sites.
The Inlet, a popular surfing destination in the state, attracts people from all over the country and even from all over the world. Cocoa Beach is also known locally as a surfer’s haven. It is known for being home to the best surf shops in Florida. In fact, it is even the preferred surf spot of some of the world champions like Kelley Slater and Ron Jones. Satellite Beach is also a must-visit for people who want to surf. This surfing site is located north of Cocoa Beach and is the haunt of professional surfers such as C.J. and Damien Hobgood.
Many competitive surfers hang in First Peak while those who like to enjoy other water sports other than surfing may consider heading to Daytona Beach. There are yet other surf beaches in Florida you can choose from. Included among these are Flagler Resort, Crescent Beach, Palm Beach’s Reef Road, Fort Walton Beach, and the Blowhole.
Before you go out surfing in Florida, make sure to check out surf reports, which can be read online. This way, you won’t have to worry about missing out on great waves!
