PrOjEcT 17/365: Challenge

4/19/09

Hair raising, heart pumping, adrenaline rush is what extreme sports is all about. Most people cringe at the idea of scaring yourself to death with extreme activities like bungee jumping, sky diving and paragliding. Me, I'm different. I'd like to think of myself as an adventurer. I like to raise my limits, know what I can do. Of course I have yet to try those extreme sports I've mentioned and I get scared every time we wait in queue for our turns in any activity. My hands turn cold, my heart beats faster, and my mind goes mushy. But when I'm there and doing whatever and being successful at it, there's no other feeling like it. Elation, euphoria, freedom, like a balm to every addict's cravings.

Today, I was faced with a sport less extreme than I have mentioned, but enticing nonetheless. I took up the challenge of tackling the waves of Camotes. I wanted to try out skim boarding. I've heard a lot about it. My more sporty friends are experts on it. I too want to experience the joys of successful runs. Skim boarding is an adaptation to surfing. Since the Philippine coastal waters do not have much great waves as in other parts of the world, many pinoys have opted for this substitute. The earliest known records dated way before the 1970's. Pictures of lifeguards were taken, skimboarding on the shores of Laguna Beach California using plywood circular boards. Later, in the 1970's skim boards took the shape of the more familiar surf boards, making it more efficient and easier to control. Tex Heines started the first skimboarding business naming it after his wife Victoria. Victoria Championships are held yearly at the beaches of Laguna beach California1. Although it comes for the shadows of surfing, skimboarding is considered to be a water sport on its own right.
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1 wikipedia.com
photo taken by a friend. thanx bro :)