arch bashfulness: 5 Most Dangerous Water Sports in the World

Having fun in the water is undoubtedly one of the most adventurous activities both kids and adults always appreciate. And for good reason, as Water Sporting offers plenty of ways to have fun, along with developing strength, coordination and fitness. From scuba diving and snorkeling, to windsurfing and aqua-fitness, to kayaking and river rafting, you need to simply have the enthusiasm to plunge into waters and have a wonderful experience of a lifetime. However, among the many types of water sports, there are some that stand aside for being extremely dangerous and risky, which have found their descriptions in our today?s post.

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Cliff Jumping

Cliff Jumping or the so-called Tombstoning is definitely not a fun vacation day activity, but a real, competitive and extremely dangerous sport, which sounds like something that you could never do, but for others it?s highly appealing. At the same time we should note that recently, cliff jumping has been in the news unfortunately for all the wrong reasons, as every year many youngsters die or severely injure themselves when diving off rocks and cliffs and most often they do it unaware of water depths.

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Said to have been originated in Hawaii in 1770, when the last King of Maui, King Kajekili commanded his men to leap the island of Lanai?s high cliffs and enter the water feet first without splashing so that they could prove not only their courage but skill, cliff jumping is today a thrilling sport for adventure lovers.

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There are hundreds of amazing spots all over the world that are blessed with unusual geological formations and breathtaking scenery, but the most famous cliff jumping spots are in Hawaii, Jamaica, Australia and Switzerland. And it?s highly recommended cliff divers to exercise caution and always check water depth to avoid fatalities.

Whitewater Rafting

Dazzling people of all ages and physical abilities, commercial rafting lead by trained guides has been popular for decades. However, though fun and exciting, whitewater rafting, originating to limelight since 1970s, is considered an extreme and dangerous water sport. This proves the fact that serious injuries and even deaths have occurred while rafting (four tourists died on guided trips of the Arkansas River this year).

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Moreover, there are also several other dangers that this or that way associate with rafting. Drowning is perhaps the first danger people think of, so if you are not an experienced swimmer, do not take this sport. Hypothermia ? a point when the body?s internal temperature is below 35?C is another one, which can occur in a matter of moments and cause heart rate, breathing rate and blood pressure to increase. Other dangers include equipment failure, dangerous water conditions and sunburns among others. The best way to try this adrenaline-pumping sport is to be safety-conscious and be in good health.

Surfing

Tall, powerful waves that start breaking cleanly over amazing coral reefs when they reach water that?s about 1.3 times their height are what make water sport enthusiasts adore surfing, another popular water sport, which though has the lowest rate of reported injuries is still full of dangers. Like in case of whitewater rafting, drowning while surfing is a possible danger. Another danger of surfing is anything your body can impact other than water, like a reef, sandbar, or rocks. Rip currents also account for many surfing accidents; a rip current is a swift of water which flows from shore out to sea and mostly happens when large quantities of water accumulate near shore due to natural wave action. And least but not last of surfing dangers can cause crowds.

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I would also like to note an interesting fact about this extreme sport. Most often, when people ask about the dangers of surfing, their first question is usually ?What about the sharks?? Of course, not a bad question if you plan your surfing holidays in ?The Red Triangle,? which goes from Bodega Bay to Monterey Bay to Farallon Islands and is home to many sharks. These dangers similarly refer to kite surfing, windsurfing and other types of surfing.

Scuba Diving

Spectacularly beautiful coral reefs teeming with unique and colorful marine life, crystal clear warm waters and a wealth of shipwrecks and underwater gardens combine to make scuba diving a popular recreational sport among many sports fans around the world. But, let?s not forget that scuba diving is again a dangerous and extreme sport with its own peculiar injuries and potentially life-threatening hazards. It?s logical that most scuba diving dangers stem from the effects of the increased water pressure of the sea environment, but sometimes dangers posed by sea inhabitants and faulty equipment also occur. Dysbarism of ascent (Decompression) and decent (Compression), known as barotraumas, are commonly happened to divers with effects that can range from discomfort and vomiting to paralysis and even death.

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Kayaking

Kayaking is indeed a fun sport, but surely not one without several associated risks. So, when taking up this water activity, sports lovers should first learn about its dangers and how to handle them appropriately. While the risk of capsizing may seem like an obvious danger, there are some less obvious dangers that are associated with this water sport. Remember that kayaking requires continuous paddling, so if you are not physically fit, you can exhaust yourself very soon. Make sure to also inspect all your equipments before commencing on a kayaking trip to avoid future dangers. Kayaking on flat water or 3- rapids is truly safe and the real dangers can occur when you start paddling grade 4+ water. The most likely fatal accident is due to hypothermia, following a capsize and subsequent failure to execute a rescue. Studies have shown that most often the victim is paddling alone and carrying no distress signals, or else the whole group of kayakers is in trouble making it impossible for the paddlers to take care of each other.