Dancing on the Beach

By Chad Rutt

Florida’s Gulf coast is known for its miles of sugar-white beaches, championship golf courses, fishing, and endless musings (amusement parks, museums, and aquariums). One of the things that makes the coast such a great place to vacation is its great beaches.

Orange Beach

Orange Beach is located along the tip of Northwest Florida, along Alabama’s famous Emerald Coast. One of the greatest parts of Orange Beach is its 30-miles of continuous white sandy beaches and emerald shaded waters. When not at the beach, you will probably find yourself at either the golf course or aboard one of the many saltwater deep sea and back bay fishing boat excursions.

Known as the home of Red Snapper fishing, Orange Beach has one of the largest fishing boat fleets in the US. Both half-day and full-day excursions can be purchased, but you’ll have to pay attention to the time of year, as fishing is seasonal. If watching fish, rather than catching them is more to your liking, the Blue Dolphin Cruises is a great way to see dolphins while in their natural habitat.

Orange Beach also has several world-class, 4/5-star, championship golf courses.

Fort Walton Beach

Summer or winter, Fort Walton is always gearing up for some sort of celebration. In June, the Billy Bowlegs Festival kicks off with a four-day celebration of pirates and mayhem. In February, The Fort brings Mardi Gras to the Gulf with the Okaloosa Island annual Mardi Gras Celebration and Ball. The celebration includes the traditional New Orleans parade, food, beads, bauble heads, and costume.

Okaloosa Island, a barrier island separating Fort Walton from the Gulf, makes a nice day trip when vacationing at the Fort. The beach community offers 24 miles of sand and surf, charter fishing tours, and the Gulfarium marine park, which is the countries second oldest sea life exhibit and dolphin/sea lion entertainment extravaganza.

Fort Walton is also known for its 1,080 holes of championship quality golf courses.

Panama City Beach

Panama City does its best to entertain all age groups, and it does this no better than with its famous, award-winning, pristine beaches. Known as the second best beach in all of the Florida, Panama City does not limit itself to just its sandy white beaches and crystal clear waters. It is also known for its pirate ship tours, turbo engine speed boats, golf courses, and water parks.

Three noteworthy attractions of Panama City Beach are the Sea Dragon Pirate Cruise, Ripley’s Believe It or Not museum, and Shipwreck Island water park. The Sea Dragon Pirate Cruise is a two hour journey across the Gulf on a life-like pirate ship, while Ripley’s Believe It or Not, located on its own massive shipwreck, features the most bizarre collection of oddities and illusions you’ll ever see.

Shipwreck Island is Panama City’s premier water park, featuring slides, wave pool, and a lazy river.

Chad Rutt is the Director of Marketing for the online lodging site http://www.abetterstay.com and the Managing Editor of its accompanying Vacation Blog http://www.abetterstay.com/blog/

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By Anne Clarke

Windsurfing is a popular summer sport that a lot of people get into every year. It is a great way to get out onto the water and have a good time. You can enjoy getting up some speed and shooting over the top of the water, but you don’t have to invest in a boat. It is a sport that you can enjoy by yourself, or in a group.

Some people will pick up windsurfing better than others, but it really isn’t a difficult sport to get the hang of. The best way to get started in it is to find somewhere that you can take some lessons. There is no substitute for the opportunity to watch an expert do it the right way. Also, if there is someone who can point out exactly what you’re doing wrong, you will stop making those mistakes sooner. Everyone wants to know what they’re doing as quickly as possible so they can enjoy the water!

If you are a beginner to the sport of windsurfing, you should probably rent your equipment. If you can borrow a friend’s equipment for a weekend, this would work too. The point is to be sure that you will actually use any equipment you buy. There is no point in spending a bunch of money to buy your own equipment only to discover that you don’t like the sport as well as you thought you were going to.

There is specialized gear involved in windsurfing, and the most obvious piece is the windsurfing board. A flat board is probably the best choice for beginners, because it is designed to be very stable. You can move on to a course board once you have a good grasp on what you’re doing. These are made for speed, so they should only be used if you know what you’re doing.

There are fins on the board that you can replace if something happens to them. Some people think they need to be replaced right away, but this is not necessary. Generally if you buy a beginners board, the fins that come on it will also be made for beginners, and you should leave it the way it is.

Of course, the board needs a sail, or it won’t do you a whole lot of good. There are different materials used for sails, and there are varying degrees of quality that come with them. Monofilm is probably the best choice. It is clear, so it provides excellent visibility, and it holds its shape better than other common sail materials.

You also need to check how soft a sail is. The softer it is, the easier it will be to use. For beginners, Mylar or Dacron would probably be the best choices. For advanced windsurfers and those in competitions, there are fairly rigid sails that are made for ultimate speed and control.

The biggest rule when it comes to sails is to never buy a used one. They can be stretched out of shape or have damage to them that may not be noticeable upon cursory inspection. You don’t want to buy a used sail and be placed in a hazardous situation because of it.

While many beginners don’t think about it, you will want to look into harnesses. Having a harness helps to keep you from getting separated from your board. You will fall off your board occasionally, even once you are an experienced windsurfer, and getting separated from your board can be a very bad thing. Firstly, if you get separated from your board, there is a chance it will hit someone or something, damaging it and potentially other people. Secondly, it leaves you in the water and reduces your visibility, leaving you more vulnerable to being hit by someone else. This is why all smart windsurfers wear a harness.

Windsurfing is a great sport to get into if you love the water. You can enjoy the water and sun, and windsurfing equipment is also fairly easy to transport on top of a vehicle, so it doesn’t matter if you don’t live right next to a lake. Gathering lots of information and talking to people who are experienced in the sport is the best way to start.

Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for Web sites on gardening, parenting, fashion, and home decor. Her background also includes teaching, gardening, and fashion. For more of her useful articles on wind surfing, please visit Windsurfing Boards, your source for windsurfing equipment, lessons, and more.

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By Dianne Rein

Are you thinking of trying a night dive? It can be a little scary at first but once you try it, you’ll be hooked. It’s a whole new world down there. Here are some tips to make that first night dive go smoothly:

Keep it Shallow

A night dive is typically a shallow dive. I would say 60 feet is probably max with 30-40 feet more the norm. On our night dives we typically had a maximum depth of 35-40 feet.

Dive a Familiar Site

If this is your first time scuba diving at night, try and go to a site you are familiar with. In the Caribbean, many dive operators will do a night dive at a dive site that they went to during the day.

If you are thinking of doing the night dive, sign up to do a dive at the night dive site during the day. This way you will have some idea of what the area is like and may feel less apprehensive.

Get Some Light

You obviously need some dive lights when you are doing a night dive. It’s best to have a primary light and a backup light in case the first light fails. The secondary light can be small and could fit into your pocket.

You don’t need the biggest and brightest light you can find. In fact, it is fun, once you get accustomed to diving at night, to turn your light off and let your eyes adjust to the dark. You’ll be amazed at what you can see. Of course, it is up to you and get the light you would feel comfortable with while diving at night.

If you don’t want to turn your light off underwater (I’ve never had a problem turning it back on but you never know) you can always face it into your BC so you get the same effect.

Many dive operators will also attach a glo-stick or something similar to your tank. This makes it easier to spot someone underwater. One dive group may have one color, another group a different color or the divemaster will have a different color so it is easier to tell who is who underwater.

Please note that some areas do not allow the use of glo-sticks due to their chemicals. In this case, another device, such as a light, can be put on the tank.

Get Familiar With the Hand Signals

When you are night scuba diving, you need to discuss the hand signals before you begin your dive. Since it is dark down there, your buddy won’t be able to see your hands.

If you are on a dive boat, the divemaster will probably tell you what signals to use. If they don’t, just ask. There is nothing wrong with that.

A typical way to use hand signals is to shine your light on your hand so your buddy can see them. Another common night diving signal is to move your dive light in a circle to signify “OK.” Moving it up and down or back and forth can signify yes or no. Whatever you choose to use, just make sure you clarify before you begin the dive.

Take it Slow

There is alot to see at night. You will see a whole different world underneath at night than during a day. Take your time and look in those nooks and crannies.

The reef also looks brilliant and colorful in the beam of your light. Much different than during the day when you are diving deeper and the colors are absorbed.

Watch Where You Aim That Light

Be aware of where you aim your dive light. If you put the full force of that light beam into somebody’s eyes, you can momentarily blind them. It will take a little while for that diver to adjust his night vision again. So be careful.

I hope these tips will help make your first night dive a comfortable experience.

Have a great dive, Dianne Rein from www.scuba-diving-smiles.com.

Dianne Rein runs an online scuba diving guide. You can read her complete list of night scuba diving tips on her website. You will also be able to find boat scuba diving tips and air consumption scuba diving tips to help improve your scuba diving experience.

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By Cameron Branston

Scuba diving is often seen as an activity rather than a sport. By its nature it is uncompetitive and therefore there is no winning or loosing, right or wrong, simply fun and good times!

Many people see diving as an art and use it as a medium for expressing their creative ability. The likes include photography, film, dance, and lots more. Some people spend their life scuba diving and end up feeling more like fish than humans. When scuba diving you spend a lot of time observing the underwater wildlife and beautiful coral reefs. There are colours to see that you cannot imagine to see out of the water, the light reflects of the scales of many fish and produce an array of beautiful mixed colours. It is difficult not to get memorised and enjoy the stunning scenery around you.

Photography is the most common art form for scuba divers. You can aim to capture the menacing sharks of South Africa or concentrate on small macro fish that are smaller than a thumbnail. Cameras range from simple 50 pound cameras to 6000 pound cameras. You can use the same array of equipment under the water as you can above the water. About the only thing you cannot use is a tripod!

Underwater photography is very difficult to master and often skilled photographers take a time to adapt to the under water way of doing things. For starters the colours change every 5 metres so you need to use red filters to keep the red colour in your photographs. The light is constantly changing and reflecting off stirred up bottom silt sand and the surface of the water. Capturing wildlife is notoriously difficult and this is amplified underwater as the marinelife do not like you getting to close. They can quickly move behind a rock or adapt their colours as camouflage to the surrounding corals.

The first thing to master with any scuba diving art is buoyancy. Fish naturally remain bouyant as they have a buoyancy bladder that can keep them steady at the same depth underwater if they so wish. However, as a diver even breathing affects your buoyancy. Breath in and the air expands your lungs and you can move shallower, breath out and you sink. Controlling your breathing is key to good underwater photography.

Ironically many divers hold on to corals or rocks to steady themselves for the perfect photo. This is ironic as by holding on to the corals you can actually kill them, since they are trying to capture the beauty of the natural surroundings, killing the corals in the process is exactly ethical. If you are about to get into using art to express the wonders of the underwater world, please keep this in mind so the vibrant reefs stay fresh for many years to come.

Underwater filmography is very similar to underwater photography, except that you capture some amazing movement with film. You can move as if you are a fish and can relay an amazing perspective of marinelife, like how they breed, hunt, interact and behave.

Above all we hope you can share the underwater wonders with the world whilst keeping what you see intact. Enjoy the magical world and enjoy your art.

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