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History of surfing essay
Paragraph about the history of surfing
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Surfing
Surfing has been a sport enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of people around the world. It originated in Polynesian culture as a religious ceremony mainly practiced by the royalty. Having been introduced from the Hawaiian Islands roughly 60 years ago, it has become a common practice in virtually every coastal beach break throughout the USA and numerous places around the globe. When one goes surfing there are three basic stages that are repeated in a surf session: getting out to the line up, waiting for the wave, and catching a wave and riding it in.
First off, one has to get to a beach break where there are rideable waves. Once there, one gets his/her leash and firmly straps it to the ankle. Depending if one's surfing stance on the board is Regular footed (left foot in front) or Goofy footed (right foot in front), the leash is normally strapped on the trailing leg. Taking the board in hand, one jumps into the water resting his/her chest on the center of the board, and begins paddling in a smooth and controlled fashion. As the whitewater from the crashing waves get closer and closer one has to submerse oneself along with the board under the wave, this is called "duck diving." In order to not get caught by the wave's force and washed off the board, this procedure has to be performed with proper timing and technique. In most cases it takes a lot of practice to properly master, even then, one is at the wave's mercy. To make matters even more challenging, other surfers have to be accounted for. Depending on how crowded the surf break is, the possibilities of getting hit or run-over by other surfers is predominant. Meanwhile, several "duck dives" later one has reached the "line-up" and has an opportunity t...
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...he face of the wave. Once surfing the wave, skill and ability permitting, many tricks and maneuvers can be done. But in many cases just simply "surfing" the wave for what it is, can suffice to make one smile in awe of such an incredible experience.
Immediately after the wave has finished (assuming there wasn't a "wipe out") the three stages begin to repeat themselves over and over again. For the most part a session usually lasts anywhere from 1 to 5 hours, depending on the quality of the wave and how much time one has. It eventually becomes an addictive process, each stage with it's own set of challenges and rewards. But when one's last wave of the session has been ridden into the beach and the leash has been wrapped around the board and arms stretched, a sense of gratitude for the ocean sets in and the rest of the day is put into a positive perspective.
The process of becoming a seal is broken down into three different phases, Phase 1, Phase 2, and Phase 3. “The first phase starts with a bang and ends with a boom,” says Travis Schweizer, a twenty-three year-old Seal. Phase 1 consists of a two and three-mile timed run, physical training, one to two mile ocean swims, and a gut burning obstacle course. These items are a part of everyday delight for these men. Phase 1 lasts for approximately eight weeks and that is only if you do not get set back.
Those who do typically like to get the most out of their money and take advantage of all the opportunities on the islands. Surfing is popular lifestyle that society pairs with Hawaii. The near-shore waters that range from deep blue to turquoise are often tempting; however, many vacationers do not understand how dangerous Hawaii’s currents can be. Since Hawaii is located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, the ocean bottom tends to drop off quickly, which causes big and powerful waves. Annually, sixty people drown or are seriously injured by the rip currents of the treacherous waters. Earlier this year, famous singer Britney Spears vacationed on the famous beaches of Hawaii. In a recent interview, so revealed she almost drowned at sea. “I went out and I thought it was like a wave pool, and I thought, ‘This is so nice and refreshing,’ but the thing I didn’t think about is when you come back the waves really come in strong.” Spears got sucked in and kept getting pulled back to sea. She was under for about five minutes before one of her security guards noticed she was struggling and was able to rescue her (Bacardi). A majority of the beaches fly a red warning flag year-round to warn beachgoers of the hazards. If one does find himself trapped in the middle of a current, it’s important to remain calm. Do not try to swim against the tide. Instead, swim parallel to the beach until the current
He doesn’t understand why what he has seen or read in magazines isn’t true, but he comes to realize that it’s not what you see, literally it’s what you see when you can’t see. This also applies to the action in Ground Swell, you can see the wind blowing the waves and the waves crashing against the boat, but you cannot fully see the picture which can lead to confusion by the person viewing the painting, but you can see people in the picture and when you look at things from their point of view you can then see that their focus is on the buoy that is afloat. This buoy is also a symbol of unknowing. For the painting, the repetition that makes up the waves shows small movement in the art, which is a part of minimalism.
Roping is a sport that most believe simply to be timing and performance of the cowboy and the cattle. However, roping is actually much, much, more. One quality that is necessary for a roper to be successful is momentum. Momentum is the quantity of motion of a moving body, measured of a product of its mass and its velocity (Jones). This concept of momentum can determine what results are obtained by the roper. For example, when a cowboy rides a horse and the horse accelerates, the mass of cowboy and horse together gain momentum. In contrast to that the cattle that leave the shoot and accelerate to escape the rope also gains momentum. The amounts of momentum determine how far each can run in the arena before the rope makes contact with the animal. Another concept that relies on momentum is the rope itself. The cowboy is required to swing the rope with enough momentum to make the loop stand out a sufficient amount so that it is extended and open enough to secure around the animals head or heels.
Wakeboarding is a water sport in which a rider holds onto a rope attached to a moving boat and is able to surf, jump, and twist along the water. Wakeboarding can be very challenging as a beginner, but once mastered it can also be a very exhilarating experience. Although it may look easy as a spectator, wakeboarding is not a walk in the park, and many beginners experience anxiety while first learning the sport. However, people can overcome this fear through determination and instruction from an experienced wakeboarder.
Surfing has come a long way since it was first conceived (roughly 1500 years ago). From the Polynesian “watermen” and Hawaiian Kings, to the European takeover in Hawaii and surfing's American debut in the early twentieth century and all the way through present day, surfing has had a rich history. Over the decades, surfing has fit in to a number of roles in society, but whether we surfers are seen as beach-bums or heroes (as of late), we still surf only because we love it, because the ocean’s calls us, because nothing else on this planet can create the sensation felt by riding a wave.
Britton, Veronica. "The Origins of Surfing." The Sport of Kings. N.p.. Web. 6 Dec 2013.
started surfing at Waimea Bay where the waves could reach up to around thirty feet high on a
Gambling in the form of traditional games has always been a part of many American Indian tribes’ cultures. Though many tribes began using other forms of gambling, this continues today. However, the use of gaming to obtain profit was not as successful until the late 1970's and early 1980's. It quickly grew from an industry that made $100 million annually to over $22 billion annually. Gambling started with simple games such as bingo and continued to grow until the states the tribes were in eventually took notice. Additionally, because of the rapid growth of the gambling industry some tribes used this to better their ailing economies. As more states started to take notice of the increased amount of income the tribes were bringing in, the states’ governments began questioning whether it was a legitimate operation or not. In response states began lobbying for the Federal Government to regulate Indian gaming. The states wanting to both counter infiltration by organized crime and tax income gained by Indian gaming. Tribes fought the states to maintain tribal sovereignty and to protect gaming revenues for further economic development and support. Congress responded with the set of compromises which then evolved into what is now known as the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988. The Act separated Indian gaming into three separate classes with a different regulatory scheme for each.
To do a front dive a diver pushes his hips upward just slightly as he leaves the board. After he had begun to go up into the air, he throws his arms downward just enough to make is upper torso rotate around his hips. At the peak of the dive, the diver tightens his stomach muscles and pulls his legs up towards the sky, leaving his body in a perfect upside-down position to enter the water head-first.
...n. When a sting ray swims past you or a jelly fish is there in the water beside you, again there is a realization of just how much is going on under the water that is not seen. The waves can make you feel so insignificant when you get tumbled head over heels in the water and you have no control over yourself. Only after experiencing this can the powerfulness of the waves be realized.
For those who are curious about fishing, but never seem to have any luck, here are a few simple guidelines to follow which will have you reeling them in in no time. Catching fish can be really easy to do if one has the correct equipment, location, weather, and presentation.
"People either love it, or they hate it," Fred proclaimed again, for the umpteenth time. His reddish face almost glowed against the gray sky. The combination of giddy grin, round cheeks, and fine, yellow, tousled hair yielded a face far too boyish for a man in his mid-fifties. But the always-present twinkle in Fred's eye was ever so slightly diminished today, and I knew why: he feared that his intuition might be mistaken and that I might not, after all, take to today's activity. His concern was compounded by weather; it was far from ideal for this, my first sail. Why was it so important to him that I like sailing anyway?
Earth is the only planet in the Solar System that has liquid water. The ocean contains ninety seven percent of the earth’s water and covers almost three quarters of the planet. There are four different oceans, the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, and the Arctic. Tides and currents occur in all three of these oceans. Many different kinds of fish and mammals also make their homes in these oceans. All of these oceans are connected to each other in some way. Humans find oceans to be very interesting, beautiful, and exploring.
This lukewarm water was deceiving though, because it only seemed lukewarm due to the drop in temperature and misty rainfall. The waves were rushing toward me like a bull to a matador’s red flag. My mouth tasted as if someone dumped a whole shaker of salt on my tongue. The wave pushed my further and faster as it I could feel the wave breaking on my body and there I was back at the shallows again floating in with the white wash and was ready for another wave. As I stood back up and ran back out to the deep water I saw one of my surfing mates catch the most perfect barrel it was rad. It would have been a great snap shot. I caught another wave, this one was even bigger. The thrust of the wave was twisting my body and I was pulled towards the sea