Adventure Sports

Taming the seas and skies in Goa

The passion of the sea. The excitement of the surf. The languor of a calm sail. The thrill of scuba diving. The headiness of parasailing. These are not just descriptions of adventure sports but also an eye opener to the adventure activities that abound on Goan beaches. Well, here's just another reason why you should head towards the beaches of Goa.

Goan beaches, for decades, have been ultimate travel destinations for national and international tourists. Swimming, sun bathing, beach parties, feni and relaxed holidays was the norm. However this definition has been undergoing a definite change. The recent years saw young entrepreneurs offering new thrills through adventure sport on Goan beaches. The fact that these sports caught the interest of the tourists, led to a boom and adventure sports is already a big industry in Goa.

So let's have a look at what Goa has to offer to the adventurous tourist. Of course the emphasis is on water sports to tap the potential of North Goa's extensive coastline. There's windsurfing, dinghy sailing, water-skiing, scuba diving, kayaking, rafting, water scooters, motor boats, parasailing, sailing and a host of other sports. The most popular ones are wind surfing, scuba diving, parasailing, water skiing, water scooters, motor boats and recently ski-banana.

Let's take windsurfing for starters. The sport has been catching the fancy of many and is one of the most popular water sports in the country. In fact national and international windsurfing tournaments are held every year in Goa. The craft used for the sport is called a 'sailboard'. It consists of asurf board with a sail attached to it in a way that allows free movement to the mast. The craft is light and designed for maximum speed. The beaches of Goa are ideal for wind surfing with gentle winds and surfs. The best months for a beginner are the winter and summer months, which anyway is the season to visit Goa. Dare devils who rather tackle more fiery winds and surfs, should think of coming here in the monsoon months.

Scuba diving is another favourite sport and has been catching the imagination of the average Indian, thanks to National Geographic and Discovery channels on TV. Goa offers plenty of opportunities for scuba diving. Not only are there some really professional water sports centres which offer really good scuba diving sessions but there are also certified institutes which offer courses to the beginner. Of the institutes that offer certified courses, National Institute of Water Sports is the best with its team of qualified professionals and 18 acre sprawling beach front in Caranzalem. It is the first and only government funded water sports institute in India. The other one is Goa Diving in Bogmalo. They too have certified instructors and have really exciting options to the experienced diver like regular diving sessions in the extensive coral reef of Angria Bay or Pigeon Island which are a couple of hours from Bogmalo beach.

Certified scuba diving lessons may be spread out over a few days or weeks and include pool training, theory and open water dives. On completing this training and several open water dives, you can take part in the adventure of exploring the world under the sea. Hand signals will be taught for communicating under water and with the scuba gear - flippers, a mask, wet suit, gloves, air tank and more - you can just dive in a new world. Scuba diving into a few wrecks dating to colonial Portuguese and British times are also conducted by some water sports centres.

Parasailing is very popular among the inexperienced adventurers. This sport does not require elaborate lessons like scuba diving or wind sailing. With a few instructions you can run off the beach with your para sail, while the boat tugs you into the skies. Paragliding can be experienced at Arambol, where the Western India Paragliding Association offers training and tandem rides. Paragliders are also hired out to qualified tourists. If you are serious about learning paragliding, the course starts with a theory session to give the newcomer an understanding of aerodynamics, weather conditions, understanding and reading wind, and the potential dangers of the sport. The equipment used is much lighter, with a glider (that looks something like a parachute) along with a harness. Flight is dependent on the existence of rising columns of warm air called thermals. Tandem flights use a wing large enough to hold two people, pilot and a passenger with the passenger taking a "joy ride".

The above sports are just some of the many thrills that are available. You can speed on a water scooter or a speed boat at Dona Paula, a leisurely sail on a paddle boat on the picturesque Mayem Lake, paraglide on the beaches of Arambol and Bogmalo, or try out the many water sports on the seven kilometre beach of Calangute. There are several private operators who hire out excellent equipment and training in water skiing, boat riding, rowing, sailing, snorkeling, deep sea fishing, etc.

And if you aren't much of an adventurer, there are other tame water sports for you like ski-banana where a long float is tugged at a heart stopping pace by a speed boat. Or you can go on dolphin cruises and full day desert island trips. There are several water sports centres that rent out cruise boats for private cruises, parties or business conferences. There are also plans on the anvil to introduce water sports packages to adventurous families.

For more information contact:

Government of India Tourist Office,
Communidade Bldg., Church-square
Panaji- 403001, Tel : 43412

Tourist Information Centre,
Tourist Home, Patto
Panaji,
Tel : 45583, 45715, 44757

Sources:

www.bharatnet.com/tourism/sailing.htm
www.the-week.com/98may31/sports.htm
www.traveljini.com/
www.goadiving.com/