It’s the middle of summer and the ocean surrounding Vancouver is warm and inviting. If you haven’t had a chance to take a dip in the Pacific Ocean this year, better hurry up. There’s not much time left!

Playing in the Pacific is a great way to spend a sunny day in the city. But don’t just restrict yourself to basic swimming. Why not use a dip in the ocean as an excuse to try a brand new sport? One sport that has really caught my attention at Vancouver beaches is Skimboarding. It looks a lot like skateboarding, but on the water.

In Skimboarding, riders use a broad oval shaped flat board to skim across very shallow water. Most skimboarding happens at low tide, when boarders can skim across the shallow puddles left along the beach. Boarders start with the skimboard in their hands and then run with the board to gain momentum, drop it on the beach and jump on to glide along the water.

To be a good skimboarder, you need to be in shape, and able to balance well on a board. For your first time, you might want to have someone help you buy running with you and throwing the board for you. Another idea is to simply walk and drop the board rather than running. The trick is not to jump on the board, but rather run or walk onto it. You want to feel comfortable on a moving board before you run and get a lot of speed.

If this all sounds a little daunting, you can sign up for a one week camp to learn how to skimboard from professionals. Check out http://www.windsure.com/skimboard.html for a schedule and cost of lessons. The lesson includes skimboard rental.

If you want to try the sport on your own, you can either purchase or rent a skimboard. The cost can vary from $20 to $150. You can find a cheap one at a bargain store, while genuine board shops sell very well made boards for upwards of $100. You also need to buy board wax fro the top of the board to keep it from getting too slippery.

If I’ve peaked your interest, here are some great spots to take your new or rented board for a test drive! Keep in mind that these spots are only great when the tide is out.

• Jericho Beach
• Spanish Banks
• Boundry Bay
• White Rock

Check out http://skimbc.com for more information on skimboarding in BC. (Photo Courtesy of Sporkist)