Posted: December 13, 2022 at 3:45 pm
We all agree that we are dealing with numerous consequences due to climate change. Have you ever thought about why the water quality keeps getting poorer and causing issues in different terms?
If you are a pro surfer, you must be keen on the water quality because it can bring many disadvantages that many people are unfamiliar with. In this guide, we will discuss this matter along with some key points to give you a thorough idea of this topic. Stick around to educate yourself fully.
What is Surfboarding?
It is a board used for surfing, a famous sport where a person hinges on a wave. These boards are lightweight but rigid enough to easily hold an individual. The current boards are composed of polystyrene and polyurethane. Now people have also started using carbon fibre to enhance firmness.
There are different variants, types, and sizes of the board, and which one you should go with depends on numerous points, including your weight and expertise. For instance, if you have just started surfing, you can never make a bad choice. A few most significant and commonly used types of these boards are shortboards and longboards, which are further divided into different types, including fish boards, hybrid boards, mid-length boards, gun boards, fun boards, etc.
An important difference to know that comes to mind is surfboarding and wake surfing. On the internet, there is one common debate regarding wakeboarding vs wakesurfing, as many people consider both of them similar, but in reality, they are different. In wakeboarding, an individual doesn’t lose rope throughout the riding duration, but the situation is the opposite in wake surfing. The user rides on the board without any rope or any other accessory.
How Polluted Water Affects Your Surfing Ability
If you are a pro surfer, you must know the cause, but for those who have just started surfing, this question is valid, and you should be familiar with the answer. The main topic is how water quality affects your surfing skills or what are the key factors that depict how polluted water causes trouble while surfing. Here we have made some points that might answer your query.
1- It Causes Different Diseases
Polluted water allows for the presence of many harmful chemicals that are inadequate for any swimmer or surfer. They contain enteric pathogens, a harmful disease found in the intestine. In 2000, a beach act was passed where it was demonstrated that how harmful pathogens are for your health and it is more dangerous for children. (Scott, 2017). A few other typically found diseases due to this water are stomach flu, skin rash, vomiting, diarrhea, etc. If we look at history, many surfers have confronted this inconvenience only because of low-quality water. Hence, it is crucial to ensure good water quality because it affects your health.
When you become ill due to poor water quality issues, you will invite many infections that might be long-lasting. Unfortunately, it will also affect your surfing skills. There are a few regions where the rainfall ratio is high but the water quality goes down so it results in different kind of bacteria. Moreover, while surfing, you often get cuts and water enters those cuts resulting in microbial pathogens.
2- It Invites Allergies
This is another common symptom that every surfer has to deal with when facing poor water quality. The allergy can be to the face, ear, hands, etc., impacting your ability to surf. A survey revealed that it not only impacts your physical health but also has adverse effects on your mental health, so one has to be extra cautious about water quality.
3- Increases the Risk Level
More than 70% of surfers consider surfing in polluted water a risk, and one should never take it. As clearly mentioned, it brings a lot of diseases that sometimes take ages to heal. Hence, one should never risk it at any cost. Moreover, as compared to swimmers, the water intake of surfers is almost 10 times the amount, so they are likely to absorb all harmful bacteria and allergens.
4- Exposure to Pathogens
A pathogen is a virus or bacteria commonly found in polluted or low-quality water. If you are surfing in such water, the chances of different diseases multiply, including hepatitis and other deadly problems.
The Source of Pollution in Water
Have you ever noticed why the water where people swim or surf gets contaminated? There are a few oceans where the risk of polluted water is high. As a surfer, you are most likely to come into contact with these diseases because water intake is higher. It can be caused due to rain storms, or it might be due to heavy rainfall. If the sewer system is not good, it can cause much trouble.
It is also vital to keep all the oceans clean and healthy so that the water remains fresh and safe. The pipe leakage is another main concern because, in many oceans, the pipes were formed many years ago, so they are no longer as effective or strong enough. Due to pipe leakage, many harmful gases enter the water and produce different viruses. These little problems create a big difference, so better have a check on all these factors before getting into the water.
The Ending
As a beginner, it is not possible to facilitate yourself with every information regarding surfboarding; that’s why this guide is here to cover all the queries that might create trouble in the future. Low-quality water is harmful in every sense, whether you are a swimmer or surfer, so one must always avoid it to stay fit all the time. This guide gives the key factors of polluted water to warn all surfers who have just begun their careers.
The main thing to notice is why the water is polluted in the first place, such as a result of climate change. On the other hand, we have also covered wakeboarding vs wake surfing to give you an idea about the differences between both shares. Also, look at the complete Swim Guide and brace yourself with all the crucial points that will assist you in making your surfing experience better and building a healthier water-loving community in the future.
