Boating Yachting Sailing

Boating is back at Karanji Lake Nature Park after it was suspended for many months following depletion of water level.

Thanks to desilting of lake and copious rains, the lake has got back its original character, making way for resuming boating, one of the mainstays of the tourist destination.

No water hyacinth has grown on the lake surface and this has brought relief to the park managers as they believe that the water body had been freed from pollutants.

“Around 80 per cent of the lake is full and the remaining area will get covered after another spell of good rain. The lake has been fully refreshed, helping it to hold more water. This kind of ambience makes birds feel at home and breed,” said the park authorities.

On a sunny Saturday afternoon, the sun shimmers off the murky Adyar river as a fleet of boats swiftly slices through the water and participants row with furious intensity in a bid to finish first. At the 152-year-old Madras Boat Club, the finals of the Merchants, Bankers and Clubs Regatta 2019 (MB&C) is underway. The Regatta (a series of boating races) has a history akin to that of the club itself, and was initiated in 1900 by a group of merchants and bankers to promote the sport of rowing.

Rabindranath Rao, head of the organising committee, recalls how the British mercantile firms of Binny & Co, Parry & Co, among others, came together to compete, “The event was held every year since its inception until 2007. In 2017, it was revived as part of the 150th year celebrations of Madras Boat Club, in its new avatar as the Merchants, Bankers and Clubs Regatta.” With clubs across the city joining in, the third edition featured 10 teams, with the likes of RR Donnelley, India Cements Capital Ltd and Royal Madras Yacht Club taking part in 18 events across six days.

However, the actual training process begins three months earlier, with the assigning of coaches, chosen from among the senior oars persons at the club. The participants are then guided through the basics of the sport, slowly adapting them to water, an unfamiliar terrain for most. The participants are here at the crack of dawn, rowing until 8 am, with some even making it back in the evening to hone their technique. “We had to schedule a strict functional training programme, focusing on stabilising the muscles and building endurance. Winning a race is a team effort, it requires the whole crew to train together both on land and water, to make sure each one mirrors the movement of the other,” says Vishal Reddy, a member of the Cosmopolitan Club, who joined in for the second year.

As boats like the Novice Scull, Mixed Coxed Fours and Coxed Pairs take to the water, every race ends with the crowd chanting ‘take her home’, indicating the last portion of a race, when one is expected to put in an additional burst of energy, sprinting to the finish.

The atmosphere is competitive, but there is a sense of camaraderie, and Ajay Sethi, captain of the Nataraj and Venkat Architects team, adds, “Building team spirit in the sport continues at work and we have discovered that while work is important, rowing takes priority.”

Done and dusted

The light soon begins to fade, the club is awash with a soft glow and the scene is set for the most important races of the day — the Men and Women Coxed Fours. Fighting tooth and nail for the trophy, the crews display an intensity that makes it easy to forget that they are amateurs. As the men’s crew from Nexus Innovative Solutions surges to first place, the women’s team from the Madras Gymkhana Club clinches the gold, ringing in the Overall Championship for the third year in a row. The last boats glide smoothly over the water as athletes swing their bodies in rhythm; the coxswain joining in to count down the number of strokes to the finish. The sun sets and they sign off, triumphant from their victories, “3..2..1…Easy Oars!”

Contact Madras Boat Club at 24353190 for details on how to join the sport.

More than 80 million Americans every year take time to watch wildlife, making It one of the more popular and probably the fastest growing recreational activity on the continent. And you shouldn’t wonder why, because there are only a few things more exciting than seeing those majestic animals in their natural habitats – in the wild.

Viewing animals in nature is also one of the best ways to help you understand the importance of our roles as keepers of this planet. No one owns these wild animals, they belong to themselves and to Earth. But when you care for your planet and your surroundings, you provide significant value to both the wildlife and their environment.

Wildlife watching is an activity for almost everyone. You can start wildlife watching on any day of the year. Wildlife viewing can be tiring as a hike to the top of a mountain, or it can be relaxing as sitting back on a chair near a lake with a beautiful view. It can also be a part of your other outdoor activities like hiking, fishing, diving, boating, walking, trekking or hunting.

However, for proper wildlife viewing, you will need to have the proper equipment and knowledge. Here are some of the most-knows and must-haves when going on wildlife watching.

Get the right tools so you can enjoy your wildlife observation

If you want to get a closer view, do not try to get closer by walking since you could scare the wildlife away, or even worse, they might attack you if you spook them. Instead, get yourself proper binoculars so you can watch them easily and safely from a distance.

If you are looking to buy binoculars for your next trip for wildlife viewing, we recommend that you check out bestofbinoculars.com.

Be aware of your surroundings

When in a wildlife hotspot, make sure that you walk quietly so you can be more aware of your sights and the sounds around you. Usually, you can hear a lot more than you can see. If you see a baby animal do not approach it and do not assume that this young animal is abandoned by their parent. Usually, a parent will be very close and will be waiting for you to leave unless you get to close to their babies.

When observing wildlife, make sure you stay quiet and out of the way. The point is to observe their way of life, their ways of communication, feeding, sleeping, etc. The point is not for you to become involved in their lives and ultimately scaring them away from their homes.

Look for signs of wildlife

If you can’t manage to find the hotspot you have been looking for the last few hours, start looking for signs. Feathers, footprints, feces and other signs from animals can help you lead you to their hotspots. You will usually find these types of signs around drinking sites, perches, ledges, trail intersections and overlooks to open areas. For the best experience, you should watch wildlife either at dusk or dawn, because that is when they are the most active.

On my latest trip to San Diego, I joyfully filled my face, from Galaxy Taco’s grilled fish tacos to the Coronado Brewing Company’s Orange Avenue Wit. So it’s a good thing my visit was also filled with exciting, calorie-burning activities.

This warm Southern California city of 1.42 million is celebrating its 250th anniversary in 2019, and it’s building its 21st-century reputation as a soft adventure destination. Whether you’re a honeymooning couple, a family with high-energy kids or a solo adventurer, you don’t have to limit yourself to SeaWorld or Legoland to get your thrills safely.

Let’s check out five ways San Diego satisfies with soft adventure.

Ziplining with La Jolla Zip Zoom

I mimicked a starfish – arms and legs both out in a V – as I zoomed over a vast landscape with sagebrush and cacti bristling on stark mountains. Twisting and whooping in the wind at a top speed of more than 90 km/h, I finally came to a smooth halt on my first zipline run of the day.

The La Jolla Band of Luiseno Indians proudly operates La Jolla Zip Zoom in the Pauma Valley. Located about an hour’s drive from downtown San Diego, it’s California’s longest zipline at 6,273 feet, with four separate launch towers.

During a two-hour tour, guides not only ensure your safety, but also offer interesting facts about how the local native people traditionally made acorn soup and ascribed symbolic value to eagle feathers.

Speed Boating with Speed Boat Adventures

From 1963’s From Russia With Love to 2008’s Quantum of Solace, wild boat chases are staples in James Bond movies. Now, I didn’t go quite that fast (or get shot at by bad guys) on my 13-mile long, self-piloted San Diego Bay tour with Speed Boat Adventures.

However, I did enjoy fantastic views of the San Salvador, a reconstruction of the 200-ton galleon Spanish captain Juan Cabrillo sailed here in 1542, and also whizzed past sea lions and navy vessels in the San Diego Harbour.

It was easy to follow radioed instructions from my guide in the lead speed boat. Cormorants and pelicans plucked fish from the waves, and I laughed with glee as I roared full throttle toward the city skyline. Two hours just flew by.

Kayaking with Everyday California

The name of Everyday California, a La Jolla-based watersports adventure and rentals business, understates the excitement of taking their 90-minute sea cave and kayak tour.

There’s nothing “everyday” about exploring the protected La Jolla Ecological Reserve. In addition to paddling through seven surreal sea caves, you can spot sea lions lolling in the sunshine and orange Garibaldi fish swimming past your kayak. Summer brings sightings of leopard sharks, while winter sees gray whales migrating from Alaska to Baja California.

The luxurious, oceanside Pantai Inn partners with Everyday California to offer kayak tours for guests, as well as powerboating, yachting, and other options. After your water-based adventures, the inn – featuring Balinese-themed furnishings, fully equipped kitchens, and complimentary breakfasts – is just a 10-minute drive from Everyday California.

Falconry with Total Raptor Experience

Falconry is one of the world’s oldest sports and Total Raptor Experience provides group classes (up to 14 participants, $77 per person) at the Torrey Pines Gliderport in La Jolla. Learn how to handle falcons, hawks, and owls, from getting them to land on your falconry glove to engaging in simulated hunting exercises.

To really get interactive, you can go tandem paragliding with a trained instructor while a falcon flies next to you above the coastal cliffs. This is called “parahawking.” It’s $400 a flight, but a unique, unforgettable experience.

ATV Tours with SD Motorsport Rentals

Deserts can be dangerous places, as the exploits of Peter O’Toole in Lawrence of Arabia and Charlize Theron in Mad Max: Fury Road attest. For an alternative soft adventure in San Diego, take a guided ATV tour with SD Motorsport Rentals.

The Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area encompasses more than 85,000 acres of sandy desert terrain. Your SD Motorsport Rentals guides will show you how to ride Honda and Kawasaki ATVs safely up mud hills and sand dunes as high as 100 feet. Typically, these adrenalized tours run about four hours.

– The author travelled as a guest of the San Diego Tourism Authority and Visit California, neither of which reviewed or approved this article.

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