Bodyboards From Surfinghardware.co.uk

Body boarding and surfing are two popular surface water sports. Although very similar the two are considered to be different forms of water sport. The obvious differences being that body boards are shorter than surfboards. Surfing is one of the oldest sports on the planet whereas body boarding was only introduced in 1971.

Surfing has been around for centuries; however there is no solid record of when it actually began. However it is thought to have been discovered in the 1700's when Polynesians and Europeans first came into contact with each other. Captain Cook apparently witnessed a Tahitian surfing with a canoe. When the Polynesians settled in Hawaii they brought with them their surfing skills, the rest is history. Surfing has developed over the years to become a world renowned sport with surf competitions attracting thousands of spectators.

Many people associate surfing with Australia, however it is a worldwide sport, and is very popular in certain parts of the United Kingdom. For example one of the most popular places to surf in the UK is Watergate Bay, in Cornwall. Surfing is also popular in parts of Scotland, Wales and Devon. Believe it or not autumn is supposedly the best time to surf in the UK not summer.

Surfing and body boarding are both extremely physically demanding and should not really be attempted unless you know what you are doing. However there are now a wide range of places where you can learn to surf under the tuition of a qualified surfing instructor. Although it can be considered an extreme sport, it is very good for fitness and also for a bit of fun. It is definitely not something you should try if you are afraid of water or if you can't swim, for obvious reasons.

There are so many surfing hotspots around the world, and surfers travel the globe to find the best waves. The surfing community is strong with some of the top surfers such as Brett Simpson who recently won the U.S Open Surfing Championships and Greg Emslie who won the 2010 South African Surfing Championships. Many of the most well-known surfers attract huge sponsorship deals and are considered celebrities within the surfing communities.

Surfing has been the inspiration behind the body board or the "boogie board" which was invented in 1971 by surfer and musician Tom Morey. The boogie board has gained worldwide success and is now fully integrated into the extreme water supports culture. It does have its origins firmly planted in the surf board though, but it has gained a following all of its own. Both sports are considered to be extreme surface water sports and the two pretty much go hand in hand. Although dedicated surfers would not agree and the same goes for boogie boarders.