5 things I learned about skimboarding

I don’t skimboard. Let me get that straight.


a sunset panorama with skimboarding boys in the background at Station 1, White Beach, Boracay Island, Malay, Aklan, the Philippines


A long time ago, way back when I was stationed in Bali, I fancy myself that I’d learn to surf or at the very least, to skim, but I never did create the time to study it. Today, my body simply might not just hold up to the rigors of the sport.


boys with skimboards at White Beach, Boracay


I’m more now of a spectator, or better still, of a photographer of people who can. There are several things about skimboarding though that I found interesting. Learning trivia never hurts.




1. A skimboarding is sort of little surfboard that is used to ride on an incoming wave.

2. Surfing begins in the waters, often in the deep right where the surf breaks, but skimboarding starts on the beach, by “skimming” out to breaking waves and then riding them back to shore.




3. Skimboards, whether of the oval or teardrop shape, are basically shorter than surfboards, and when stood on end, can reach only up to the midchest.




4. Skimboarding is not limited in beaches as it can be done in lakes, rivers, puddles, or even wet grass.




5. Skimboarding can be done even in shark-infested beaches as skimmers can ride waves near the sand where waters are too shallow for sharks to enter.