Water Sport

Magnet fishing is just what it sounds like: fishing with high-powered magnets instead of bait. It's grown in popularity over the last few years, but why? And what exactly are people fishing for?

By Alia Hoyt & Allison Troutner

The North Shore is known as the "Seven Mile Miracle" because of the epic surfing within a 7-mile stretch. It's also where the Triple Crown of Surfing competition runs from Dec. 21 until Jan. 21, 2022.

By John Donovan

As summer heats up and starts to sizzle, what could be more fun and refreshing than an inflatable backyard pool of cool? Here's what you need to know before you buy one.

By Laurie L. Dove

It's just about vacation and pool season. But do you know exactly what you're swimming in?

By Kristen Hall-Geisler

A quixotic aquatic attempt to traverse the ocean between Florida and Bermuda got the Coast Guard involved, and not for the first time.

By Chris Opfer

The surfboard must be one of the simpler sports accessories, right? All you need is a board to stand on and some gnarly waves. But to get to modern surfing, the surfboard had to undergo lots of changes.

By Brian Boone

For years, people have been discovering the beauty and simplicity of canoe fishing. What's the best way to outfit your canoe without overdoing it -- or capsizing?

By Jane McGrath

Do you experience pain in your ears when you fly? Then you've encountered barotrauma. What causes that pain, and will it resolve on its own?

By Jacob Clifton

Ditch the oar! Now you can power your personal watercraft with the power of your lower body. This twist on the classic kayak sounds fun, but is it really better than paddling?

By Jacob Clifton

When summer's finally here, visits to the pool are high on most kids' lists of demands. Whether you're hanging out in the backyard pool or heading over to the local swimming hole, it's important to keep your children safe.

By Christine Venzon

Your family pool may seem like a safe haven in the middle of a hectic and complex world, but the fact is, any water feature can be a serious safety hazard. The Swimming Pool Safety Act is in place to keep the fun in and the fear out.

By Sara Elliott

Rivers can seem benign enough -- until their white-water rapids chew you up and spit you out. Which are the most aggressive?

By Garth Sundem

We can't breathe underwater, but we still want to see what's down there. When did man first start thinking up ways to explore the sea?

By Charles W. Bryant

Before submarines, man lowered himself down into the water in a diving bell. How did these contraptions work?

By Charles W. Bryant

People who enjoy board sports often have a need for speed. But many -- especially those who don't have access to hills or ramps -- don't know how to get it. How can a simple bungee cord help solve this problem?

By John Kelly

Hydrospeeding is a popular extreme sport that involves riding torso-length boards down fearsome river rapids. It's fun, but you should do a little research before you hit the water.

By Elizabeth Sprouse

Black water rafting is a new take on both spelunking and tubing. What's it like to tube through a cave?

By Julia Layton

Cliff diving is an extreme sport that involves hurling your body from dangerous heights and freefalling at deadly speeds, so how do cliff divers live to dive another day?

By Heather Kolich

Kayak surfing draws water sport enthusiasts who want to tackle more waves at high speeds. What exactly does this sport entail, and how does it differ from traditional board surfing?

By Sarah Winkler

Those big, classic wooden surfboards might look cool on TV, but that doesn't necessarily mean they'll work well for you when you take to the waves. What other styles of surfboards are available, and how do you know which is right for you?

By Gerlinda Grimes

It's similar to waterskiing in that you're riding the waves made by a boat, but wakeboarding offers stability that can make jumps and tricks much easier -- if you have the right board. What makes one wakeboard different from another?

By Brian Boone

Whether you're on your way to paddle a raging river or a placid lake, you must first find a way to get your boat to the water, but what's the best way to transport a kayak?

By Melissa Sandoval

Whether you're a beginner skier or a seasoned trick skier, which ski you choose will affect your performance. What should you know about skis before you make a purchase?

By Patrick J. Kiger

If you live far from the ocean but enjoy catching waves and hanging ten, then wakesurfing, or surfing behind a boat, may be the sport for you. But can a boat really mimic the ocean's waves?

By Jacob Silverman

It's hard enough to swim down and touch the drain in the deep end of the pool. Can you imagine diving 700 feet into the ocean's depths without oxygen? How do these people do it?

By Patrick J. Kiger