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John Lucas, an Englishman, first came to Goa in the
early 70s, a time when thousands of young Westerners like
him headed eastwards along the Hippy Trail. Disillusioned
with life in the West, these youngsters came
in search of a new life, which they thought the great
spiritual systems of the orient might have to offer.
And Lucas found his peace right here in Goa. A keen
windsurfer, he returned the next time around with his
board and rig. setting a trend that has made the
colorful sails as common a sight as the palms
themselves.
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Best Season for Water
Sports in Goa |
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The best season for enjoying water sports in Goa
is from October to May when the skies here are cloudless
and blue, and the waters
placid.
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Windsurfing is a unique blend of
surfing and sailing, which requires the surfer to adjust
his strength and balance to the changing patterns of
wind and water. By shifting his feet forward or
backward, leaning the weight to the right or left, and
manipulating the boom in or out, the windsurfer
modulates and harmonizes the fickle forces of wind and
water to obtain the desired balance and direction.
To the expert who has honed himself in all these nuances,
windsurfing can indeed be an exhilarating
experience.Most of the windsurfing trainers and experts
deems Dona Paula bay to be ideal for the beginners.
The conditions here are almost lake-like for both
the prevailing winds and the sea. |
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The morning breeze
is light and steady. just right for learners;
while stronger winds that set in during the afternoons
offer a perfect challenge for the more
experienced.
However, water sports have seen a
stupendous growth all along the Goa and have been
largely responsible for the first Windsurfing Regatta,
now an annual event. This, along with the Open Board
Sailing Competition that lasts up to a week, are events
that all water enthusiasts have come to look forward
to.
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A pleasant change from windsurfing is
dinghy sailing, often referred to as . beer
and sandwich. sailing. With the winds in Goa so gentle
most of the time, this particular sport offers its
participants much time to relax. Dinghies are available
for hire at the Cidade de Goa and the Taj Holiday
Village. These 15-odd feet long crafts hold three to
four people comfortably
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Scuba diving is also fast gaining popularity.
Underwater visibility in the more tranquil of
Goa. s bays and lagoons ranges from five to 10 meters.
Attractive coral heads, lobsters, bright colored fish,
and other marine life can be conveniently explored in
these shallow waters.
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For the speed freaks Goa offers the thrills of venturing
into the sea on speedboats. The . thoroughbred.
amongst these, can achieve speeds up to 30-40 miles an
hour. These crafts, which can carry between six to eight
people, are available at the Cidade de Goa, Oberoi, and
Taj Hotels. They can be conveniently used for
sightseeing as well as
water-skiing.
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The beaches of Goa offer a varied and plentiful, almost
inexhaustible, supply to seafood, still incredibly
cheap and absolutely fresh. Go to Betul for Goa.
s best and largest mussels, brought ashore by expert
divers. Go to Agonda (not to be confused with Aguada)
for all imaginable rockfish which, with any lucky, you
could angle yourself. Soormai, salmon and mullet are
frequent catches.
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High fliers amongst the speed lovers can opt for
parasailing. Both the Taj and Oberoi
hotels provide the necessary equipment for this
enthralling sport.
A more recent addition is the
water scooter. They are readily available
at Dona Paula jetty, Cidade de Goa, Majorda, Oberoi, and
Candolim
beach. To Know More Click Here
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[ How to Reach
Goa ] [ Water Sports in
Goa ] [ Churches of
Goa ]
[ Temples of
Goa ]
[ Culture of
Goa ]
[ Cusine of
Goa ]
[ Demography of
Goa ]
[ Fairs of
Goa ]
[ Folklore of
Goa ]
[ History of
Goa ]
[ Iconography of
Goa ]
[ Location and Climate of
Goa ]
[ Nightlife of
Goa ]
[ Old
Goa ]
[ City of Panaji
Goa ]
[ Wildlife of
Goa ]
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