Given recent events surrounding the BP oil spill in the Gulf, we’re reminded now more than ever of the importance of keeping our beaches clean.

The Clean Beaches Coalition is a non-profit organization formed in 2006 dedicated to beach cleanups and preservation. Every year they release a list of the cleanest and healthiest beaches in the country that are “Blue Wave Certified”. These beaches have met or surpassed...

Michael Jordan wore his UNC shorts underneath his Chicago Bulls uniform during every game. Serena Williams wears the same pair of socks during every game of a tennis tournament. Third baseman Wade Boggs had to eat chicken before every game. All lucky rabbits feet and four-leaf clovers aside, superstitions are serious business to some people.

Superstitions are a huge part of sailing and boating history. While many of those myths have died out, some of them are still around today. It’s almost unbelievable that anyone was ever able to set foot aboard a boat with all the superstitions and bad omens that scared them so badly.

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There’s another Steve Wozniak from California that’s capturing headlines, and it’s not the co-founder of Apple, Inc. Prepare to have your ego deflated.

This Steve Wozniak is well on his way to completing his “Chase for 1,000”—an attempt to set a world record for catching 1,000 unique species of fish. Back in 2007, he was featured in an International Angler magazine when he had travelled through 48 different countries and caught 660 different species.

He’s been to some pretty rare fishing destinations, which probably has a lot to do...

Back in June, I posed a question amid the hullabaloo of Jessica Watson, Abby Sunderland and Laura Dekker all having a go at being the youngest person to complete a solo circumnavigation. How young is too young to sail solo?

Well, it seems that question has been answered by the Dutch court...

People frequently surprise me with their innovation when it comes to water sports. Just when you think something can’t be any more difficult, someone has to step in and kick things up a notch or two.

Which is exactly what the newest fad in water sports is doing. Combining two of the most challenging activities into one really, really difficult (and very rewarding) experience. The fairly new sport of stand up paddleboarding and the literally thousands of years old practice...

Let’s face it Wilmington, NC residents, this weekend will be another sunny scorcher and you’ll probably want to head down to the beach. Get out on the water this weekend and enjoy doing what you love—kayaking and fishing. And while you’re out there, why not raise the stakes a bit? Come out this Saturday and participate in the TJM Celebrity Charity Kayak Fishing Tournament down at Wrightsville Beach.

The Captain’s Meeting will take place this Friday July 30th at Hook, Line & Paddle in Wilmington at 6:30. They’ll go over the tournament...

The results of a study ranking the laziest states in the nation has just been released. I’m very sad to report that North Carolina has climbed to the top of the list as the United States’ 4th laziest state.

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There’s nothing worse than enjoying a water sport you love, just to get a tension headache from squinting or having your eyes tear up and sting from the sun. Actually, there may be something worse. Enjoying your chosen water sport with your favorite shades, just to have them fly off your face and into the water. That sucks too.

Fortunately, you don’t have to choose between going blind getting out on the water. There are a few things to look for in a good pair of water sports sunglasses: great UV protection, lens material, polarized lenses that reduce glare off the water, proper seal if you need to shield your eyes from the water, lens color if you want some extra protection from the sun, and, if necessary, prescription lenses. There are plenty of glasses that are water-friendly with all of these elements, even depending on your activity.

Barz...

I have a family friend, Carl, who used to do underwater maintenance for keels of large ships in the Navy. In order to keep him from drifting away with the current, he was strapped to the boat with a tether as he worked in full gear under the boat.

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There’s a condition that every single scuba diver is susceptible to experiencing. It has the same physically relaxing effects as alcohol, the mental calming provided by Valium or Xanex…and there is nothing you can do to prevent it from happening. This is known as nitrogen narcosis.

This condition is very hard to recognize by divers as it is happening to them, as it alters perceptions and decision-making capabilities. It happens as a result of inhaling gases in the scuba tank in deep waters, when...