Melissa Swanson AqP Press Release

MELISSA SWANSON attained the
Association of Aquatic Professionals Aquatic Professional (AqP) designation

Melissa Swanson, Founder of The Swimming Swan, LLC has fulfilled the requirements and attained the Aquatic Professional (AqP) designation with the Association of Aquatic Professionals (AOAP).

Becoming a designated AqP identifies distinguished professionals who are leaders in the aquatic industry and are committed to continual aquatic education, certification and professional development. The AqP core requirements include current membership in the Association of Aquatic Professionals, possession of several industry specific nationally recognized certifications, education and/or experience requisites, verified completion of professional development sessions, and successfully passing an AqP written exam.

Established in 2016, the AqP designation was developed to set aquatic professionals apart from their peers and to be recognized for their expertise and achievement. This two-year designation requires aquatic professionals to continue their pursuit of education, training and certifications to renew their designation. The commitment of this frequent development displays a direct service benefit to the advancement of the aquatic industry.

The Association of Aquatic Professionals welcomes our newest Aquatic Professional Designee. AqPs represent a diverse group of professionals, all of which are dedicated to improving the quality of life of their communities through the provision of superior aquatic opportunities. More information on the AqP designation is available at https://aquaticpros.org/aquatic- professional-designation/

The Association of Aquatic Professionals is a domestic 501(c)3 Non-Profit Corporation that exclusively promotes and advocates policies, practices and procedures that contribute to safer and improved aquatic education, recreation activities, programs, and facilities. The Association supports its membership through the provision of aquatic education opportunities, research in the field of aquatic management and safety, and coordination between established aquatic associations responsible for all aspects of aquatic programming, management, operations, maintenance, and aquatic facility design. Additionally, the Association produces an annual conference and free educational resources for communities on drowning prevention and water safety.

The article is brought to you by: The Swimming Swan

from The Swimming Swan LLC https://theswimmingswan.com/melissa-swanson-aqp-press-release
via https://theswimmingswan.com

The History of Surfing!

How it all began – The History of Surfing

 

By: Rose Beasley

Surfing is one of the most popular coastal sports and pastimes in the world. Come Hell, dangerous rip tides or threat of shark attacks, nothing can keep a surfer from running into the water to catch a wave. Like many sports, surfing has a rich history surrounding it.  In fact, it wasn’t event called “surfing” when it started.  The original term was surgo, a Latin word meaning to rise or stand up.  After all, surfers have to climb onto the board and then stand up in order to ride the waves.  Something else to consider here is that the waves and the tide also rise.  The origin of this word dates back over 2000 years.   Talk about the splash of ages!

Surfing references were first discovered in Polynesia. Cave paintings from the 12th Century showed people riding on waves on what appeared to be some type of board. In the course of seafarings, Polynesians brought surfing to Hawaii and the sport exploded in popularity. Surfing in Hawaii wasn’t just a fun activity but also an important part of the religion. The process of choosing a tree from which to carve your board was vital and religious rituals were practiced during the surf board shaping. The ceremonies served as protection and to secure the gods’ goodwill. Everybody surfed back then regardless of age, sex, or social position.  However, there  was a strict rule system in place that regulated who could surf on which spot. In other words, the most popular of the tribe got the pick of the beach.  According to legends passed down from many generations of Hawaiians, the chief of a tribe was chosen not by birth but by who was the best surfer.  This has not been confirmed as fact or fiction.

 

The first written heritage about the history of surfing was found in the diary of a man named James Cook who was a European captain who discovered new lands and the amazing  surfers on the island of Hawaii. The colonization of Hawaii began shortly after that when Christian missionaries began traveling there. The approach of life had been remarkable before the strangers arrived. Sadly, the settlers changed everything.  The Hawaiians were now forced to wear the clothing of the settlers, made to attend church frequently, and to send their children to the new school.  During this time, surfing lost its once strong influence but never vanished completely.

Eventually, surfing began spreading and gaining popularity around the world. One place that is now always associated with surfing is the great state of California.  Southern California developed a special culture around the surfing lifestyle that attracted many people wanting to enjoy life more fully. This culture really took off in the 1960s when surf themed movies and music became an international phenomenon.  Although that time has passed, the lure of surfing is still present and thriving. I imagine it will be for another 2000 years or more.

 

 

If you would like to learn more about surfing and its history, click on the links below!

www.surfertoday.com

www.centralhome.com

www.planetsurfcamps.co.uk

 

check out the link below to check out the Best Surfing Beaches in San Diego!

The Best Surfing Beaches in San Diego

This article is brought to you by: The Swimming Swan

from The Swimming Swan LLC https://theswimmingswan.com/the-history-of-surfing
via https://theswimmingswan.com

The 2021 Summer Olympic Games are Open!

The 2021 Summer Olympic Games are Open!

By: Rose Beasley

Today is the day! The long awaited Tokyo Summer Olympics are now open after being delayed for a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.   The Summer games begin with the opening ceremony on July 23 and are scheduled to run through August 8. However, some events took place before the opening ceremonies.  Soccer, baseball, and softball events were held on July 21 and July 22. It is not uncommon for Olympic games to commence before the opening ceremony, especially in regards to Summer games.   The early start is often a consequence of a tight schedule and extended tournaments that sometimes require longer than the Games’ accustomed 17-day window.

Swimming is anticipated to be one of the most viewed events in the opening days of the Olympics as swimmers from around the world will be competing July 24 through August 4 in 37 different events with a total of 111 medals up for grabs.  Since swimming is such a big part of our hearts here at Swan Aquatics Water Safety Services, we’d like to share a little bit of history surrounding the event in the olympics.

Swimming has been part of the Olympic schedule since the beginning of  modern Olympic Games in 1896. Swimming is one of only four disciplines to have been retained by appearing in every summer Olympics since the others being athletics, artistic gymnastics and fencing.  In the early years, Olympic swimming events were male-only. Women’s events were introduced at the 1912 Games in Stockholm.  Although, women initially only competed in two events, the 100m freestyle and 4×100m freestyle relay. Experimental beginnings brought some rather unique events to those early Games. At the inaugural modern Olympics in Athens, swimming events included the 100m freestyle for sailors, which only members of the Greek navy could compete in. Until the London 1908 Games, Olympic swimming events took place in open water. This left the swimmers at the mercy of the elements, contending with the weather and waves. Luckily, things were about to change for the better.

The post-World War II era brought better technology, facilities and training. This resulted in greatly improved times compared to the early wave-fighting competitions. Competitive pools also saw great change during this time in history and it led to the move from outdoor swimming to indoor swimming tournaments. The introduction of drainage in Olympic swimming pools, marked lanes in 1924, and guidelines for pool depths all contributed to a better overall standard of competition in the years that followed.

This year has history making in the works as Tokyo 2021 marks the start of a new era for the Games. For the first time in history, men’s and women’s events will be identical in number, distance and discipline. At the previous games in Rio back in 2016, there were 32 events. However, there are now 35 events  with 18 of them being for both men and women. The 35th event marks a new standard in Olympic history because Tokyo 2020 will be include the mixed 4×100m medley relay. In this new gender-mixed race, both men and women will compete together in the same teams.

So beat the summer heat wave moving across our great nation right now and kick back on the couch with the family to cheer on Team USA in swimming and all over events taking place at this year’s Olympic Games. Remember that there is a 13 hour time difference between our Eastern Standard Time (EST) and Japan so check your local listings for when you can catch a replay of the events.  USA! USA!

This article is brought to you: The Swimming Swan

from The Swimming Swan LLC https://theswimmingswan.com/the-2021-summer-olympic-games-are-open
via https://theswimmingswan.com

SharkWeek 2021

 

By: Rose Beasley

SharkWeek this year brought us some incredible adventures, awesome celebrity hosts, and all the sharks we could handle.  It also brought us programming to remind us of just how deadly an encounter with one of these magnificent animals can be under the wrong circumstances. Spending time in the ocean, particularly the waters off southern California’s coast, is a great way to relax, exercise, and have fun with family and friends.  However, it is important to remember that the ocean is not a giant swimming pool and that every time we enter the water we are guests in someone else’s home.  Knowing what types of sharks are residents in the beautiful waters on San Diego’s coast can help us be more aware of who we are sharing space with when we go into the ocean.  Although shark attacks here are exceedingly rare, several species of sharks are very common in our waters.

 

Between five and 10 species of shark live within about a mile of shore in the San Diego area. These include the leopard shark, smoothhound shark, sevengil shark, swell shark, soupfin shark, and the infamous great white shark.  The leopard shark is the most near to shore and they are completely harmless unless provoked. Every year, thousands of leopard sharks head to the shores off the coast of La Jolla Shores to mate and then hatch their young. The warmer waters here provide an ideal temperature to incubate, and the sharks will typically stay for up to six months to complete the process. Snorkeling alongside them at La Jolla makes for an incredible afternoon out with the family. End of August and September are usually the best times to see La Jolla Leopard Sharks because  this is towards the end of the mating season and there are higher numbers of sharks. The ideal time to go is during the day, when there are calm waters and it’s sunny making them easier to spot!

 

 

The Soupfin shark has a very odd name so we will take a look at it next. This shark can be identified by a few notable characteristics. Its body, like the Leopard Shark, is long and somewhat slender. But, its snout, unlike the Leopard Shark and even the Sevengill, is very pointed. However, with it’s overall grey coloration,  fade-transition to a white underbelly, a triangular dorsal fin and a second dorsal fin directly superior and proximal to its tail, it can appear to be a scaled down Mako or Great White shark to the untrained eye. Soupfin Sharks wander into shallower waters during the late spring to early summer for reproduction. After spawning, they’ll head out to slightly deeper waters. Sadly, their population is still in the process of bouncing back after being over fished for so many years.

 

 

Other species live in the ocean beyond a mile, including makos, blue sharks and thresher sharks.  Aggressive and scary looking, the Mako Shark is the fastest shark in the world. It can clock in at speeds of 60 mph and has an extremely streamlined body that is shaped like a torpedo that helps minimize drag as it cruises through the water. They are outstanding food and game fish, prized for their fighting qualities and repeated leaps out of the water. They are considered dangerous to humans because of the speed which it can attack and its ability to jump into the fishing boats. Luckily, the Mako prefers to stay in deeper waters away from swimmers and snorkelers.

 

The last shark we will take a look at needs no introduction.  The Great White Shark has been an image of nightmares since the release of the movie JAWS.  Large, powerful, and responsible for more attacks on humans than any other shark species, this shark carries a big bad reputation.  However, the truth is that JAWS here is not an ocean bully.  He is simply doing what sharks have done for millions of years – survive! Most people expressly fear the great white shark and consider it a man-eater predator. Definitively, it is a powerful, aggressive and efficient predator, but it has no preference for humans. The attacks usually happen because of the shark confusing a person with prey like seals and sea lions.  As a consequence, they give a “test bite,” but it is unlikely that it keeps eating once it finds that it is not its usual food.

Sharks don’t swim in the ocean for fun or sport.  They are there because it is their home and natural habitat. Sharks are not out to get humans but do unfortunately test us out to see if we taste good like their usual meals. Remember to always be respectful of their home and educate yourself about ways to avoid a bad encounter when sharing the water with them.

If you missed any of the amazing programs from SharkWeek you can still view them on the Discovery Plus app. Also, Shark Fest is in full swing on the National Geographic channel.

 

This article is brought to you by: The Swimming Swan 

 

from The Swimming Swan LLC https://theswimmingswan.com/shark-week-2021
via https://theswimmingswan.com