With its varied coastline and warm climate, recreational sailing has been a popular sport, and vacation activity, even before the first official sailing club was launched in 1950. Few pursuits in life exceed the pleasure of travelling by chartered yacht.
Seas and oceans captivated with their mysterious nature.
Few can dislike the escapism as the wind brushes back their hair and the blue azure vista surrounds them in all directions. The sea and the ocean spell mystery and a sense of the great unknown that has captivated adventurers since the beginning of time.
What could be healthier than taking to the open seas and exploring the waters surrounding the Australian coastline?
Offshore waters offer a territory unexplored by the masses, and it is for this reason that we choose to leave dry land once in a while and board a vessel exploring the coast surrounding our native islands. It’s possible to buy a boat, become a sailor and undertake this mission alone, but for the everyday person it makes much more sense to charter a boat for a day and a week and not be lumbered with the everyday task of maintaining a vessel full-time.
In Australia, sailing is a serious business. With 80,000 registered sailors and 16,000 sailing events organized in 2017-18 alone, the spirit of offshore adventure is alive and well. In Australia, sailing clubs are abundantly common, and a popular activity is to participate in a boat hire in Sydney Harbour tour and explore the local area.
Lifestyle choices are what keep us healthy both mentally and physically. Outdoor activities like boating have been proven by scientific research to benefit our sense of well-being. During the covid-19 epidemic the strain on mental health was evident and one of the first leisure industries to open and first public spaces were offshore. Officials claimed that getting out and sailing was far safer than, for example, playing a round of golf.
Roughly five million Australians engage in leisure boating across the country. The market as valued at $1.3M AUD in 2021 and looks to reach $2.1 AUD by 2027 demonstrating a potentially rapid growth In the interest of offshore adventure.
Sailing, apart from being a peaceful retreat, away from the crowds, also offers a plethora of health benefits. An October 2019 study by researchers from the Exeter Medical School in the UK published a study demonstrating that folks living by the sea are 22 per cent less likely to suffer from depression and anxiety symptoms in comparison with those who lived inland. The beneficial effects of what is termed “blue health” – the interaction with large bodies of water were especially high among lower-income households in the study groups. People living closer to water lowered mortality risk by as much as 17%. The natural protective effects of a marine lifestyle were noted especially among women and senior citizens.
It is not only the sight of water that heals – the sounds of waves and water help reduce stress, as noted in a 2013 study, With a lake, river, or ocean within earshot we immediately feel better.
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