OceanBREEZEWay

A huge number of Americans headed to boating activities after taking a simple advice from Tom Frieden, the former director of the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention in early 2020. Americans looked for ways to enjoy the outdoor recreation safely with family and friends making the sales of U.S boat hit a 13-year high in 2020, with the 10 percent increase of first time buyers compared to 2019 according to the National Marine Manufacturer Association.

In fact, after the pandemic shutdowns first happened in early 2020, some of the first public spaces and businesses to reopen were boat ramps and marinas after officials determined that getting out on a boat could be done safely and would help people to get through the worst of the COVID-19 shutdowns. Many new boaters can simply feel, instinctively, being around the water can be healing in and of itself just like what the research continually says. Feeling the sunshine and fresh air all around, and looking out over the blue water toward the horizon, leads most people to relax, to exhale, to feel rejuvenated even in times of great stress.

Peter Francis, boating division director for the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection said that boating or paddling could provide a refreshing outdoor escape during the COVID-19 pandemic. The escape doesn't have to be for long to provide a healing benefit. Researchers found that boaters felt the reduce in stress, anger, anxiety and they increase vigor, comfort, and a sense of feeling refreshed. The journal Frontiers in Psychology released in 2020 stated that as little as 10 minutes of being in a nature can have a positive effect compared to people in urban settings, also mentioned that people in natural settings tend to have a decrease in heart rate, cortisol levels, blood pressure, and more.

The science has proven that water is healing. Researchers at the University of Exeter Medical School in 2019 published a study that people who live near the ocean are 22 percent less likely to report depression that people who live inland. The benefit of body interacting with water helps lowered the risk of mortality by 17 percent, especially among women and older adults. According to a 2013 study, the sounds of bodies of water can help to reduce stress, this is proven by getting yourself within earshot of a lake, river, or ocean, and you will immediately feel better.

A best selling book, Blue Mind, looks at the scientific reasons for why being in, on or under the water can make us feel happier and healthier, written by Wallace J. Nichols mentioned "Simply the mere sight and sound of water promotes wellness by lowering cortisol, increasing serotonin, and inducing relaxation." he said that being on a boat is a type of medicine for reducing stress. Blue Mind as Nichols explains, is when we disconnect and logout, when we move away from the screens and we get out on the water and leave all of that technology and information behind. It's like giving a break to our brains and our brains love that.

There are more than just water benefit that you can gain from boating. Being on a boat usually means you’re exposed to great weather, in other words, you get plenty of sunlight. Regular exposure to sunlight is tied to a wide variety of positive mental health effects. During the midst of the corona virus pandemic in 2020, the Department of Homeland Security released a study related to the life cycle of the virus of non-living surfaces. The study detailed the anticipated times the virus can survive on surfaces given variations in temperature, humidity, and exposure to sunlight. Good news for boaters that the result of the study showed that the virus would die in approximately 2 minutes at temperature above 70 degrees Fahrenheit with relative humidity at 80% and direct exposure to sunlight.

Particularly, this type of scientific study gives concerns about the exposure of sunlight can also be beneficial for boaters to absorb the vitamin D from the sunlight. Other health benefits are the relaxation practice and physical activity that helps to ease out the stress level and enhance our mental health. So, the science is clear: Boating is good for your health and mind.

If you are interested to have boating excursion in Los Angeles area, please feel free to contact us. Our tours are packed with fun filled activities that will dazzle our guests. Create a long lasting memory for you and your friends. Tell us or suggest the destination and our crew will do the rest.