Tag: lake lifestyle

Possum Kingdom to Host Cliff Diving World Series

Posted on Staff

The tenth annual Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series is jumping off June 2 at Texas’ Possum Kingdom Lake.

The first of seven international stops on the World Series circuit, Possum Kingdom is a series Hall of Famer, making its fifth appearance in the competition since 2014.

Following only Azores, Portugal; Polignano a Mare, Italy; and La Rochelle, France, Possum Kingdom has hosted the fourth most Cliff Diving Series competitions in the event’s 31-location footprint.

The lake’s prominent rock formation, which features two cliffs that reach heights nearly three times that of Olympic diving platforms, “Hell’s Gate” made its first Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series appearance four years ago.

male cliff diver in handstand position on platfrom

The Competitors

The World Series runs from June to September and features competitions across both men’s and women’s teams.

This year’s men’s diving team consists of 10 permanent athletes who represent six nationalities.

Per location, the competition will also see dives from up to four “wild card” divers from across the world.

These athletes have either not scored high enough in the previous competitions to become permanent team members or are new participants in the Series.

The women’s team represents four nationalities this year across six permanent members and two “wild card” divers.

The Possum Kingdom Series starter will bring the women full circle as Hell’s Gate saw the team’s inaugural dives in 2014.

Eleven judges rotate throughout the competition; five are selected for each location’s competition.

The 2018 panel includes six former Olympians and a former Olympic diving judge.

The Competition

This year, participants will compete in events in Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Denmark, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Italy.

Each stop will consist of two days of dives, during which both teams will compete in four rounds of competition.

Athletes are required to make two dives of predetermined levels of difficulty, and one dive of their choosing; however, all maneuvers must be selected from five dive groups including inward, back, reverse, handstand and front take offs.

In a final round at each stop, the eight highest overall scoring members from each team will dive one last time to determine the location’s winner.

The competition will conclude in Polignano a Mare, Italy on September 23, where the 2018 Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series Champions will be crowned.

Champions will be named based on the highest cumulative scores after six competitions.

For full details and dates, visit http://cliffdiving.redbull.com.

5 Things Only Lake Murray Natives Would Know

Posted on Staff
person kaying on lake murray, south carolina

Lake Murray is a reservoir stretching across 50,000 acres in upstate South Carolina.

Since its creation in 1930, Lake Murray has become the epicenter of the region, with four counties and several communities all possessing ties to the lake, including the state capitol, Columbia, only 25 miles away.

In addition to providing hydroelectric power for the region, Lake Murray has quickly grown into one of the region’s premier recreational destinations, one you know to be among your favorite places: you also refer to it as home.

Continue reading “5 Things Only Lake Murray Natives Would Know”

How to Store & Maintain Your Personal Flotation Devices

Posted on Glenn S. Phillips
Life jackets laying on lake deck how to properly store personal flotation devices

One of the best safety measures that you can rely on while out on the water is the use of personal flotation devices (PFDs).

A personal flotation device, also referred to as a life jacket or life preserver, is a piece of equipment designed to assist a wearer, who may be either conscious or unconscious, to keep afloat.

In case you’re wondering, you can check your state’s PFD requirements here.

The bottom line is that PFD’s save lives. But, these devices will only work as they should if they are maintained and stored properly between uses.

Here are a few tips on how to store and maintain your personal flotation devices to be sure they’re always ready to go at a moment’s notice.

Cleaning Your Personal Flotation Device

Cleaning products
Photo courtesy of Pexels.

To keep PFDs clean, all you need to do is wipe them down with a solution of mild soap and warm water and then rinse thoroughly.  When cleaning stains from life jackets, use a stiff-bristled brush to gently scrub them away, but avoid using bleach, solvents, or other stain removers. The strong chemicals in these products can break down the materials PFDs are made from, thereby compromising their integrity. When exposed to saltwater, a quick rinse is needed to remove residue before allowing your device to dry.

After washing your PFD, hang it up in the open air away from direct sunlight and leave it there to dry thoroughly before storing it. Never place it in the dryer or near a heat source, as this could cause the vinyl or plastic components to warp or crack. Personal flotation devices should never be dry cleaned.

Inspecting Your Flotation Device

Kid inspecting life jacket
Photo courtesy of Pexels.

Flotation devices should be inspected on a regular basis, preferably before each use. Some of the things you should look for include:

  • Broken or damaged hardware
  • Ripped, torn, or missing webbing
  • Webbing that has become unattached
  • Mold or mildew
  • Rotted material
  • Large rips or tears
  • Oil spills, as this could affect buoyancy

Inflatable vests should also be inspected for:

  • Bobbins and pins that aren’t operating properly
  • Evidence of any corrosion on the CO2 cartridges
  • Nozzles that have not been punctured by the firing needle

It is also a good idea to manually inflate vests from time to time in order to check for leaks. Allow them to remain inflated overnight to be sure they are working properly, and repair or discard any that are not holding air as they should.

Storing PFDs

Boating laws typically require that PFD’s are readily accessible to all passengers onboard a vessel.  Make sure that your PFDs are actually taken out of the plastic wrapper they came in prior to use. The U.S. Coast Guard does not consider these devices to be ‘readily accessible’ if they must be unwrapped first. In addition, you must generally carry a throwable device onboard all watercraft that is 16 feet in length or longer.

When you’re not on the water, you should store flotation devices in a cool dry area with adequate ventilation. Avoid placing them in direct sunlight, as UV rays could prove harmful to them. Hang them up whenever possible rather than placing them on a shelf or the bottom of a locker. If hanging them up isn’t possible, make sure heavy objects are not placed on top of them, as this can also cause damage.

Personal flotation devices play an important part in keeping you safe on the water. Although it might seem trivial, properly cleaning, inspecting, and storing your PFD’s will go a long way to make absolutely sure that they are functional and in good working order for when you need them.