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Journalist and broadcaster.Specialised in audiovisual and cultural accessibility.
Soaking in the waters of the Costa Brava is the best remedy for the heat. Resting on the sand or putting your feet in the water, discovering the seabed by diving or sailing along the coastline in a sailboat or on a surfboard. A wide range of possibilities adapted to all abilities.
The practice of SUP, better known as Paddle Surf, has gained popularity in recent years. It involves moving through the water paddling on a surfboard. It is an excellent way to relax, practice sport and have fun. And it is accessible to people of all ages and physical conditions.
Near some rocks, in a calm sea, a girl is practising SUP. She paddles smiling sitting on an adapted surfboard. Image of Paddle Surf La Fosca.
In Palamós you can find Paddle Surf La Fosca, one of the few centres in Spain where you can practice adapted SUP. They have facilities and equipment adapted for wheelchair users. Moreover, the adapted SUP modality has an important therapeutic component in terms of physical, psychological and social rehabilitation. Are you up for it?
The sailing clubs of Roses, Palamós, L’Escala and Blanes are taking part in an inclusive family sailing programme. This initiative, promoted by the General Secretariat for Sport, the Catalan Sailing Federation and the sailing clubs participating in the programme, creates a leisure space around the sport of sailing.
In the sea of the Costa Brava, a man sails in an adapted sailing boat. Image by Diego Espada.
This activity, which is organised in four sessions and includes several courses until September, is aimed at children and young people from 4 to 18 years old with functional diversity accompanied by a family member. The experience becomes an opportunity to gain autonomy and strengthen ties with the family. At the same time, you can take the opportunity to discover the adapted services offered by all these centres.
In Lloret de Mar, the Catalan Association of Emotional and Adapted Diving ACBEA runs adapted diving courses for people with disabilities. They adapt the activity according to the needs and abilities of each person and focus on managing the emotions generated by underwater activities so that the diver can enjoy the experience to the full.
An underwater image of the emotional diving activity. An instructor assists the girl doing the activity. Image by Diego Espada.
ACBEA also trains professional divers. They teach techniques to learn how to accompany people with disabilities during diving and the keys of emotional diving: a sensation-oriented approach to diving that helps to overcome seemingly insurmountable barriers and, by extension, improves the rehabilitation and recovery process.
