Eds. Note: This is the third story in a semester-long series exploring different outdoor activities available in southern Illinois.

Most visitors and residents of southern Illinois are aware of the several lakes in the region. Some may have been out on a lake recently, perhaps visiting the spillway at Lake Kinkaid.

What many people may be unaware of, though, are the many opportunities they have to enjoy the water in a fun and unique way.

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Sailing, windsurfing and water skiing are just three of the activities available for students to participate in through the university. Each of these activities has its own Registered Student Organization through the Recreation Center.

Art Shirley, adviser for the windsurfing club and member of the sailing club, said he got involved with these sports in 1983 after he began sailing on nearby Crab Orchard Lake.

He said he had seen college kids racing, having fun and windsurfing on the lake, and he decided to check it out. He said what drew him to it the most was the chance to be active.

“It’s just the activity of it – (I enjoy) the people who are around and the physical activity, particularly in the windsurfing,” Shirley said.

The windsurfing and sailing clubs are closely related; the windsurfing club is a subset of the sailing club, Shirley said. He said both groups go out together on Crab Orchard Lake when the weather conditions are favorable.

“We get out any time the weather’s good. Once (one) is in the club and they’re checked out on the equipment, they can go out any time they want,” Shirley said.

Individuals in the club are not required to have their own equipment. Shirley said the club owns enough to get them started and having fun. The sailing club provides sailboats, and there are several windsurfers available for members to use.

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Anyone interested in trying sailing can go to the Free Sail Day at Crab Orchard Lake Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. Those interested in joining the club are welcome to attend one of the meetings, which are held on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. in Activity Room B in the Student Center.

“(Southern Illinois) is an excellent area to learn,” Shirley said. “It’s not as good as being out on a coastal area, but we get enough good weather to go out and have some fun.”

Another water-centered activity available for southern Illinois residents is water skiing.

Scott Schmitt, vice president of the water ski club, has been water skiing for most of his life.

“My parents met through competitive water skiing, so I grew up doing it,” Schmitt said.

Schmitt, a sophomore from Mt. Vernon, Ind., studying business, said he enjoys water skiing because of the opportunities to travel and meet new people. He said he has met most of his friends through his career in competitive water skiing.

A large part of the current water ski club is involved in competitive skiing, Schmitt said. The team has competitions each weekend this month, beginning with a contest in Missouri this weekend.

Competitive skiing is different than the casual skiing most people do on weekends, Schmitt said. He said competitions include three categories: slalom, trick and jump.

The water ski club alternates their practices between the lake on the Du Quoin fairgrounds and a private lake near Schmitt’s hometown.

Although most of the club members are involved in competitive skiing, Schmitt said anyone interested in learning more about the sport is welcome to come out with them.

“We’ll take someone out to the lake with us and kind of show them what we do,” Schmitt said. “Anyone who has the desire to do it and really wants to, we can teach them, and they can be on the team – it’s a fun and very enjoyable experience.”

For more information on these sport clubs or to see a complete list of sport clubs offered, visit the Recreation Center Web site at http://www.reccenter.siu.edu/sport_clubs/sport_clubs.html.

Audra Ord can be reached at 536-3311 ext. 275 or at [email protected].