5:53 p.m.
Don’t be too bummed out if we have another cloudy summer. The Bainbridge Island Metro Parks and Recreation District wants you to know that they’ve got something for everyone to do, inside, in just about the perfect temperature, at the Bainbridge Island Aquatics Center.
Aqua Fusion Bootcamp: Friday, July 20, 5-7 p.m.
You’ve seen the signs but you may be wondering what exactly an aqua fusion bootcamp is. Well, think circuit—a circuit of water activities for the whole family to try out to see if you want to invest any time or money into pursuing them in the future. Try out exercises in the lazy river, water polo, master swim, the double rope swings, scaling and sliding down the inflatable rock, shallow-area water games for parents and kids, and more.
One previous Aqua Fusion Bootcamp participant said, “By the time I’d finished the circuit, I wanted to start over.” Another said, “I never realized all the ways that one can exercise in the water. The Aqua Fusion Bootcamp gave me a great, diverse workout and was really fun. Love the water slide.”
Frog Wild: Friday, August 10, 5-7 p.m.
Don’t miss this fundraiser aimed at raising a frog slide in the pool’s shallow end. Enjoy family activities all centered on a frog theme and a silent auction with amphibian-themed art made by local artists and gift packages donated by local businesses. Make it your post-dinner desert stop and dig into the bake sale. And when it’s all done, ideally there will be enough money to get the frog slide for the 2- to 8-year-old set to enjoy.
Learn to Swim: All Summer
The Aquatics Center’s summer swim sessions still have openings. There’s a parent-tot swim for the 3 and under set, five levels for ages 3 to 5, nine levels for kids 6 and older, and classes for adults. These reasonably priced classes of usually about 5 to 8 participants each run either half an hour or 40 minutes long and are taught by experienced teachers with an average of 6 years of teaching under their life jackets. The next two-week session starts July 30.
Open Swim: Saturday and Sunday, 1-4 p.m.; Monday through Friday, 2:30-4:30 p.m.
Pick an afternoon or pick every afternoon and head over to the aquatic center for a water park/recreation swimaganza. The whole Don Nakata pool is open, and all the features are turned on. If you’ve got the guts, plunge down the water slide, channel Lebron James in water basketball, test out your inner Tarzan on the double rope swings, sit beneath the tumblebuckets, and dodge the spray arch and spray shower.
Water Exercise Classes
The Aquatics Center offers a range of water exercise classes including Adult Skill Builder I and II, Swim Instruction for Adults, Trim That Tri Time (for triathletes), Masters Swimming, Aqua Fit, Water Qigong, River Fitness, Aqua Zumba (Latin dance music + aqua aerobics), Core Workout, Aqua Motion, The Back in Water (for chronic back pain), and Hydro Fit (deep water aerobics). Find out which one floats your boat or is best for what ails you.
Swim and Sit Time: Every Day
Maybe volleying beach balls and diving for plastic rings aren’t your things. Head over to the Aquatic Center for lap swim: Some or all of 10 lanes are open for you at different times: Monday-Friday, 5 a.m.-2:30 p.m; Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 6:30-8 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday 6:30-8:30 p.m.; Saturday, 8:30-10 a.m. and 2-4 p.m.; and Sunday, 8:30-11 a.m. Or check out the swirl pool/spa and sauna and steam room.
Aquatics Center Birthday Parties: During Open Swim or After Hours on Weekends
Have you been struggling with the concept of squeezing fifteen 6 year olds around your picnic table? You don’t have to. Liberate yourself and host the kids at the pool. You have an assortment of options to choose from, ranging from a simple package with party room and pool time to a bells and whistles option with cake, ice cream, balloons, paper plates, utensils, reserved pool space, and blow-up pool toys. Give the pool staff two weeks’ notice. Call 842-2302 to make your reservation.
Photos by Sarah Lane.