Easier to master than surfing and with less impact on the environment than bodyboarding, there’s a revival going on at the coast – bellyboarding is back

ILLUSTRATIONS: KATHERINE BUCHANAN

It’s sometimes assumed that the staycation is a modern invention, but the reality is somewhat different. In Britain, for example, staying at home for a vacation took off in the Victorian era as railway lines began to spiderweb across the country and entrepreneurs, seeing the potential of coastal regions as leisure centres rather than mere trade hubs, began building piers and hotels. Later, in the optimism that swept the country after World War One, thousands began travelling to the seaside – and many started trying a pastime they’d only heard about from their Commonwealth comrades, surf riding. Surfing has its roots in ancient island culture, and Americans had been enjoying it since the late 19th century. British soldiers, eager to recuperate after the war, began to make their own short boards on which to ride the waves of their home shores.