I was not prepared!!! 😂
I thought I would be prepared as I can be a go with the flow person, I am tough as nails.. and Nick had gone to Splashifax (click here for website) at their previous location last year so he gave me the run down.
But as we drove to the new location in Bridgewater suddenly the boys started razzing me a bit about how sore I was going to be tomorrow..
My thoughts (also my vocal reply 😆):
"Umm, excuse me sir but anything you can do I can do better."
100% truth but let me give you some tips from my POV because you really don't know if you don't know😊💙
1. What to wear?
Bring your body already dressed in your swimwear.
Wear a light sundress or quick change outfit overtop.
Make sure your swimwear is something sturdy that you'll be comfortable in.
The force, speed and heights you'll be going at are not for the faint of heart.
I was picking wedgies because my suit bottoms are so old that they stretch out quite a bit after a while in the water and because of this I am on the hunt for a really suctioned spandex bottom for my next Splashifax venture, if you have any bathing suit recommendations. 😆
Your body will be slipping and sliding and shaking in all kinds of weird ways but trust me no one is looking, its every man for themselves out there so wear something you'll be comfy in and have fun!!
2. What gear is provided?
You must wear a life jacket, you can bring your own but it has to be approved by Transport Canada.
You have to purchase grippy socks. Trust me you'll want the socks!!
From Nicks experience last year there was not socks included and it made it much less fun because it was too easy to slip.
At first swimming in socks seems strange but you very quickly forget about it. They're very comfy and I believe you can save and reuse them. We saved ours :)
3. What else should I bring?
Nothing, Nadda, Zip.
Well, bring a towel. hahaha.
IMO bring as little as possible!
I was the crazy lady who thought
"Oh, maybe I'll bring these super old sunglasses. I don't mind if I lose them."
I have incredibly sensitive eyes and cannot be in the sun at all, it is super frustrating but trust me those glasses would have been at the bottom of the lake within the first 12 seconds and that would be a shame.
Leave the jewelry, hats, hair accessories, glasses, cameras, all. of. it. behind.
You do not need it.
They will duct tape your rings to your fingers but its not worth the risk of losing them and/or the potential of popping the park equipment.
A drink and snack to leave at shore would be a good idea (there may be FOOD up and coming on the property, its a work in progress 😉 so stay tuned!)
Leave your phone in the car.
There is only unsecured storage areas and I would hate to see anything go missing - just enjoy the fun, forget the stuff!
4. Is 2 hours long enough?
2 Hours is so long I thought they had let us stay beyond our allotted time. 😂
We went full force almost the entire time and when the last 25 minutes snuck up I was starting to get a tad tired feeling. It really felt like we were on the park for more than 2 hours! It was the perfect fulfilling amount of time.
5. What are the age restrictions?
Let's touch on this one because I've been mulling over it all week!
You must be over the age of 5 and anyone aged 12 and under must have an adult go in the water with them.
I have a really hard time with this because I am SUCH a worry wart.
There were PLENTY of very young children having an absolute ball on the park the day we were there and I think that is just so lovely and an incredible family date.
I am still on the fence about whether to take Elliott or not. He just turned 8 last week, is an absolute fish and has completed a few years of swimming lessons.. I am 99% sure that he would LOVE this but it is an incredibly intense experience.
I truly don't feel an age number is the determining factor, you know your child and if they're an accomplished, confident swimmer with a love for thrill seeking - this would be an incredible experience for them!
If your child is a nervous swimmer at all, even if well within the age bracket, and adding in that they would be wearing a life jacket.. I think I would still wait another year or two.
It will be the best version of fun it can be if everyone is confident and excited!
6. What are you talking about? What's so intense about this park? Can't I just lounge and sun bathe??
No you cannot. hahaha
I thought this too! and while there are ways to avoid the intensity - I floated around in the lake a lot.
Just floated on my back and spun around in circles, enjoying the cool water around me, feeling the warm and cool pockets of temperature that naturally occur in lakes. I looked at the clouds and starfished my body while resting my eyes.
I was kind of in my own little world while the boys did more competition style areas or jumped the super high cliff diving jumps.
But the majority of the park is an obstacle course!
It truly looks and feels like you're on a game show style competition.
But with saying that all the guests were super, duper respectful. There was no pushing or shoving, it is a very large park with lots and lots to do so everyone was able to use every area multiple, multiple times and it did not feel too crowded - just crowded enough!
Also, be prepared to SWIM!!
You must swim out to the park area and back to the dock at the end.
It was more swimming than I anticipated but it didn't feel rushed or stressful.
I did have one minor panic attack feeling when we first had to jump in the water 😆 this was the most intense part for me.. that initial "Ok, hop in this lake and swim all the way over there" casual kind of vibe the staff have, they see this every day! But the size of the lake and the park freaked me out, just for a single second and then I was fine!! I know it wouldn't happen again, it was one of those first timer, fear of the unknown, "wow, this is HUGE!!" moments.. and now that I know what to expect - I cannot wait to go back!!
You can easily float on your back or starfish your way back to the dock at the end and there is a walking dock that you can try to balance on but it is also a floatie so I ended up swimming as close to land as I could - the water was so nice! I didn't want to get out.
7. Is it worth it?? Was it fun?
10/10 YES.
It was SO fun!
& I absolutely adored going with a group of adults! It brought me back to being a teenager or in my early 20's. I felt so free, I enjoyed challenging myself and taking some risks. I felt invigorated by the sun and the swimming. I love being water logged, I love the hunger that builds after a day on the water, like you didn't realize it but you burned a bazillion calories and you need to eat and sleep and crash the way you did when you were a child and couldn't make it to bed so your dad had to carry you upstairs.
I cannot wait to go back again! I know the second time will be even more enjoyable for me because I'm a creature of habit and I like to know my way around a place.
It would be AMAZING to rent the place out (they do offer some packages for this!).
Let me know if you've been and what you thought!!
We did get our passes complimentary through my partnership with Splashifax but I wanted to write a blog post on my experience.
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