There’s a reason why so many people are trying to squeeze in as many sunny lake floating days as they can before summer ends. When you do it right, relaxing on an inflatable floatie (a pool float) in a lake is one of the best summer experiences.
Imagine being in the middle of a serene lake on a floatie, with mountains, trees, and other scenery enveloping you. Imagine having the drinks you like with you, the snacks you like, and music or a book. The sunshine, the scenery, the comfort of an inflatable lounger, and the overall experience of being out on the water is absolutely amazing.
Below are 5 pro tips for lake floating like a champion:
1. Buy a Double Lounger Floatie (Instead of a One Person Floatie)
Inflatable pool floats are cheaper when you buy the small one person floaties, but it’s well worth the extra money to buy a two-person, double lounger floatie.
You’ll be happy you chose a two-person, bigger pool float even if it’s just you floating on it by yourself. While it’s nice to have a floatie big enough that it provides you with the option of bringing a friend along for a lake floating day, or bringing your partner, it’s also lovely to have a big one all to yourself out on the lake.
This is because with a double lounger, you’ll have enough room for yourself and a bag of belongings. You might want to bring a portable speaker out on the water with you, some sunscreen, a bottle of water, and whatever else you want to have out on the water with you. This brings us to our next pro tip for lake floating:
2. Pack a Party Kit to Bring Out on the Water With You
Ideally, you want your floating experience to feel like a little party on a big inflatable lounger. Below is a list of items that you could bring out on the water with you, which will enhance your lake floating experience:
- Portable speaker (aim for a waterproof one, in case splashes of water get on it)
- A mini dry bag for your phone (these small, rectangular clear plastic dry bags keep your phone safe out on the water. They have double zip lock composure, and they’re attached to a string that goes around your neck. It’s safe to keep your phone with you on the floatie all afternoon this way, and you’ll need your phone to control your music.)
- Sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat (sun protection is key when you’re out on the water on a sunny day)
- A book (if you get a chaise lounge style floatie with a raised back, it’s a great place to read.)
- Bottle of water (use a Swell bottle to keep your water cold all afternoon)
- Beverage of choice (cold beer, iced tea, whatever you’re craving. Put it in an insulated bag with a cold pack)
- Snacks (something that doesn’t take up too much space, such as a small container of sliced pineapple and a small tupperware of chick pea salad.)
- Insect repellant (if your DNA test results indicate you have a high genetic risk for mosquito bites, you’ll probably want to bring a small bottle of ‘OFF’ insect repellant with you.)
All of these items only take up the space of one small tote bag or one small backpack. If your lake floating day is with a big two or three person floatie, you’ll have enough room to bring a small bag of stuff with you. Big floaties don’t tend to tip or capsize. Of course, there’s always a small risk of this happening. That’s why you should keep your phone around your neck in its clear plastic dry bag, and if your portable speaker falls in the water but it’s a waterproof one, you most likely can rescue it. Know that there’s always a risk of losing items in the water, so don’t bring your laptop with you.
In most cases, your items will stay safely on top of the floatie, dry and away from the water. It’ll enhance your experience to bring some of the above items with you, but don’t bring anything you aren’t willing to lose.
Bonus item: A kayaking paddle. Sometimes it comes in handy to be able to paddle yourself around. If you get off of your floatie to kick yourself to the other side of the lake, you might find it’s quite difficult to get back on. You don’t necessarily need a paddle for a lake floating day, since you can lean over and use your arms, or dangle your legs and kick. However, many people who choose to do lake floating days at lakes with a strong current bring a paddle when they go floating for assistance with navigation.
3. Get an Anchor to Prevent Floating Away
One of the best pro tips for lake floating days is to get yourself a refillable sand anchor. Few people who love floating think of this, but an anchor can actually make or break your lake floating experience.
Even calm lakes have a bit of a current, so when you’re lounging on your floatie, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to fully relax because you have to stay alert about floating or drifting too far out.
On the other hand, if you tie a rope to the handle of your inflatable raft or inflatable lounger, and drop a sand anchor (a 30 – 50 pound bag of sand) attached to the other end of the rope, you won’t float away.
You can find your perfect spot at your favorite lake, drop your anchor, and stay put. This allows you to fully relax out on the water, without worrying about using your hands to paddle yourself closer to shore every 10 minutes.
If you don’t have a sand anchor, an alternative way to ensure you stay put is to use a rope to tie your floatie to a buoy if there are buoys in the lake. The goal is to be able to relax without worrying you’re going to drift too far away from shore. If your lake floating day is at a small lake, you don’t have to worry as much about floating far from shore, because the lake will be small enough to simply get off your floatie, and swim and kick it back to shore. At big lakes, however, anchoring yourself is the best way to enjoy your experience floating on the water.
Check out this sand anchor from Amazon for only $20 USD, which holds 50 pounds of sand.
4. Get a Portable and Rechargeable Electric Air Pump Inflator/Deflator Device
To become a master at experiencing efficient and seamless lake floating days, you need the right kind of inflator device to inflate your pool float or inflatable raft.
The best electric air pump devices are about $35 USD, and they’re small, portable air pumps that both inflate and deflate your floatie with the flick of a button. These portable air pumps are rechargeable with a USB cable, meaning you can charge it before you go to sleep, wake up with a fully charged portable air pump device, and you’ll be able to turn it on at the lake and inflate your floatie or inflatable raft.
If you charge it overnight, it’ll have enough charge to both inflate and deflate your floatie. Not only is this much faster than attempting to blow it up yourself, but it’s also safer. You can sometimes feel like you’re about to pass out when you use your own lungs to blow up a big pool float. Plus, an air pump device will give it enough air to float in the lake optimally, as it will be fully inflated. When you’re finished with your lovely lake floating day, the best kinds of portable air pumps have a separate deflator hole. All you have to do is remove the nozzle from the floatie, place the open nozzle over the deflator hole, and your floatie will deflate flat and easy to pack away.
Not sure which air pump device to buy for your lake floating days? The Outbound Rechargable Portable Air Pump is a great one. It comes with different sizes of attachable valve nozzles, and it can both inflate and deflate most inflatable products. It will work on inflatable air mattresses, pool floats, swim rings, inflatable beach balls, and more.
5. Remember to Be Present in the Moment
All of the planning and organizing for your lake floating day will help you be more present in the moment while you’re actually floating.
For example, if you download a playlist in advance (songs you love to listen to while you’re out on the water) you won’t have to worry about music while you’re out on the water and lake floating.
Perhaps you’ll choose songs you love to sing to, since if you anchor yourself far from the shore, you won’t bother others with your singing.
Be present in the moment, enjoy the sun, and enjoy the scenery. Relax on your floatie and take it all in. This seasonal activity is one of the best summer experiences out there.
