Slackline Practice at Aweoweo Beach Park

Slackline enthusiast Joe Segal keeps his balance at Aweoweo Beach Park. “It’s a great feeling of zen, because you have to focus really hard,” he says. The modern version of slacklining, which uses 1- or 2-inch-wide webbing strung between two anchor points, was started in 1979 by rockclimbers messing around with their equipment. Today, skilled practitioners do tricks such as bouncing into a seated position and back up again, and lying on their back. Segal says that falling and breaking your neck is always a possibility, but that overall it’s an accessible sport. “Every time I put my line up, there’s a line of kids who want to try it,” he says. “I make sure their parents give permission first.”