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WHOOSH!!!

* Getting into a pool is strictly a matter of individuality. Some people tiptoe gingerly down the steps, immersing themselves gradually and, if the water is cool, hesitatingly. Others cannonball in, raising a mighty splash and inundating anyone already in the pool or still on the deck with the ensuing tsunami. Still others knife into the water with a sleek dive from the side or off a board, if the pool is deep enough to make such a venture safe. We, on the other hand, prefer the smooth descent down a slide, gathering momentum as it launches us off the end with a satisfying splash. Best of all, once committed by releasing your hands at the top, there's no turning back or changing your mind at thoughts that the water might be too cold for immersion at that time.

Slides come in various heights and shapes, and Inter-Fab Incorporated, Tucson, Ariz., has a satisfyingly wide assortment, including the Wild Ride Slide with its 6'6" plunge and the four-foot-high White Water Slide with splash jets along the side to lubricate the flume with high-volume blasts of water. We, however, have opted for more dramatic decor, without losing the thrill of the water jets.

The Slide Rock looks like it has been carved out of rugged mountainous terrain, sort of a very junior version of the chute that plummeted Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner into a muddy pool in "Romancing the Stone." Actually, the rock portion of the Slide Rock is a clever three-panel fiberglass facsimile that resembles a sandstone boulder once the panels are joined together. Sandwiching the slide, it gives the appearance of a flume carved through a solid rock. Heavy-duty flanges and bolts anchor the entire assembly to the pool deck, providing stability. The slide can either be installed as original equipment when a pool is being put in or added on later, providing there is sufficient width to the apron (at least four feet). As an alternative to the sandstone, the rock is also available in a faux-granite white with gray accenting. The four-foot-high slide comes with either a right- or left-hand curve, in tan or white to match the rock, and has a deep and wide flume to accommodate even the largest of swimmers.

The Slide Rock has a suggested retail price of $2,995. It can be ordered through pool builders, pool supply stores, or online at www.inter-fab.com.

RUBBER DUCKY'S PALS

Kiddie pools and bathtubs are few and far between without a bright-yellow rubber duck bobbing around in them. Neither infants nor many adults can resist their innocent charm. Yet, for all the joy they bring, they mostly live a lonely life, with boats and other floating toys offering little companionship.

Now, though, Ducky's social life is bound to improve, courtesy of Knobler International, Ltd., New York. Make room in the water for a black-and-white whale, snow-white seal, yellow-and-red fish, and bright-green frog. Each is adorably appealing, floats divinely, and is guaranteed to provide enough play fun that kids won't want to come out of the water until their fingertips shrivel.

Make Rubber Ducky happy with these endearing companions at $3.99 apiece from toy, gift, linen, and children's stores.

STAYING AFLOAT

* Those of you who doubted summer would ever come as you suffered through a long winter and, in most parts of the country, a generally soggy spring, take a look outside. It's here! Now that things have heated up, the time has come to think about cooling off again. Sure, you can seal yourself inside with the air conditioning cranked up high, but, as for us, we much prefer heading for the water. While swimming is great fun and wonderful exercise, there's a lot to be said for just floating aimlessly around a pool or lake.

If you're going to float, you might as well do it in style. The people from Fabrionics, Inc., Camargo, III., heartily concur, and they've got just the things to do it on. For the ultimate in luxury, try the Sun Royale Chaise ($169.95), a floating lounge with a built-in headrest, armrests with plastic-lined drink-holders, and an extra-buoyant leg support so you can stretch out. The closed-cell foam, wrapped in a brilliantly blue vinyl coating, resists waterlogging, even if the outer layer is cut or torn. The high back allows you to sit virtually erect or to tilt back in comfort. If you prefer just to bob around without embellishment, the Supreme Pool Float ($99.95) does the job quite nicely. Made of the same rugged construction, except in a bright aqua, yellow, or white, it is six feet long and slightly over two feet wide, ample for most people. If you're taller or wider, the solution is merely to dangle over the side, no problem unless you are going to have to deal with sharks, piranhas, or gators. An oversized open pillow keeps your head comfortably elevated while providing solid support for your neck. Look for these relaxing items in pool stores and swim catalogues.

If you prefer to float in the water instead of on top of it, turn to the folks from Sevylor U.S.A., Inc., Los Angeles, Calif. An assortment of inflatables buoy you up while cooling you off, led by the Pool Hammock ($29.99). It's shaped like a tropical fish with widespread fins to rest your arms on while your feet are propped up on the tail and your head rests on its head, but the novelty comes in the center--there isn't any! The rest of your body is immersed in the water, allowing for maximum cooling. Those seeking more simplicity can settle for the Soak 'n Float ($24.99), a basic pool lounge with the added bonus of 18 openings that allow cool water to circulate around you. Kids can avail themselves of the Circus Horse ($14.99), with its underwater saddle and inflatable stabilizing outriggers, for galloping through the water, or wrap themselves in the Boa Buddy ($5.99), a 77"-long whimsical snake with an opening behind its tail to allow the head to go through, forming a loop. Add the Pool Caddy ($16.99) --a combination food and beverage tray with water-filled saddlebags that add...