How to move fast in water

I call it skiing - start in a lake in the daylight preferably, but with plenty of room. Hold down both the move key and the run key and look upwards at about a 45 degree angle (try more and try less degrees until you find the groove, you will hear splashing.)

Each splash carries you a great distance - You can actually be damaged from the fall! The speed can be much faster than running on land. I like this game for having a little bug like that!

Now you say you can't see where you are going? Use your map and peripheral vision --- I mean I use it on the narrow river between the first two towns (in the dark) so obviously you can learn how to steer OK with these at least in the daytime. Course I am a Tribes fanatic, so skiing came naturally, heh

Be certain to keep an eye on your pixie's (or similar) HP levels, for this trick can actually cause some serious damage when covering great distances, though I think the speed gained more than makes up for it.