Many people tell me that they would love to learn to surf, and I’m writing this post in response. Your location is no barrier to learning to surf. Riding waves? Yes. Learning about ocean dynamics? No. The following will introduce a few dynamics of our Mother Ocean that you can further educate yourself upon, and in turn begin learning to surf from anywhere.

Let’s start with tides. You may have heard about low tide or high tide, and each represent the level of the ocean surface. Tides change due to a combination of the gravitational forces exerted by the moon and sun, and the rotation of the earth. Tide height affects how much water is between the ocean surface and the sea floor, and have a profound affect on how the waves break. Tides can also affect current, and understanding them is necessary for safety.

Swell - Somewhere on earth, a storm is raging and wind energy is being transferred into the water to create swell. The swell may travel across open ocean for thousands of miles until the swell’s energy contacts the ocean floor. The swell energy then gets pushed up and falls over, creating a wave.

Swell height is measured in feet or meters and is literally how tall the waves are from peak to peak. Swell period is measured in seconds, and indicates the time interval between swell peaks. Swell direction is measured in degrees and indicates where the swell is traveling from.

Bathymetry is the surface of the earth underwater that the wave breaks on top of. There are beach breaks, point breaks, reef breaks and combinations of them all. Bathymetry is a major factor in how waves break.

Local winds affect the wave riding experience. Zero wind results in dreamy, oil-slick, glassy conditions that surfers dream about. Onshore winds, on the other hand, come from the ocean towards shore. They knock the wave down as it’s standing up and are generally unfavorable for surfing the wave face. Offshore winds travel from land towards the sea. As waves break, offshore winds can hold the wave face up for a few extra moments and create favorable surfing conditions.

There you have it. Regardless of location, the aspiring surfer can educate themself on how the ocean works and how waves break. The best part about surfing is interacting with nature in a dynamic environment where things are changing and moving all the time. Learning about these factors and being aware of them before you paddle out will help you find the appropriate spot to surf, stay safe, and have fun interacting with our Mother Ocean.

Many people tell me that they would love to learn to surf, and I’m writing this post in response. Your location is no barrier to learning to surf. Riding waves? Yes. Learning about ocean dynamics? No. The following will introduce a few dynamics of our Mother Ocean that you can further educate yourself upon, and in turn begin learning to surf from anywhere.

Let’s start with tides. You may have heard about low tide or high tide, and each represent the level of the ocean surface. Tides change due to a combination of the gravitational forces exerted by the moon and sun, and the rotation of the earth. Tide height affects how much water is between the ocean surface and the sea floor, and have a profound affect on how the waves break. Tides can also affect current, and understanding them is necessary for safety.

Swell - Somewhere on earth, a storm is raging and wind energy is being transferred into the water to create swell. The swell may travel across open ocean for thousands of miles until the swell’s energy contacts the ocean floor. The swell energy then gets pushed up and falls over, creating a wave.

Swell height is measured in feet or meters and is literally how tall the waves are from peak to peak. Swell period is measured in seconds, and indicates the time interval between swell peaks. Swell direction is measured in degrees and indicates where the swell is traveling from.

Bathymetry is the surface of the earth underwater that the wave breaks on top of. There are beach breaks, point breaks, reef breaks and combinations of them all. Bathymetry is a major factor in how waves break.

Local winds affect the wave riding experience. Zero wind results in dreamy, oil-slick, glassy conditions that surfers dream about. Onshore winds, on the other hand, come from the ocean towards shore. They knock the wave down as it’s standing up and are generally unfavorable for surfing the wave face. Offshore winds travel from land towards the sea. As waves break, offshore winds can hold the wave face up for a few extra moments and create favorable surfing conditions.

There you have it. Regardless of location, the aspiring surfer can educate themself on how the ocean works and how waves break. The best part about surfing is interacting with nature in a dynamic environment where things are changing and moving all the time. Learning about these factors and being aware of them before you paddle out will help you find the appropriate spot to surf, stay safe, and have fun interacting with our Mother Ocean.