Grasping Surf Waves

Surf WavesSurf waves are remarkably intriguing.  From a common sight, they are but big swells of water.  It is of course a general fact that without these wave breakings, surfing would not be possible.  So, what is so remarkable about them?  Maybe we need to elaborate on its natural creation.  How do these naturally picturesque occurrences come about?  Summing up the answer in one word, it’s “wind”.

Wind is the source of all of our waves, however, it is not true to say that the stronger the wind the better the waves.  Some winds create waves that can be messy and close together that surfing in it can be a nightmare or nearly impossible.

 

The ideal conditions for classic waves are produced when strong storms created by low pressure weather systems blow miles from our shores combining the following factors:

  • Wind velocity
  • Duration
  • Fetch

A thing called a “swell” is generated when wind blows consistently over a large area of open water, called the wind’s “fetch”.  The size of a swell   is determined by the strength of the wind and the length of its fetch and duration. So, accordingly, surf tends to be larger and more prevalent on coastlines exposed to large expanses of ocean traversed by intense low pressure systems.  All these may sound so scientific but there can be no better way to appreciate surf waves than to know its very nature and all the other factors that contribute to it.

Of Waves And Its Wonders

Each wave is as unique as each grain of sand in the coastlines.  Each one you see come rolling in is different from the previous one that has rolled by.  The factor that determines a wave shape the most is the topography of the seabed directly behind and immediately beneath the breaking wave.  The contours of the reef or the bar front becomes stretched by what we call diffraction.  Each break is different since the underwater topography of one place is unlike any other and at beach breaks the sandbanks change shape from week to week.  It takes commitment for a surfer to find good surf waves which is why surfing enthusiasts regard surfing as more of a lifestyle rather than a mere sport.  There is even a thing called “surf forecasting”.   The quest for perfect surf has given rise to a field of tourism based on the surfing adventure. Yacht charters and surf camps offer surfers access to the high quality surf found in remote and tropical locations.  After much insight about waves, being in the beach can no longer be just sitting under the shade of the palm trees, reading a book or just swimming in the cool water.  It is now catching surf waves and riding it!

 

 

 

More useful articles:

1. Surfing Tip: Stretching Before Hitting the Waves
2. Tutorial on Catching Waves
3. What is the Right Wave for a Beginner in Surfing?
4. How to Find an Appropriate Place to Surf
5. Do’s and Dont’s in Catching Waves When You Surf
6. How to Steer or Turn Your Surfboard

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