Introduction to Surfing

Waves

The action of winds blowing on the surface of the ocean produces waves. Friction transfers the energy of the wind to the sea surface. Generally, we refer to waves moving across the open ocean as swells.
When swells reach the swallower waters near the shore, the trough slows down and the now faster moving crest "peaks up" getting higher and steeper. Finally the faster moving crest falls forward producing white water as the wave "breaks". Surfers catch waves by paddling in the same direction as the swell and then falling down the steep forward surface , or "face" of the wave just before the wave breaks. The surfer then stays out on the face of the wave in front of but not in the breaking white water. The surfer takes advantage of the effect of gravity provided by the continuos steepening of the incoming swell. When the crest is moving considerably faster than the water below it, the crest actually throws out in front of the wave thus creating a hollow wave or "tube".

As the crest of an incoming wave gets higher and its face gets steeper, the angle made by its face and back decreases. The wave cannot break untill this angle is less than 120 degrees.

Tides

Contrary to what many people think, waves are not created by the tide. However, since the shallower water near shore is what causes swells to slow down, peak up and finally break, waves can break differently or even stop breaking as the water depth changes with the rising and falling of the tide.

Introduction to Surfing

Waves

Tides

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