| At thousands of beaches around the world, | | | | world. For example South Padre Island, in tropical |
| surfers fly across the water along the faces of | | | | South Texas, typically has a great short period |
| waves materializing out of the blue. Some cut | | | | swell. Pacific seaboard beaches frequently receive |
| fast turns in a blur of spray, others glide smoothly | | | | a medium to long period swell. The differences in |
| down the line of the wave with ease. The | | | | swell period have a profound effect on the feel of |
| balance, timing, and coordination of these | | | | the waves, and therefore on proper board |
| watermen is obvious to all, but what can't be | | | | selection. Swell conditions that produce great surf |
| seen from the beach are the many other skills of | | | | in one location might not create ride-able waves in |
| surfing that those wave riders have learned, and | | | | another. |
| which have brought them to be on that wave, on | | | | Every surfer also develops an understanding of |
| that day, riding that board that they make look | | | | the wind and weather in general, and how they |
| so easy to use. | | | | effect wave conditions. Learning about how |
| If you are going to learn to surf, then understand | | | | weather both locally and far away effects waves |
| that even though you might ride a wave after a | | | | is also part of learning to surf. For example an |
| few tries, surfing is not something you can learn | | | | offshore wind will hold the wave up in a near |
| in a day or even a year. Surfing is a sport you | | | | vertical face for much longer than an onshore |
| can continue to learn more about throughout your | | | | wind, which will push the top of the wave over |
| entire life. It is a great idea to take a lesson from | | | | faster. Storms far away send swell toward your |
| a professional surf instructor who will not only be | | | | beach at different angles, which has a profound |
| able to show you how to catch and ride waves, | | | | effect on how the waves break when reaching |
| but also begin to explain to you what it truly | | | | the shore. Your surf instructor will be able to give |
| means to be a surfer. | | | | you basic information regarding what kind of |
| In addition to getting you out into the water and | | | | weather information to look for, where to find it, |
| up on wave, a good surfing instructor should | | | | and how to interpret it, which will help you to |
| spend a little time filling you in on some common | | | | learn more about when and where to find good |
| surfing knowledge. A quick history lesson on the | | | | waves to surf on your own. There are many |
| origins of the sport, different ways to ride waves, | | | | great resources available to surfers to help gather |
| and the purposes of the various surfboard shapes | | | | information and predict wave conditions. The |
| are some things that every surfer is familiar with, | | | | internet is a fantastic tool for researching swell, |
| and your instructor should introduce to you.Your | | | | weather, and wave conditions around the world, |
| surf instructor is also a great resource for | | | | and there are many websites that provide great |
| information regarding the wave and ocean | | | | information and help interpret the data for surfers. |
| conditions at the beach you are about to surf at. | | | | Of course in the end, everybody just wants a |
| Knowing the current conditions and how they | | | | few good rides. So if you want to catch the best |
| compare to conditions typical of the location, as | | | | waves, then get out in the water, talk to local |
| well as knowing what causes those conditions are | | | | pros, and get online, and eventually you too will |
| things every surfer must begin to understand. It | | | | have the knowledge and experience to know |
| is also good to hear a few of the general | | | | exactly which beach to go to, what board to ride, |
| characteristics of waves and swell conditions at | | | | and were to sit in the water to catch the best |
| other area beaches, and in other parts of the | | | | waves on any given day. |