Learning to Visually Understand Ocean Movement While In The Water

In the last post I published, I mentioned what a surfer of any level must be able to comprehend while on the shore like outside conditions including wind, sun, low tide or high tide, and rip currents. Although conditions might look relatively calm on shore, once the surfer is in the water, the conditions might be a lot different than expected. Depending on how rough the surf is, an experienced surfer knows whether he or she can handle it or not. A beginner on the other hand might seem too overly confident or try to show off which can lead to a dangerous outcome.

While in the water, an experienced surfer will be able to tell what direction the current is moving and make crucial decisions as a result. For example if there is an eastward current and the surfer sees that he or she might be pushed into close contact with a bunch of jagged rocks, the surfer should know to get out of the water and surf in a different location that passes the rocks. In this way the current could carry the surfer eastward without any problems (hopefully). A beginner surfer might not be able to understand or even realize where the current is taking he or she. Sometimes the beginner surfer might not even realize that he or she could come in close contact with the rocks which can lead to a broken board or broken limb!

Another skill besides understanding current is learning how to read waves. It is a skill that takes time and obviously people living by a beach that has good surf have an immediate advantage. Reading waves is also about anticipation through constantly watching waves out in the distance. An experienced surfer knows that although the ocean seems flat from a distance, a wave can easily build up once it hits a reef or gets closer to shallower water like a sandbar. When first learning how to read waves while in the water, take a few moments to look for a specific region where the waves seem to be breaking frequently as well as how far from shore they seem to be breaking. Normally under high tide conditions, waves tend to break closer to shore which are not desirable conditions. On the other hand, low tide conditions usually indicate waves that break further away from shore. When first anticipating a possible wave to ride, it is important to waste no time and position yourself properly. Otherwise the wave can easily pass by before you even know it which can be very frustrating at times. Reading waves is a great technique for training your eyes in order to understand ocean movement. Just as in any sport being able to understand the rules of a sport makes the sport enjoyable. Failure to do so leads to frustration and unpleasantness as well as a possibly dangerous experience.