Surfing Waves

Hi guys! Just quickly as I can, I'm not sure if I'm being a chicken or my boyfriend is being an idiot (I'm leaning heavily toward the latter! ).

I have had about 25 hours in the water, mix of beginner lessons and hire on a few beaches local and abroad. My boyfriend has had 10 hours but is much more headstrong and (over?) confident.

We have a weekend off which is rare for us both and wanted to head to our local surf spot but when I looked at the report it's a very different story for each day. I'd be happy to go Saturday but boyfriend thinks it's flat, he wants to go Sunday but I think that's asking to die. Neither of us can duck dive, surely we wouldn't even get out to a wave, the wind looks crap the swell looks insane and I've refused to go.

Now we both know little to not very much, I'm not brilliant at interpreting the surf report and I would like to go surfing but I'm really 99.9% sure Sunday is a mistake. It's the remnants of a hurricane for a start! Can anyone help resolve an issue and confirm or deny my gut feeling that I'm not going Sunday
Note: other surf reports are available

If it's a hurricane swell and you can't even duck dive, there's a good chance that you won't even be able to get to the line up. When I first started surfing, I also went out on days that I would sure drown or get carried away by rips. But the white wash was way too strong that it kept me killing myself.

You can still go out and have fun on the white wash? Just make sure you you pick the right spot and not one that takes you out to the ocean.

You don't need duckdives in 1.6M waves, that is managable with longboards. Saturday looks relaxed for beginners, but it could end up being pretty flat, too. Sunday is at 1.6m, but looking at the period it is probably stiil mainly windswell, so probably not too powerful and if it is, you simply will not get out. What those condition means for you, depends a bit on what a strong southerly wind and swell does for your spot. In most spots I surf this results in a strong current, which means you often need to get back to shore and walk back into position as holdig position in the water will be very difficult. Good training exercise

But I would not expect you to die. Sunday could result in a messy day, so as said before, if to difficult, you can still have fun in the whitewater at the right time (probably not at high tide).

Why not go both days? See if Saturday is good enough for fun. If yes, you have warmed up for Sunday. If not, you still have sunday. Every minute on the water helps, and perfect conditions are rare.

It's impossible for us to interpret that surf forecast without more information.

A 1.5m swell might equal large waves at one beach, whilst it could be almost flat at another beach. You need to learn to interpret the forecast yourself for the beach(es) that you go to. This takes time but it is one of the most important skills as a surfer.

Either way, the strong winds and the fact that they're not offshore will mean messy surf.

I'd go both days.
I've been surfing for only one year and I'm still learning what all those condition indicators mean. I'm getting the hang of it for the spots I go to now, but I used go out in most conditions even just to learn what so much wind/surf/period meant compared to what I could do.

I live 1 hour from Santa Cruz and 40 minutes from Half Moon Bay, I do look at webcams and such, but it's not the same as learning how comfortable I am in the water in certain conditions.

And yes, I have had days where I spent one hour trying to paddle out and eventually just gave up without ever making it to the line-up... I definitely learned something that day.

If the Sunday forecast is accurate 1.6 meter (5.6 foot) waves coming every 8 seconds will make it hard to catch unbroken waves, especially on a longboard. After you spot a wave you’ll have less than 8 seconds to position your board, paddle up to speed and pop to your feet. It’s a lot to do for a new surfer. That said, if you can learn from the wipeouts and make it just once you will be stoked.

How to safely wipeout
http://www.surfscience.com/topics/learn-to-surf/surfing-101/how-to-wipe-out-properly

BaNZ wrote:You can still go out and have fun on the white wash? Just make sure you you pick the right spot and not one that takes you out to the ocean.

I agree!

In the first year, I spent a lot of time on the inside when the swell was bigger. You can practice popups, trim turns, carve turns and cross stepping while being pushed by the white water…and occasionally the outside waves will reform into little rollers that will put a smile on your face.

OK lets start with the chart, explanation
First off remember this is a forecast not a reality. Different beaches respond differently due to their unique situation in reponse to this forecast

The blue figures suggest the wave size at the beach believe me none of these are big next figure moving to the right is the actual swell size = about 1ft swell then if you add the 7s that is the period in seconds(wave length if you like, but not length of ride ) A low period and here it is below 9 seconds is usually weak the next figure is a black arrow showing dominant swell direction ,( sometimes a second swell arrow is added where another swell is happening)
Wind speed is next and then coloured arrows of wind direction.
So what do you do with all this information.......... You head to the beach and see what it actually translates to.
NOW THE IMPORTANT BIT, IF YOU CAN'T HANDLE WHAT IS HAPPENING ON THE DAY.
DON'T GO OUT!!!
Now consider the Sunday surf conditions, let's start with the swell at biggest 2.4 metres close enough to 8 feet. and giving rise to a 5 to 6 foot wave at the beach. now note the period, not bigger than 9 seconds so each swell is hitting the beach every 9 seconds, so the swell is being generated locally the winds are stronger than Saturday but are side shore until the evening when they turn more offshore , this again shows the conditions and the swell is being generated locally , this is not hurricane swell (for that you would see bigger swell , longer period but winds could be local and light to strong .)
Unless the hurricane was on top of you and then you would have other worries than surfing.

So by all means read the forecasts then head to the beach and see how they translate, see if it is safe ,
You will learn your beach.
Did your lessons tell you how to read your beach, rips, rocks, currents etc, do you know how to get to shore if your leash breaks ( it is not a lifesaving device0 ,can you swim well?
This is important, have fun and realise that neither you or your boyfriend are going to follow the same surfing path, each of you,surf for your own enjoyment , if he wants to go gung ho, so be it the ocean will teach him what he needs to learn.

Go see a really big day then you will have the context of where death wish lies

You don't know what you are doing and it going be REALLY WINDY!!!! Don't go out.

The winds are so strong that if they were offshore they would make catching a wave difficult not to mention they would make it more difficult for you to paddle back in and would tend to blow you out of the lineup farther out to sea. If the winds were anything but onshore it would make surfing more difficult and dangerous. Onshore winds can make waves less rideable but at that size you should be ok. There is enough force from the water coming in that the loss of force from having the top of the wave blown over won't matter too much. I often surf in bigger waves with just as strong winds most often onshore but I know what I am doing. So just because of the winds I recommend you don't go out.

Go down, have a look, if it is too and you don't feel comfortable, just as Jaffa said, don't go out. Waist deep whitewater should be fine anyway.....beat it into your boyfriend's head that he's not ready for challenging conditions if the conditions are challenging.....in the end you need to be able to save/rescue yourself should things go south. Evaluate the beach with that in mind before going out, along with a 5-10min evaluation of how you will get in, where the currents are running, identifying rips, how to get back in/the safest way in without a board with your probable locations with currents in mind should you lose your board, where you want to surf, where to line up, which way you need to paddle and how hard to keep up with the sweep, and if there are any lifeguards on duty watching out for you or are you on your own.

Good luck!

I just noticed it was kilometers per hour but it is still pretty strong for people who are clueless about the ocean. What is the water temperature? If you live in a cold water area then hypothermia will be more of a concern with high winds

Hahaha ok someone changed the post and lowered the Kph ....Ok so not so bad