Beginner going out in 7 foot waves?

[IanCaio]

Taking risks is a bit different from being reckless. I don't know if you miscalculated the size of the waves, but 10 footers are quite big. If you actually went for it the third time you surfed, not only you putted yourself at risk, but others too as been said here.

I have been out on 6~7ft conditions, with a turbulent sea (happens often when swells hit here after some flat days, guess it's due to more than one swell hitting at once). I felt how powerful it can be, and how you can be catched by surprise and get yourself in situations you rather not be. Only go out if you feel confortable at it, and confortable does not mean you are not afraid of dropping in (my lowest concern that day), but feeling confortable with the fact you will likely get pounded more than once.

By the way, since we are talking about wave size measurements, what size would you call this wave?

[oldmansurfer]

I would say the wave in the front is 4 feet

[IanCaio]

Then I oversized the waves from the day I mentioned. They were just a little bigger than that one, maybe 5ft.

Is it 4ft hawaiian? Because I thought the face was bigger than 4ft (1.3m), since it's a little overhead.

[oldmansurfer]

in Hawaiian measuring head high for a 6 foot person is a 3 foot wave over head by a couple feet is 4 feet (8foot face)

[oldmansurfer]

It gets complicated after 4 foot. Once you get to 16 foot faces that is considered a 9 foot wave 18 foot is a 10 foot wave (formula multiply by 2 and subtract two) But it is more something surfers sort of agree on in the water. You say that's a 6 foot wave and the other guy says yeah then it's six feet but maybe 11foot faces give or take.

[drowningbitbybit]

By the way, since we are talking about wave size measurements, what size would you call this wave?

Hard to give a meaningful number when its that messy, but I'd class that as 3–4 ft.

As well as the front/back, wave/face thing, it gets subjective and a foot doesn't really have much to do with one actual 12" foot anymore. Most surfers will talk wave height down rather than up, and the judgement will vary from spot to spot (and also by surf report).

My current local surf report (Gold Coast) would call that wave 4ft, while my former surf report (Maroubra) would - in all seriousness - call that 2–3 ft. I'd call it 3–4ft (which is different from 4ft...)

In the UK, I'd've called it 'headhigh'.

Waves, eh? Pesky things

[dtc]

Huh, DBB has it. Measurements are all over the place. My initial thought was its 3ft, shoulder high. But right on the peak probably 3-4ft. But clearly it's a head high face....

I would say it looks like a really fun size, but cold and messy!

[IanCaio]

The water was actually quite warm but I gotta make some money to buy a john for the winter.
I guess people on my break measure the waves like you guys. I always seem to say the waves are higher than what they say. Probably because I consider the faces size. We also use metric system instead of feet.

The guy from the topic wanted to surf 7ft faces right?

[jaffa1949]

Please let me know when someone rides the back of a wave then we will consider the measurements
Swell upon the bottom contours determines wave height, back height and wave period determines power!
The original Hawaiian measurement was a beat up ego measurement to put the wind up visiting haoles, ie;
"That's not twelve feet Haole, that's 3 feet and you're scared to go out, ya pussy!"

"Real surf is measured in increments of fear" and that is just the lemon before the pie.

[oldmansurfer]

I don't know how it came about but I do know how to measure waves by Hawaiian standard

[benjl]

This is all fascinating stuff and thanks DTC for your post earlier on about the wave judgement. I've wanted to put a pot about this for ages but hadn't gotten around to it!

I'm probably with you guys on the 3-4ft being a head high wave (4ft would
Probably be slightly over head faces usually) and 6ft would be rearing towards double overhead faces. For instance
My profile pic photo was around my head height and the report said 3 ft.
When companies usually give a size of wave for boards, what feet is it usually judged in? US or NZ/ Hawaiian?

The report for me today said 1-2.5ft and the biggest wave I would've gotten would've been around shoulder height. I'd probably call that around 2 / 2.5ft

[SurfCitySurfing]

Yeah, exactly what Jaffa1949 said!



Coach Riggs,

The best surfers are the best paddlers.