During the month of July, we have been running a Summer Surf Coaching series for 10 women on Maui.
As part of this we have hosted a few “extras” on surf skills, like fitness, etiquette and now…
Interpreting a Surf Forecast!
We were so stoked to have our favorite coach (and pro windsurfer) , Sarah Hauser on board to share the wealth of knowledge with our sisters across the globe as well as here on Maui! If you don’t know Sarah, go follow her on Instagram at @hauserlifestyle and check out her new website Hauserlifestyle.com
Here are some highlights and links:
Remember: Understanding how the surf forecast effects your home break takes time and commitment to observation!
Check out the video for more details explanations of each concept as well as a more visual breakdown of surf forecasts. Here are some of the websites we covered:
https://www.windguru.cz/53 (Maui)
3 Major variables effecting surf conditions:
Wind
Waves
Weather & Tides
Wind:
Check the Strength, Direction & Gusts
Pay attention to topography and landscape and how clouds form in your home break
Wind Direction and strength effects wave shape
Wind blowing off shore creates hollow waves
Wind blowing on shore creates more crumbling, “mushy” waves
Waves:
Check the Size, Direction & Period
Longer periods mean more time for the wave to organize and take shape
Shorter periods indicate more wind swell
Pay attention to how swell direction impacts your home break
Remember to integrate this with wind direction & strength (On-shore or Off-shore)
Weather & Tides:
Increased temps can create thermal effects
cloud cover & rain can minimize sea breeze and create gusts instead
Tides can effect the shape of waves and how they interact with reefs, get to know your home break at the different tides
Check out the video recording for more info!