How do i interpret a buoy report?

[bamasurfer]

I am trying to read wave potential by a buoy report 65 miles south of where I surf. Most of these are shortboard waves...but is there a way to determine what waves will be like by a report that gives this info: swell wave - .7ft @6.2ft sec and wind wave - 1.6 @3.3 sec? Thanks

[drowningbitbybit]

Swell wave is proper groundswell - waves that have travelled across the ocean.
The first number is the size of the swell. Which is not quite the same as the wave - that'll vary depending on the break. But obviously bigger swell = bigger wave.
But the period (ie the second number) is also a big factor - in simple terms, the longer the period, the further the wave has travelled and the cleaner and more powerful it is. 6.5s is pretty low. You want to be looking for 10seconds+.

So 4ft@11s will be a bigger/better wave than 6ft@5s.

The wind wave is locally generated waves, and these will be messier and weaker than proper groundswell. Depending on where you surf, these could be ignored, or they might be the only swell you get.

Oh, and as well as the buoy report, you need to be looking at a wind forecast too. 8ft@12s is no use at all if there is a howling onshore.

[bamasurfer]

OK...you rock. Thanks for the info. If you are ever in Alabama look me up for a paddle out...unfortunately, those are rare (hurricanes)...BUT i am one of like 10 people surfing a 10-mile stretch! So, how to read a report will help for those other rare occasions when I'm so deperate to ride a 2 foot wave!