Waves

As any surfer already knows, waves are what it's all about. Here we discover just what types of waves there are out there. One of the things that make surfing so much of a challenge is that every wave is different. Which wave have you been surfing lately?

Types of Surf Break

The three main types of waves

Beach Break - The beach break is where the waves break on the sandy seabed. This type of wave is the best to start surfing on. A good example of a classic beach break is Hossegor in Southern France which can hold perfect barrels up to 20 feet. Here are some photos of beach breaks.

Point Break - The Swayze / Reeves flick entitled "Point Break" was named after this type of wave! The point break is a wave that breaks onto a rocky point. A good example of a point break is Bells Beach in Australia. (It's nice how this links the film and the wave together!) Here are some photos of point breaks.

Reef Break - The reef break is a wave that breaks over a coral reef or a rock seabed. These waves are usually the classic ones that you can see on the surfing videos. These waves can be unforgiving if you happen to wipe out badly, but they can be the most rewarding in their perfection. Pipeline on the North Shore is a superb example of a reef break. Here are some photos of reef breaks.

NB: We've left out rivermouth waves from the above section because these can be waves that break over rocky ledges or sandy bottoms. Great waves in their own right though.

Want to know about waves for surfing in more detail? Check out the book "Surf Science: An Introduction To Waves For Surfing."

Lefts, Rights and Peaks

We now look a little deeper into the world of waves. Who knows what a left-hand point break is? Hands up. Which way does a left-hand wave (or a left-hander as you will soon refer to them) break?  A wave is either a left or a right, depending on which direction the wave breaks from the point of view of a surfer paddling and riding the wave. If a surfer is paddling to catch the wave and it is breaking from right to left (the surfer will have to turn left to get on the wave) then this wave is a left. From the beach the wave will be seen to breaking to the right, but the surfer's point of view counts here, OK! A right is obviously the opposite of a left, just in case you hadn't worked that one out yet.

A peak is a wave that breaks forming a rideable wave both left and right. Two surfers can surf it at the same time in different directions.

Onshore, Offshore, and Cross Shore

The wind is where the waves come from, and it's the ultimate deciding factor between a really great day of surfing or a day of non-surfing. An onshore wind is the worst wind for surfing. The wind blows in from the sea and ensures that all the waves crumble and have no shape, making the waves un-surfable. A cross shore wind is not desirable either, not giving shape to the waves.

An offshore wind is the best wind for surfing. It ensures that the waves rolling in are well formed and break cleanly. If you want quality waves then you want an offshore wind. If you are going to go surfing, then make sure you keep an eye on the weather. But that is an entirely different! Why not have a read about how a swell is generated?

Not sure about some of the lingo used when waves and surf are being described? Take a look at the "wave terms explained" page.