explained | LIVE TO SURF – The Original Tofino Surf Shop Est.1984

Jul 20 2008

Understanding Rip Currents and the dangers of them

Why Rip Currents are Dangerous Rip currents are the leading surf hazard for all beach goers. They are particularly dangerous for weak or non-swimmers. Rip current speeds are typically 1-2 feet per...

Posted in Surfing Information | Tagged dangers, explained, hazard, hyporthermia, ocean, rip currents, risk, surfing, swimmers, swimming, understanding, waves | Leave a comment

Jul 19 2008

Wave Terminology Explained

Amplitude The vertical distance from still water level to wave peak (half the height of the wave). Barrel The same as Tube. The hollow part of a breaking wave where there is a gap between the face...

Posted in Surfing Information | Tagged amplitude, back door, barrel, bathymetry, capillary, chop, closeout, corduroy, crest, diffraction, direction, doubling, explained, fetch, foam, foamy, glassy, green, ground swell, height, left, neap, offshore, onshore, period, right, sea, sets, shoaling, terminology, tide, trough, tube, wave, wavelength, whitewash, whitewater, zone | Leave a comment

Jul 19 2008

Onshore, Offshore and Side Shore Winds

Waves are formed with the wind, and is the biggest factor between a really great days surfing or a day of non surfing. Onshore Winds are the worst for surfing. The wind blows from sea toward shore...

Posted in Surfing Information | Tagged explained, offshore, onshore, sideshore, surf, winds | Leave a comment

Jul 19 2008

Lefts, Rights, Peaks, Closeouts & Reformations Explained

Someone comes in talking about the great ride they caught this morning, just as another person is complaining about a bunch of closeouts and mush burgers, but what does it all mean? Lefts and...

Posted in Surfing Information | Tagged close outs, closeout, explained, lefts, peaks, reformations, reforms, rights, surf | Leave a comment

Jul 19 2008

Different types of surf breaks explained

Beach Break – A Beach Break is where the waves break on the sandy seabed. As the swell gets pushed over the sandbars, it forms into waves. Sandbars are always changing shape, and so does the...