How to Spot a Wave While Surfing

It’s hard to figure out what’s worse: the feeling of getting into position for a big wave and watching it dissipate right in front of you, or the experience of watching the other surfers at the beach catch the big wave that you didn’t even see. Luckily, both of these things can be avoided if you understand the behavior of waves and can identify the signs that a surfable wave is developing. Don’t worry if you feel like you aren’t a master at spotting waves if you’re just starting out. It can take some time in the water to get a sense for how waves develop. With a little more experience, you’ll be surfing atop beautiful rolling waves in no time.

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Tracking Surfable Waves

  1. While you’re walking down to the beach, take a general look over the water. The weather, season, and wind all impact the behavior of waves, but they tend to develop and break in a pattern. Look over the sea and follow the waves as a whole to determine where the waves are located and where they seem to be breaking. [1]
    • In surfing terms, a breaking wave refers to a wave that is the process of collapsing. Specifically, it is the point where the peak of the wave descends into the surface of the water.
    • Every wave won’t be identical, but you can get a general sense for the best surfing location just by looking out over the water.
    • If there are other surfers at the beach, look at where they’re positioned. You typically want to be near enough the other surfers to catch good waves, but not so close that you’re getting in their way.
  2. If all of the waves are breaking roughly 30 feet (9.1 m) off of the shore, paddle out so that you’re 40–45 feet (12–14 m) out. This will give you enough breathing room to catch the wave right as it’s about to reach its highest peak while still leaving enough time for getting on the board. [2]

    Tip: If the beach is relatively crowded with surfers, move further to the left or right. Don’t go further out. You’ll lose out on the best waves if you paddle out too far.

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  3. Sit up on your surfboard and look out over the horizon. Keep your eyes on the area just beneath the horizon line to look for lumps in the surface of the water. These are potential waves that are developing beneath the surface. [3]
    • Not every bump that you spot will become a wave. Sometimes the water loses momentum before a wave can develop.
    • Unless you’re dealing with 20–30 ft (6.1–9.1 m) waves, any fully formed wave that you spot out on the horizon will dissipate by the time it gets to you. Focus on the bumps and ignore waves that are already fully formed.
    • Bumps can be harder to spot in choppy water! Scan for little bumps that stand out from the water around them.
  4. Once you spot one of these bumps, keep your eyes on it. Try to determine if it’s getting bigger or smaller. If it’s getting smaller, you can ignore it since it won’t get big enough to ride by the time it reaches you. If it’s getting bigger, track the direction of the wave and paddle horizontally along the shore to get in position to catch it. [4]
    • If the wave looks like it’s heading towards a rocky patch or a large group of swimmers, you probably can’t surf it safely. Let it go and turn your eyes back to the horizon.
    • You should be lined up with a wave when it’s 25–30 feet (7.6–9.1 m) away. If the wave is moving too fast or you’re too far away, there’s no point to following it any further. Simply let the wave pass and look out on the horizon for a new wave.
  5. The peak refers to the apex of the wave at its tallest point. When the wave is 20–25 feet (6.1–7.6 m) away, follow the peak of the wave by comparing how it moves to a fixed point on the horizon.. See if it’s moving to the left, right, or staying centered. This will give you a sense for the direction that the wave will break. [5]
    • If the peak is moving to the left, turn your board to face the left. If it’s moving to the right, move the board to the right. You will have a better chance of surfing the wave successfully if the board is leading away from the break, not against it.
  6. If the peak is in the center, you have a choice to make. These waves are either excellent or terrible for surfing. If it looks like the peak is big and uniform across the wave, it is a “close out” wave. Close out waves are exceptionally hard to surf and likely to just collapse on you. If the peak is a single point in the center, you can surf it in either direction since it will break in the middle. [6]
    • Close out waves are actually fairly dangerous if they’re taller than 10 feet (3.0 m) and you’re in rougher water since they’re highly likely to drag you underwater.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Choosing the Best Possible Waves

  1. If the peak of the wave begins falling in front of you, it’s not going to be a good wave to surf. Every wave that you track from the shore isn’t going to be a winner, and you’ll be missing out on a potentially good wave if you waste your time on a wave that’s already breaking. [7]
    • The exception here is if you’re already paddling away from the wave to catch it. At this point, you might as well try to catch the foam as the wave is collapsing.
  2. Pay particular attention to waves with peaks that move back and forth on the surface when they’re far way. This occasionally happens when the wave is building a lot of momentum, and the moving peak will result in a wave that won’t close out. These waves have an increased chance to become great surfing waves. [8]
    • If the peak is moving back and forth rapidly, there is also a higher chance that it will break before it reaches you since it’s inherently less stable. Don’t sit around all day waiting for these perfect waves! You may not even get this type of wave if the water is especially calm.
  3. The steeper a wave is, the slower it moves. If you’re looking for a smoother ride or you’re just starting out as a surfer, look for waves that develop a little closer to you with steeper slopes. These are ideal waves if you want a softer, more relaxing ride. [9]
    • If you’re a great surfer and want a faster ride, do the opposite. Look for faster waves with thinner slopes.
    • Slower, steeper waves tend to develop when it isn’t especially windy out but there’s plenty of movement in the water.
  4. Keep a keen eye out for the waves that look to be moving about as fast as you’re capable of paddling. These waves are ideal since they’ll be naturally easier for you to catch. If a wave is moving much faster than you’re capable of paddling, it’s just going to break on top of you. For these waves, it’s better to simply paddle through and reposition for another wave. [10]
  5. Waves come in patterns, and a good wave is very likely to be followed by another good wave. If every other surfer in your vicinity is paddling for a particular wave, there won’t be much room for you to maneuver. It will also be extremely likely that a good wave is coming up next, so catch that one instead so you can have it all to yourself. [11]
    • It is considered bad etiquette to catch a wave if another surfer has already started paddling for a wave and you’re within 10–15 feet (3.0–4.6 m) of them.
  6. Some days are simply terrible for surfing. Go online and pull up the surf broadcast for your beach at least 12 hours before you’re thinking of heading out. If there aren’t any waves, don’t bother going out. If dangerous riptides are being reported, it is exceptionally dangerous to try surfing. [12]

    Warning: Never go surfing if there are strong riptides or currents being reported. If you fall into one, you could get dragged out to sea. You should also never surf if a warning advisory is in place for the beach you’re planning on surfing at.

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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Catching and Riding a Wave

  1. Once you’ve assessed the direction, shape, and breaking direction, paddle towards the wave to get into a position to ride it. Paddle in front of the wave so that you’re lining up with the break. [13]
    • The ideal location to get on to a wave is right when it starts breaking, at the break point, so that you can ride it for a longer period of time.
  2. When the wave is 15–20 feet (4.6–6.1 m) away, turn your board to point away from the wave. Paddle a little slower than the speed that the wave is travelling to catch it as the peak continues to grow. If the wave is breaking to the left or right and the peak is leading away from you, angle the board 15-30 degrees in the direction of the wave to avoid missing it. [14]

    Warning: This is also the moment where you want to check your surroundings for nearby surfers. If there are any other surfers catching the wave, avoid pointing the board towards them. If a collision seems probable, it’s better to let the wave go by than risk an injury.

  3. Lean forward on your chest to keep the nose down as the wave pulls your body up. Grip the sides of the board with both hands and slide your feet forward to stand up. Find your center of gravity on the board and stabilize yourself to catch the wave you tracked as it’s begging to reach its maximum peak. [15]
    • A wave is swelling when the front half of the wave is surging forward and becoming bigger. This happens right before the wave breaks.
    • If you’re going to fall, do your best to lean back into the way and kick your board out away from you. Cover your head and catch a breath before going underwater. If the board is between you and the wave, it’s more likely to hit you in the head.
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      Tips

      • As a rule of thumb, if a surfer is in front of you and they’re already paddling to catch a wave, it’s your job to get out of the way.
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      • Locals tend to know their home beaches very well. If you’re at a new beach, feel free to ask the folks that look like they know what they’re doing how the waves at their beach tend to behave.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.booksurfcamps.com/news/tips-beginner-surfers
      2. ↑ https://youtu.be/k_Vd9SYg4wI?t=72
      3. ↑ https://www.wired.com/2015/08/catch-wave/
      4. ↑ https://barefootsurftravel.com/livemore-magazine/how-to-read-waves
      5. ↑ https://www.surfertoday.com/surfing/the-different-types-of-surf-breaks
      6. ↑ https://www.surfertoday.com/surfing/the-different-types-of-surf-breaks
      7. ↑ https://youtu.be/ip8GHo1YCQs?t=44
      8. ↑ https://youtu.be/ip8GHo1YCQs?t=84
      9. ↑ https://youtu.be/73hmhBxJ0eE?t=138
      1. ↑ https://youtu.be/k_Vd9SYg4wI?t=172
      2. ↑ https://youtu.be/IIPeCmvH6Ao?t=64
      3. ↑ https://www.surfertoday.com/surfing/how-to-read-a-surf-report
      4. ↑ https://www.wired.com/2015/08/catch-wave/
      5. ↑ https://youtu.be/k_Vd9SYg4wI?t=99
      6. ↑ https://youtu.be/k_Vd9SYg4wI?t=26

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