top of page
Search

Fifty Things I Wish I Knew BEFORE I Started Surfing! #15- Surf Apps- Tides

Another thing that can affect your surfing experience is the tide level. The tide is the ocean water's rise and fall due to the moon's gravitational pull and the sun. The tide level changes throughout the day, and it can have a big impact on the waves and the beach.

When you are learning to surf, the best tide level is a medium tide between high and low. A medium tide gives you enough water depth to catch the waves without being too mushy or fast. A mushy wave is when the water is too deep, and the wave does not break until it reaches the shore. A fast wave is when the water is too shallow, and the wave breaks quickly and powerfully.


When you use a surf and weather app to check the tide, you will see a tide chart showing your location's tide level. You will also see the time of high and low tide and how much the tide changes in feet or meters. One of the most famous surf and weather apps is Surfline.


Here is an example of how to use a surf and weather app to check the tide: In this screenshot, you can see that the tide level is +2.5 feet at 4 PM. This means it is a medium tide, which is suitable for surfing. You can also see that the high tide is +5.1 feet at 10 AM, and the low tide is -0.1 feet at 4 AM. This means that the tide changes by 5.2 feet in 12 hours, which is a moderate change.

You want to look for a day when the tide level is around +2 feet to +3 feet at the time you want to surf. This will give you the best conditions for learning to surf. You also want to avoid surfing at extremely high or low tides, as they can make the waves too mushy or fast.


Remember that the tide level can vary depending on your location, so always check the forecast before you head out. And remember to have fun!















Comments

bottom of page