Surfing, Surf Reports, and the Internet

Interesting that you bring this up. I paddled out about 15 minutes after it got light this morning and found myself thinking about the fact that I was enjoying an almost-wilderness experience in the middle of a hugely populated urban area. Even with all the electronic reports, on one of the most beautiful mornings and one of the best swell of the year, I got to enjoy a peak with just a friend for company.

I haven't read the full article yet but a part of me feels like the debate about technology / information and overcrowding seems a bit pointless and tired. The flow of information is (and should be) as fluid and free as the swells that rolled in here this week. Good or bad.

Agreed. Pointless and tired. It's well beyond happening...deal with it.

Disagree here. There's an attitude that people have of entitlement. They expect things handed to them without putting in the effort, work, or time and usually lack the appreciation of those that did their due diligence. I'm all for technology and information, but just be mindful and sensitive about the posts.

Plus, internet info doesn't always work out too well :)

I biked out to OB yesterday expecting something a bit smaller than what I found, thanks to Internet Information. I flounced after two hours of complete failure.

There needs to be a big "n00bs avoid Ocean Beach today" sign on PWR.

LOLOL I know...I was like uhhhhh oh shit when you pulled up :) haha
However, tehdely all failure is pretty much still good in surfing :)

Mmmm, "sense of entitlement"? It's been a looong time since I've seen surfers protesting at City Hall b/c the gov't hasn't provided them their daily surf report.

Uber-popular spots like OB & LM don't require due diligence, time, or effort, so that argument rings hollow. If Stoke Report & its ilk were surf reporting lucky secret spots that require half mile hikes through the fire swamp fighting R.U.S's, then I'd be more apt to side with you.

The argument is not about whether surf reports are right or wrong, its about the way easy access to information has changed the essential attitude of the lowly surfer. Surfers don't seem to grasp that concept when the debate comes up.

Its not that there is anything wrong with assisting personal surf forecasting with technology and up to the minute reports. Its just that the attitude that has fostered in the surfing community is one of instant gratification and high expectations as to what they deserve.

Its frustrating as a surfer who has been dedicated to the sport before these changes occurred. Much like the guy who posted this article, i too started surfing at a young age and struggled for years. I was a young kid, 13ish and at the time, OB was nearly empty.

Watching surfing change in San Francisco has been so interesting because when I started, surfing still seemed like some kind of underground cult. My friends would make fun of me for caring if the wind was coming out of the east. Then a few years later, somehow these non surfers would know when a big swell was coming and ask me if i was excited.

The recent resurgence of surfing as 'cool' had hit and we were never going back...

I'm not trying to single anyone out, but the way guys are talking about yesterday as a day for news to avoid OB is somewhat upsetting. If you didn't know that already?! what are you doing surfing ob anyway. There was also a time when beginners understood that you had a couple of years at lm before you were allowed to step up to ob. That sentimentality seems to be dead also. And, if yesterday was scary, its important that you reevaluate you abilities because the surf at ob is about to become very real. And thankfully, for me at least, the crowds will be gone.

here is post i wrote on surfermag forum yesterday that address in part, frustrations about surfing in SF today

http://forum.surfermag.com/forum/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=1696209&an=0&...

I think sense of entitlement puts it perfectly. People feel they deserve to be out when it might not be the case. Lets all trade in our sense of entitlement for humble appreciation of a beautiful sport and way of life

Wow that was a lot of text.

FYI, Some people don't have a car (or license) and can only surf in San Francisco. New or not :)

*cough*

Sometimes the (mis)information can be used to advantage. Like last Thursday, when Surfline said SC was flat, and we scored empty little waves at The Hook because everyone else stayed away http://ow.ly/15YgOh

@kook-aid, I guess I took the 'sense of entitlement' phrase to be specific to surf reports, but I do understand the wider point as you laid it out. So, assuming that folks feeling a sense of entitlement, paddling out when it's beyond their capabilities, etc, what's the solution? I'd argue that surf reports can actually be a force for good, describing in detail the size & strength of the surf so groms & kooks know beforehand what to expect & whether to go.

You reference Surfer Mag, which is interesting b/c that magazine had an article in this month's print edition about localism & regulating, and although I'm not sure I buy all their arguments, they say that localism is ineffectual b/c Mo' Nature will do a much better job of regulating. Would be interested in your opinion on that article given your experience w/the SUP'er & what I would guess would be opinion that Mo' Nature isn't sufficient regulation.

Kook-aid: Mr SUP should be given a self imposed time out. I've said it time and time again. The board is a convenience, pretend it's gone and *THEN WHAT*. From time to time, I do a "firedrill". That's when I get off the board and swim in, with leash in tow. Every surfer should, from time to time attempt to do that. Damn 11/3 wasn't even that big and he calls Uncle :(
Shoulda given him the business IMO :)
Thanks for playing nice with him. It's important we play nice out there, and I agree with your sentiment that the conditions generally will separate the men from the boys and thin out the crowd.
I may even take a pass if it's greater than 2X. My "BIG THURSDAY" lesson on 10/22 was indeed a lesson. Got my ass a new leash as a result of that. I'll take a look, but if it's a short period swell with big ass bombs, I'll just be cheering from the sidelines rather then get caught with my pants down again.
Oh the pain :)
http://cryptomail.livejournal.com/12377.html

@marklukach I knew that your article was pro-sharing information. Sorry if my comment came off as an attack on your thoughts. My response was more about the predictable back and forth that would follow.

I can't remember who initially brought it up, but I agree that ultimately mother nature determines who will surf where and when. Or how @cyroptomail put it "conditions generally will separate the men from the boys and thin out the crowd"

By the way... I fall in the latter category.

I like the trickle-down theory of information about the wave:

Satellite data & models ->
SE PAPA buoy ->
California buoy ->
HMB/SF buoys ->
Stokereport eyewitness reports ->
what I see breaking on pedro point ->
the wave that's under (or over) my board

It's kinda funny that with all the military-industrial-complexity, computerized models, and crowd-sourcey advice it's all still pretty subjective. Some of that is the minute-to-minute locality. Some of that is the eye of the beholder.

I vote for the free flow of subjective opinions. Caveat Emptor.

If you're new to the site, there's additional discussion on the topic here: http://stokereport.com/rant/how-ethical-website-do-we-need-more-insta-cr...

I do find that Twitter tends to be the best resource for reports and organizing a group of people to surf. Few things beat eyes on the water and I love sharing in the joy of someone having a successful session or the pain of a broken board.

I do try and follow Stokemasters abbreviations of spots to make it tougher for the not regulars to figure out but for people in the know and who I would want to surf will know that when someone tweets out "JT is looking really good 4-5 with light offshore" I look forward to seeing them in the line up.

Surfline is an unreliable resource at best but it can give you and idea of what might be happening once you combine it with another source. I find it is often much more wrong about being flat vs when it is pumping.

i once diagnosed myself with legionairre's disease with what i read off the internet. what is "good" for someone may not be for others. for awhile, whenever i called the wise report and would hear "it's not great by any stretch of the imagination" i knew it was the most fun ever-that was code for me. we all have different standards. learn the buoys, show up to see what they mean, if you're solely going out from what you read on the internet expect legionairre's disease. this forum is fun. this rant is really fun.

Interesting discussion. In the older days, watermen were always at the beach ready to take the surf 10" or 10' mostly on the same long board. No forcast needed. There are few watermen around these days.

Weather forecasting long preceded surf forecasting, though it was the wiser ones that looked at the storms, calculated (or guesstimated the fetch and showed up. I went to college in the 70's when the book "The Weather Surfer" was written by a Physical Science professor at my school. (note: he eventually wound up consulting or working for an online surf forecaster). If you were willing to spend the time with the calcs in the book, you too could forecast pretty accurately.

Recall Surfax? They took it to another level by mass distribution of the surf forecast via daily morning fax. It's continued to evolve. Forecasting and reports are just an evolution, for better or worse. We all just cannot help to talk story about our stoke. It's difficult to keep it to yourself. And the stoke, it belongs to all of us.

Love it @walter, thanks. I never saw the surfax, but I have seen the weather arrive via radiofax on a few sailboats. Still up to the sailor to analyze what's coming in.

(love the cardiff kook icon too!)

Thanks @walter for that great post. I never heard of surfax and look forward to doing some research on it.