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Why is it when swellinfo predicts good surf and it ends up being blown out or just bad, people still paddle out and crowd certain breaks? Mainly in OCMD I notice this...
Do they really think its good? Or are they just totally unaware and figure if swellinfo says its good, then it must be...
Is this a rhetorical question or are you looking to gain some valuable insight from an answer? I recommend you #StayAbovetheWeather by taking other's actions as give-ins and adjusting accordingly, rather than complaining. Try paddling out down the beach or relocating to Bora Bora...
It looks dumb, but there may be an explanation. When I lived farther inland, I relied more on forecasts and would often just head to the beach at 4 am without any real read of the what the conditions would be like. If I got there and it was crappy, well, I had driven 45 mins or an hour to get there and I figured I might as well get wet and work the paddling muscles a bit. Maybe that's the logic at work here. I dunno.
It's just such a waste to drive and and not even paddle out. Worst case scenario, you get no rides but stay in shape just paddling around.
Why does this bother you? Do you really care if a break is crowded when there's nothing to surf anyway?
I guess its the internet age and it brings a lot more people from out of town that rely on swellinfo. I see a lot of PA, VA, and DC tags whenever swellinfo forecasts clean and over 2'.
I just miss the days of no internet and the fun of doing your own forecasting. When you would get it right you felt rewarded for having it all to yourself and getting the forecast right. Now its all laid out in front of everyone which is kind of a bummer. (and yes I know I'm a bit of a hypocrite because I too am a member of swellinfo) Oh well I guess the past is the past...
I could see pa and dc tags during the summer months but in december? what a waste of a drive for 2' clean waves. Plus, I would not drive from va beach the whole way up to ocmd, unless I lived right over the boarderQuote:
Originally Posted by Brode
The stoke is strong with this one....
Really, what the hell does it matter? I surf in mush/slop/small waves 99% of the time cause I like to surf and I'll take whatever the ocean gives.....Only reason I look at forcasts is so I can plan on calling out of work if swell is comming...If it doesnt come then what have I lost? A day at work and some time in the water? Geee life is tough....
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Originally Posted by Brode
you got it all wrong.. you spend 2 minutes checking it and therefore think there are no waves when its really coming in every 10 minutes and its really epic ;)
nothing to brag about, but i got a few fun waves today! I was lucky enough to be the only one out at a popular spot for my 1.5hr sesh even if it wasnt epic you gotta take what you can get and the water is still warm.
Quote:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brode
You're lucky, you missed those days, you either drove 5 min or 3 hours and when you got the sand under your toes, the forecast was with your own eyes, it was hit or miss, most often the latter. When gas was just 29 cents a gallon in those years it only cost $5.00 from Bethesda in a Z28. You could call your local shop for a swell report which was about the good as it got but when the new technology of phone recorders shops provided a dial in forecast. Maybe we were just too young and dumb in those early years to predict surf forecasts :confused: as most of you are able to do now with all the data we never had years ago. Whether the sand bar is crowded or not its certainly 1000 % improvement when I was a grom, just say'n :)