I have started keeping a Surf Log documenting the conditions and details of my sesh every time I go out. Lots of the information I can gather myself while in the water, but I'm looking to get more specifics. I use three different websites but all three mostly show what the predicted conditions are for the day, when I really want the measured or actual observed conditions for the time(s) I was out. I record wave height, swell direction, wind speed and direction, water/air temps among other things. There's gotta be more of you out there that keep some type of record of your sessions. What do you make notes of? Where do you get your reported information? And how has it helped you? If there is a post already about this, please steer me to it, I couldn't find one. Any help is much appreciated!
Dude. This is a great idea. I'm going to start doing that now. Mark down mistakes. Sesh length. Tide times. Oh man if only i had been doing this already. Thanks for the idea!
I don't right it down but I have mmy breaks dialed to where to go based on swell directions, period, and combo swells. Winds...and tides.
I used to do it a lot and need to get back into it especially when I travel. I have a simple form I fill out with date, time, tide, conditions and location. I also note who I'm surfing with including anyone I met in the water. I look back at this years later more than anything for the nostalgia. I make notes that include wildlife seen, parking issues (if any), mishaps and a short descrioption of the best wave of the session. It really only takes a few minutes before driving away. If I don't do it at the beach I usually forget about it. I think it improves my surfing and I'm glad you brought it up to remind me to get back at it! THX
http://forecasts.surfingmagazine.com/ Check here I have seen a session log tab but have never used it.
Thought about it, never have, perhaps out of laziness or just too focused on the activity itself. I know it would help in predicting conditions more accurately, and thus score more often than not.
I tried doing this once and it lasted for about a month but i surf so often it was really hard to keep up with. now i just document the good days. to make it a little easier on me
Yeah, I'm a huge nerd. I have logged standout sessions from the last few years. You can find the historical data on your local buoy by digging through the NDBC website (for example, if you're looking for the readings on a hurricane that rolled through a few years ago). The buoys also have the last 24 hrs or so on the page with current conditions. The log helps, no doubt, especially for inlanders like myself who have 10 different surf spots all within an hour drive and cant remember which combo of wind, tides, period, etc need to line up for each spot to turn on. Mainly though, it helps remember good sessions with certain friends and that occasional awesome ride. This thread just reminded me to add yesterdays session to the log.
Yea....I do, sometimes. I list the date and conditions, people interactions, wildlife seen, but it talks more about my feelings than anything else. Surprise, surprise.....guess it's a chic thing.
lol! I thought I was the only surf nut. I log each session's day, time, wave conditions, what I rode, who I was with and how I rode based on my own self critical 1-10 scale. I know this year swell count is WAY down based on last year.
if you write it all down it becomes an interesting exercise in data collection and analysis. if you keep it all in your head you become a local.
Thanks for all the tips guys! The NDBC website is great for the info I was looking for. I have found that keeping this log has helped me to better understand surf forecasting as a whole, especially what works at my favorite spots. It is a pain in the ass sometimes to log every single session. But when I look back over it I get to re-live my standout sessions, which is sometimes the best action I can get when it's flat. Maybe I'm kind of a nerd with all this (and according to cresto, I guess I'm not a local) but it's fun and keeps me focused on becoming a better surfer.
After 15 years of surfing, I to decided to start keeping a log/journal. I like it mostly for seeing how many days/year I actually get in the water. It is also a nice way to be able to look back on stand out days and conditions. I use the surf journal app on the Iphone. It has buoy data and tides built in to the GPS, so once you set your spot the tides and buoy/wind readings populate automatically. If you are looking for specific info on swells, I would stick to the NDBC website. You are not going to find a website with more current ocean reading than that.
Yes we have a private FB page for me and my girls. We post conditions, forecast discrepancy and adventurous stuff that happens and foto upload. Fun!
