Let's talk about wave heights...

Discussion in 'All Discussions' started by heyzeus, Nov 5, 2014.

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  1. Nov 5, 2014 #1
    heyzeus

    heyzeus Well-Known Member

    190
    Oct 7, 2014
    As someone new to surfing (having started this past spring), I just can't wrap my head around wave heights. I realize this differs from region to region and even person to person, but why in the world is this so hard to get anywhere near right? Now, obviously estimating a wave in feet is a little more tricky than the thigh/waist/head/etc form of measuring. But many times, these two forms of measuring just don't line up at all. It gets trickier still when you're trying to measure peaky beach break waves.

    Take today for example, forecast called for 2-3 feet with the occasional 4 feet. I went out and it seemed consistently 3-4 feet or waist to stomach high, but mostly waist. I come home and look at two different reports, from the time I was out in the water. Both reports are calling it 1-2 feet, and some pictures do appear to be about knee to thigh high, but these are clearly the far inside section when the wave is basically over. Pictures of guys on sets out the back, are clearly at least waist high. I wouldn't have a problem with this if these same reports weren't also calling 1-2 feet when it's ****ing ankle to knee high at best. Seems to me "1-2 feet" is a catch all phrase around here for anything less than shoulder high.
     
    heyzeus, Nov 5, 2014
    heyzeus, Nov 5, 2014
  3. Nov 5, 2014 #2
    leetymike808

    leetymike808 Well-Known Member

    752
    Nov 16, 2013
    oh great...here we go AGAIN.

    Theres a few threads on this one already. Nobody ever agrees.
     
    leetymike808, Nov 5, 2014
    leetymike808, Nov 5, 2014

  5. Nov 5, 2014 #3
    heyzeus

    heyzeus Well-Known Member

    190
    Oct 7, 2014
    Sorry. Not trying to start a thread full of arguing. It just genuinely baffles me that the same person could call a marginally longboardable ankle slapper and a halfway decent (by EC standards) shortboardable wave nearly the same height. I get that different people have different standards and ways of measuring, but it seems no one can even agree with themselves on how big or small a wave is.
     
    heyzeus, Nov 5, 2014
    heyzeus, Nov 5, 2014
  6. Nov 6, 2014 #4
    titsandpits

    titsandpits Well-Known Member

    583
    Sep 4, 2012
    The best surf report is checking in ur self
     
    titsandpits, Nov 6, 2014
    titsandpits, Nov 6, 2014
  7. Nov 6, 2014 #5
    worsey

    worsey Well-Known Member

    4,503
    Oct 13, 2013
    tattoo: its overhead!
    shaq: man, its only knee-high....
     
    worsey, Nov 6, 2014
    worsey, Nov 6, 2014
  8. Nov 6, 2014 #6
    Special Whale Glue

    Special Whale Glue Well-Known Member

    2,318
    Oct 8, 2011
    Let's not title threads with "let's talk about......."
    This thread is indeed a waste of time. Like Mike said, nobody agrees, so there you have it. Done.
    I'm sure someone will want to argue about it anyway. Enjoy.
     
    Special Whale Glue, Nov 6, 2014
    Special Whale Glue, Nov 6, 2014
  9. Nov 6, 2014 #7
    Special Whale Glue

    Special Whale Glue Well-Known Member

    2,318
    Oct 8, 2011
    [​IMG]
     
    Special Whale Glue, Nov 6, 2014
    Special Whale Glue, Nov 6, 2014
  10. Nov 6, 2014 #8
    Mr.Belmar

    Mr.Belmar Well-Known Member

    3,824
    Aug 19, 2010
    The best thing to do is to only look at ONE surf forecasting website (swellinfo.com) and not get mixed up by others. Here at swellinfo- you'll find the best and mort accurate reports. I do admit it can be hard to understand- take for instance the report for Belmar,NJ: it will say it's 2 to 4 ft and green, well you might grab your longboard and check it- only to find out that you would call it 23ft and have to go home to grab your elephant gun...
     
    Mr.Belmar, Nov 6, 2014
    Mr.Belmar, Nov 6, 2014
  11. Nov 6, 2014 #9
    rcarter

    rcarter Well-Known Member

    4,222
    Jul 26, 2009
    2-3 ft face = 1-2 ft off the back = thigh/waist high wave. What you do with that is up to you man. Some guys can rip that on a shortboard and other need a log to catch knee-waist mushburgers.
     
    rcarter, Nov 6, 2014
    rcarter, Nov 6, 2014
  12. Nov 6, 2014 #10
    rcarter

    rcarter Well-Known Member

    4,222
    Jul 26, 2009
    Yeah but only Belmar can handle 23ft:cool:
     
    rcarter, Nov 6, 2014
    rcarter, Nov 6, 2014
  13. Nov 6, 2014 #11
    seldom seen

    seldom seen Well-Known Member

    13,085
    Aug 21, 2012
    I wanted to post this up and see in the last thread, and since we're back on this, go ahead and call this...

    Belmar, of course.jpg

    ...sorry, I forgot aboot the image enlargement technique...
     
    seldom seen, Nov 6, 2014
    seldom seen, Nov 6, 2014
  14. Nov 6, 2014 #12
    yankee

    yankee Well-Known Member

    9,092
    Sep 26, 2008
    Is that the shredmachine....?!?!
     
    yankee, Nov 6, 2014
    yankee, Nov 6, 2014
  15. Nov 6, 2014 #13
    LBCrew

    LBCrew Well-Known Member

    6,024
    Aug 12, 2009
    That dude's in for a world of hurt.
     
    LBCrew, Nov 6, 2014
    LBCrew, Nov 6, 2014
  16. Nov 6, 2014 #14
    seldom seen

    seldom seen Well-Known Member

    13,085
    Aug 21, 2012
    It is...it wasn't 23', but he figured he'd just go out and practice his duck diving for when it turned on for real.

    Agreed, I do not envy him in that pic...and it looks cold.
     
    seldom seen, Nov 6, 2014
    seldom seen, Nov 6, 2014
  17. Nov 6, 2014 #15
    NICAfiend

    NICAfiend Well-Known Member

    534
    May 12, 2012
    That's doh and I would have ditched my board a long time ago!!
     
    NICAfiend, Nov 6, 2014
    NICAfiend, Nov 6, 2014
  18. Nov 6, 2014 #16
    seldom seen

    seldom seen Well-Known Member

    13,085
    Aug 21, 2012
    I am completely comfortable with that assessment:cool:
     
    seldom seen, Nov 6, 2014
    seldom seen, Nov 6, 2014
  19. Nov 6, 2014 #17
    sbx

    sbx Well-Known Member

    977
    Mar 21, 2010
    It's kind of hard to see but it looks like he's gonna be right in the low pressure zone. Probably pop right out the back.
     
    sbx, Nov 6, 2014
    sbx, Nov 6, 2014
  20. Nov 6, 2014 #18
    seldom seen

    seldom seen Well-Known Member

    13,085
    Aug 21, 2012
    If he did, I'm sure he was psyched! Good call on the low preshah!
     
    seldom seen, Nov 6, 2014
    seldom seen, Nov 6, 2014
  21. Nov 6, 2014 #19
    leetymike808

    leetymike808 Well-Known Member

    752
    Nov 16, 2013
    a little overhead....he's in a great spot to duck dive that. STOP DITCHING YOUR BOARDS!!!!!! ITS NOT SAFE!!!!
     
    leetymike808, Nov 6, 2014
    leetymike808, Nov 6, 2014
  22. Nov 6, 2014 #20
    zach619

    zach619 Well-Known Member

    4,733
    Jan 21, 2009
    Solid 8-10 I reckon. Hard to tell with him laying down.
     
    zach619, Nov 6, 2014
    zach619, Nov 6, 2014
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