Surfing

The watersport ‘surfing’ refers to a person riding a board on the crest of wave as it approaches the shore. Waves or swell are created when wind blows continuously over a long stretch of water, this is often referred to as the fetch. This explains why surf spots with large continuous waves are often located on coastlines that have access to a large ocean fetch with strong offshore winds and low pressure systems. However local conditions also have a huge affect on the type of wave produced, with a gentle offshore wind pushing the front of the wave to produce “barrel” and tube “waves”.

Wave shape, however is determined by the seabed behind the wave and directly below it. Different underwater topography varies greatly between different locations and this is especially true at beach breaks and sand breaks as they can change shape from week to week. Swell varies across the globe throughout the year and during the winter months heavy swells are observed in the mid latitudes, especially on the west coasts that encounter strong westerly winds pushing eastward. However this is interrupted at regular intervals due mid-latitude Cyclones that redirect swells towards the tropics. This being said East coasts can also experience heavy swells in the winter months, this is however only when low pressure cells approach from the sub-tropics.

In the summer months tropical cyclones under the influence of La Nina and El Nino create unpredictable and but heavy swells.

Artificial Reefs: Surf tourism and the growing popularity of surfing has encouraged the construction of artificial reefs and sand bars. However with any surf spot there is always the danger of a “flat spell” thus wave pools were invented to solve that problem. Wave pools do however have their problems and are extremely expensive to run thus only a handful of wave pools across the world have the power to generate ‘surfable’ waves; one such example is miyazaki in Japan.

Surfing has been going on for a long time and its history is rich. Surfers are always trying to evolve the sport taking it from riding wooden blanks to conquering some of the most inhospitable place on the planet.

Free To Roam With John John Florence

April 18th, 2013

Everyone is talking about one guy right now, John John Florence. Kelly Slater describes Florence as possible the best North Shore surfer the world has ever seen, and he is proving that. Directed by Blake Vincent Kueny and John John FREE TO ROAM is filmed on the Gold Coast of Australia and not only features Florence but also skating from Greyson Fletcher & Jack Fardell.

DRIFT – Trailer Hopscotch Films

April 15th, 2013

The new surf movie from Hopscotch Films - DRIFT. Set in Margaret River, Australia, a sleepy coastal town with some of the world's most challenging and serious waves. The Kelly brothers, Andy and Jimmy, have one great passion: riding big waves. Staring Sam Worthington as JB a surf photographer and filmmaker. Inspired by the true story of Australia's legendary surfwear moguls, the film chronicles the ascension of surf brands and the expansion of the laid back surf attitude as a global lifestyle.

North Shore (1987) full movie

April 11th, 2013

There are some great surf movies out there but in my opinion North Shore is one of the best! Not only does it star Matt Adler, who has a very similar hair cut to Luke Skywalker, but also pro surfers Shaun Tomson, Gerry Lopez, Laird Hamilton, Mark Occhilupo, Mark Foo, Derek Ho and Ken Bradshaw. Please now sit back and relaxed and watch the full length surf movie - North Shore.

The 2013 Hot 100 Movie

April 9th, 2013

Watch the best young surfers on the planet in The 2013 Hot 100 Movie brought to you by SURFER Magazine. The 2013 Hot 100 Movie showcases not only the best young surfers but also some of the best locations all over the globe. Some spectacular appearances from the like of John John Florence Kolohe Andino, Malia Manuel and Coco Ho. With these well armed young surfers on tour the like of Slater better watch out!

Uncharted Waters – The History of Wayne Lynch

April 5th, 2013

A documentary about Wayne Lynch, surfing's original man-child messiah. No one had ever surfed like Wayne Lynch before, his futuristic approach laid down the lines that would come to define modern surfing. Growing up in the wild, empty waves of his native Victoria, Wayne Lynch carved his name into surfing's history. Uncharted Waters, a new documentary produced and directed by Craig Griffin, tracing the personal story of one of surf culture's most iconic figures