Ocean Awareness Equals Safer Surfing

The ocean made a lasting impression on me when I was around 5 years old. Born in the midwest I was privileged to move to LA for a brief period of time and spend a few years on some of California's legendary beaches. Unfortunately it only lasted for a few years, until my parents moved back to the frigid midwest.

I never forgot the beauty of California and decided to move back to Los Angeles when I was around 19 years old. I had been drawn to the beach, the waters and the lifestyle of this part of the United States. Soon after moving back I started to study the beaches, the currents, tides, wind and waves. Mostly because I wanted to surf good uncrowded waves, but also I knew it would be safer to surf if I knew which way the tide was going and if there were strong rip currents in the area. It has always paid off to be aware of the weather and water conditions in your area. Also especially be aware of what tide, wind condition and swell direction that your surf break starts to works at. For some reason I never liked it when other surfers had to tell me when there was a swell coming. I learned early that if you pay attention to your area weather that you will always catch the surfers off guard at one time or another. This means that you will have the surf to your self for at least a little while.

While sometimes the weather can be somewhat of a boring subject, when it comes to the ocean there are no lack of variables. It is always changing. It is very important that you become aware of your areas current weather and ocean conditions before you jump into the ocean. Todays online resources are endless with web sites that have popped up everywhere claiming to be surf predicting experts. I prefer National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). They give you all the current conditions in your area and seem to be one of the more depended upon weather resources.

The more you can become aware of the ocean conditions and local weather situation the more fun and safer you will be on the beach in the long run, also the more waves you will catch. Of course the more you know about your local surf break the safer your surfing experience will be. Safety should always come first when going surfing,have respect for the ocean and it will respect for you.