welshkate

Surfers Stare- Mark Pastick

Mark Pastick is a surf kayak instructor, based out of Santa Cruz, CA. In 2005, Mark coached the US West team to victory at the World Championships in Costa Rica. I am posting this article by kind permission- thanks Mark!   

What are you lookin’ at? You’ve seen it at the all the surf breaks gazing out at the water with the blank look of total and utter concentration. You will especially see the stare during the weekend of March 14 – 16 at Steamer Lane. Is it a whale, dolphin, or sea otter out there. No its the LINE. When a surfer looks out at waves they try to transform themselves out there in the constantly changing dynamics of the wave and mentally go through the maneuvers to complete a successful ride and reentry back out to the lineup. Determining if you can see the line will make the decision of going out there much easier. If you can’t see the line then your ride will be messed up with no path to follow. What’s the LINE? Next time you gaze out at the break notice what happens after the wave breaks. It turns white and leaves a trail of foam.

Remember where the path was and watch the next wave as it breaks and leaves a foam trail. If the foam edge of the second, third, or 4th wave matches the first then you have a reoccurring pattern in the surf called a foam line. Realizing this is a reoccurring pattern will help you line up for the next wave. You know where the wave starts to break by paddling out to the end of the foam. Next take 2 or three landmarks. Look for something directly in towards shore. Then to your right or left. Sometimes there is a buoy you can use as a reference point. Line up the 2 – 3 points to keep you on this spot. This is called triangulating. Sometimes the wind or a strong current can carry you and the foam off the surf break. As your surfer stare continues from land also notice if there are any rip currents. Rip currents are a surfers friend. Rip currents can help carry you out past the the breaking surf with minimal contact with the breaking waves. On a shore break they are very noticeable and quite helpful. Often causing a ride in toward the beach on the glassy face of the wave then get a ride back out using the rip current as a conveyer belt. As you relax, stretch, and keep studying the wave action. Make sure there are no rocky obstructions, shallow sandbars, or fins in the water. Time the intervals between the larger waves called set waves and smaller waves called lulls. A common mistake is to try to count the number of large waves and compare it with the number of smaller waves. I think you’ll find timing the intervals between the larger and smaller waves to be a more accurate method of gauging when the next big set will be coming. Sometimes it takes a good 15 – 20 minutes to actually gauge what’s going on out there. Then all of a sudden it gets dark way out on the horizon and just like rolling thunder. Here they come. I’ll take the next one I can see the line.