Before the sun rises we start thinking about the surf. All the computations start going off immediately, and unprompted. The wind forecast for the day combined with the swell period. Add in the tides and the size of the swell that has been around for the last few days, plus what the surf report has guessed, and our brains are instinctively doing the math. Sometimes in Hawaii there is the constant booming of sets to exacerbate the situation, to speed it up. All the sums and calculations and addition, combined with all the experience, hunch, knowledge and sixth sense that we have inherent. There’s a lot going on, and we don’t even know it.
At some stage your brain is going to throw out a picture to you. A visual of what is probably happening down at the beach. If it’s onshore and small, then you can block it out and continue your day, getting through all the necessary things like work, chores, family and friends.
Yet sometime the brain throws a different visual however. It throws out an enticing, alluring display of perfect waves, offshore breezes, barrels and bright sunshine. When this happens, a surfer’s day is in total turmoil, and nothing can make it better apart from a surf check.
No matter how busy a day or how many chores are on the cards, we will always find the time to do a cursory surf check. A quick jump into the car, a mental reassurance that you’re only going to be a few minutes; that work and duties will resume again after a short break, and you’re off.
It takes full concentration to make sure that you obey all the rules of the road, as nervousness and anticipation override your sensibilities. Don’t go too fast, remember to indicate if you’re turning, and come to a complete stop at stop streets.
Finally you approach the beach. There is a certain favourite view spot, where you can pick up everything at a quick glance. The tide is revealed by a certain watermark on the rocks, and the wind can be seen clearly on the water. It is also possible to fully ascertain from which direction the swell is approaching, and obviously you can see the cloud cover.
There are two possible outcomes to this surf check. The first one is the onshore slop outcome. The waves are small and the conditions are wrong. There are a number of things wrong with the equation, and the combination of negatives in the surf conditions results in the need to do your day’s work outweighing your need to surf. While it is always totally disappointing to witness miserable surf conditions and waste time in the surf check, this outcome at least provides complete clarity and peace of mind. The waves are terrible, you’re not missing out on anything, and there are things to do and tasks to get through in the real world. This provides you with the decision-making process that you have been searching for since you opened your eyes and glanced outside, since you remembered a wave ridden a few days ago on your favourite board, since you poured your coffee and saw a branch swaying slightly in a particular breeze, since you noticed more dew on the deck than usual, since you glanced at your wetsuit hanging from the beam in your yard, since you picked up your sun cream from where you had left it, next to the toaster in the kitchen.
The decision is made. It is set in stone, and you can continue your day without a semblance of self-doubt, of nagging worry that there might be a party at some sand bank or point somewhere and you need to be there.
The other outcome is that the waves are firing, barreling, going off, which in turn leads to a full range of further options….
