Product Description

Surf Science is the first book to talk in depth about the science of waves from a surfer's point of view. It fills the gap between surfing books and waves textbooks, and will help surfers to predict surf. Where do waves come from? What makes every one different? Why do some peel nicely and others just close out? Why, some days, do waves come in sets of six, and others in sets of three? What factors affect the behaviour of a surfing break? Surf Science answers all these questions and many more. It is the first book to talk in depth about the science of waves from a surfer's point of view. It fills the gap between surfing books and waves textbooks, and will help surfers to predict surf.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #35268 in Books
• Published on: 2004-06-15
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 142 pages

Review
'an excellent resource for surfers who want a simple understanding of the how's and why's of wave creation and surf conditions. ... 'The large-scale, worldwide wind/weather patterns were explained exceptionally well ... Group propagation was fascinating ... There were great explanations of how bathymetry (ocean bottom contour) and refraction helps characterize waves.' (hisurfadvisory.com, October 2004) 'explains in simple, easy to understand fashion, the dynamics behind wave creation, from how swells are generated to how topographical variables affect wave shape and quality. For that reason alone, it should be a requisite read for all coastal activists concerned about beach and surf preservation.' (Surfrider Foundation, Making Waves, 20-5/15) 'holds interest for anyone who loves the sea and wants to understand it better. The authors present sophistictaed concepts such as swell generation and dispersal, and the influence of temperature variation and the tides on surf, in accessible, engaging language' (The Age, theage.com.au, 20.11.04) 'jam-packed with many helpful graphs, diagrams, photographs' (Longboard Magazine, February 2005) 'with the release of Surf Science, we now hold all the technical knowledge we need - at our fingertips. ... '... Surf Science provides readers with an easy-to-read, in depth explanation of the topic with a specific focus on how the conditions influence our sport. ' ... This crash course in wave prediction not only shows how to read complicated satellite and computer models, but it also contains a wide-ranging list of additional resources for further study.' (Eastern Surf, vol. 13:100, October 2004) 'clearly reaches out to both surfers and those interested in the surf ... great color graphics and color photos. 'The book is well-written and well-organized ... 'Another attractive aspect of this book is the historical perspective provided regarding wave research.' (David F. Naar, Associate Professor, College of Marine Science, University of South Florida, Oceanography, vol. 18, no. 2, June 2005) 'Extremely well-illustrated and compiled.' (Publishers Weekly, PW Daily for Booksellers, 25.08.04)

The Surfer's Path, Issue 33, October/November 2002
‘So who would benefit from this book? Well, it's hard to think of a surfer who wouldn't...'

Surfrider Foundation, Making Waves, 20-5/15
'it should be a requisite read for all coastal activists concerned about beach and surf preservation.’

Customer Reviews

Whoa!
This book i thought was going to be full of incoherent mumblings about fathoms and linear models but instead of a physics lessons i got very in depth, easy to comprehend information about waves. this helped me, as a surfer, understand the waves and which in turn brought my surfing to a whole new level. I fully recommend this book to anyone who has the slightest interest in the sea, whether you are a surfer of just a gazing out to sea kind of person!

This will totally enlighten your surfing!
Once your hooked on a sport you need something to keep taking you further, this is what you need to take you from going to the beach and going... oh its flat but the bbc said 2foot choppy, too planning your surf trips a week in advance... to the time of the day to go. It will teach you what makes waves, what makes good waves and riding, why certain times of the day are better than others... your mind is the limit and this will take you a long long way.

Very valuble to any surfer or water go'er and a real interesting read. And thats from a bodyboarder! happy riding

the best book for understanding waves
after surfing for many years i have a fair knowledge of weather and how waves are created but this book really helped me take a step up in my understanding. Easy to understand and a must buy for anyone interested in wave creation.