When you go surfing, it’s important to check some conditions. The ocean is a force of nature, which we are not able to regulate. So we have to act upon it. Here are explained some terms relating to various surf spots.
If you read any forecasts of a surfspot, you will always read something about the swell. The swell define the energy and force of a wave.
At the spots the waves come in, in so-called sets. When a swell covers a distance, the waves arrange to a set, which means, that about 3-7 waves come with the same distance and then there is a pause to the next set.
The wind is also an important criterion which influence the surf conditions. Especially at Fuerteventura, because here is a lot of wind. If there is an onshore wind, it comes from the sea. The wind press the waves ant they become plain and has different heights. Offshore, means that the wind blows frontal from the coast to the waves. Consequently, the waves break very clean but it is also harder to surf them, because they are steeper.
The water which is pushed to the land, has to flow back in the sea. It’s searching for the easiest way, where no waves are breaking. Therefore there is generated a channel, where the surfers can paddle easily in the line-up (area, where you wait for a wave). Because the water flows back there is a current. The current can be diffrently strong and can flow in different directions. If the current pulls you against the rocks or in the open sea, keep calm on your board and start paddeling in a right angle out of it.
There are diffrent breaks: beach breaks and reefbreaks. Beach breaks are spots, where waves break above a sandbank. This spots are better for beginners to practice their take-offs, because they fall on sand by a wipe-out (drop). But at the beach the waves break at diffrent positions, because every wave deforms the sandbank.
Reef breaks are spots, where the waves break above a reef flat. There, the peak (position where the waves are breaking)at the same place, because the reef isn’t moveable. It’s important to chech the water-level at the reef break, because if you drop of the board, your could insure yourself when the water-level is too low.
Whatever reef or beachbreak, you should always care about other surfers. There is one norm you have to consider in the water. The surfer, which is closer to the breaking part of the wave or to the peak, may take the wave. So, get sure that there is no other sufer in the wave you are paddeling for. Otherwise you will drop in his wave and this could have consequences.