Build the Perfect Wave: The Science of Surfing
6/9/2003
By Andrew Rice
It wasn’t very long ago that the best surfing waves just showed up at the beach with no advance warning.
If you were there, great, you were lucky. If not, well, you got to hear about how fabulous the surfing
was after the fact. The last 15 years have seen a dramatic change in our ability to predict when a good
surfing swell will hit the coast, where it will break best and, roughly, how big it will be. Today,
you don't have be a surf bum to ride good waves — you just need access to accurate weather predictions.
What kind of weather produces the best waves? Here's your chance to Build the Perfect Wave at
www.discovery.com's virtual surf break
You can also explore the science of wave prediction in From Storm to Wave, and find out how the best
surfers ride great breaks in The Physics of Wave Riding.
Check out this very cool site by clicking on the link above.
