surfing

Beaufort Wind Scale   Developed in 1806 by Sir Francis Beaufort of England   The Beaufort Scale was created to standardize wind strength observations. Eventually adopted by the Royal Navy in 1830 it became the standard. With slight variations over the years, the scale is still used in some countries. Nowadays there are many more instruments and wind gauges available. However the Beaufort Scale is still the best way to estimate the wind speed based purely on visual observations of the sea state. In some countries, the scale goes beyond 12, and has classifications from 13-17, which are for special situations like typhoons (hurricanes). Here is the most common version of the Beaufort Scale. Force Wind (Knots) Wind (mph) WMO Classification Appearance of Wind Effects On the Water On Land 0 Less than 1 Less than 1 Calm Sea surface…

  Beyond Basics Surfing Course for Intermediates Surfing 201 in the follow on course for surfers who have mastered the basics covered in Surfing 101. Surfing 201 takes a deeper look into understanding the forces that we use in surfing and the techniques we will use to catch more waves, and ride more waves. Before reading this section you should have already read Surfing 101 and the section of How waves are made. Reading the Waves: Understanding the surfing area is crucial to understanding how the waves work and distribute their power. Most beginners cannot get into position, because they lack the skills or knowledge. or they have failed to read the conditions correctly. This diagram illustrates the typical surf break scenarios. The waves are breaking away from shore on a shallow bottom, either a reef break or a…