Is it an everyday thing, or something done when you’ve got the time or when arriving at the beach? The surfers routine.

For 37 years, less the 9 years we were on Kauai, I lived in a house close to the beach and surf spot I usually surfed. Go west one block, south two and a half blocks then west one more block and you were at the pedestrian bridge that runs over the Ventura Freeway ending at the Ventura Pier.

Sometimes on weekends I’d ride a bicycle to the pier to check the surf. But usually on my way to work I’d drive by the point to check the surf. It was a routine thing. Eyes on the water.

Some days you’d know before hand what the surf was going to be like. Bad wind conditions, a storm is passing, but go by the beach just to see the water. The ocean, the waves, always in the back of your mind.  

It can be a community thing too. Like the crew that shows up at the point every day for a morning surf. If the surf is nonexistent they might hang in conversation before going off each their own way until the next day. Return for the same.

A routine could be around the varying daily tides. Having a yearly tide chart to routinely consult to see when the tide is optimum for any given day. On a regular basis so you can arrange your day to surf when the tides are good for the spot you surf.  Or you’ve got time to surf so you check the tide chart for the best window of opportunity.

After work, after school or classes. Off for a surf check.

You really don’t think about it. It’s just something the surfer does. Now the non-surfer? Tell them you go check the surf everyday on the way to wherever…. “ kind off obsessive aren’t you”? They might say. Your response…. “No”.

I suppose one could be obsessive now days. You’ve got a phone on you all the time, and you can look at the cameras at the drop of a hat. You know you’ve got time later in the day but you’ve got to look see…. Is the surf still good? Look see…Has it gotten better than earlier? Look see…. Has it gotten blown out and I’m going to miss it. Yeah that could be obsessive.

Ok I’m old. Once upon a time there were no cameras pointed at a surf spot. You actually had to get to the beach to see what the ocean and waves looked like and what the prevailing conditions were like.

One way or another the avid surfer typically has a routine the revolves around their daily life. It’s just what the surfer does.

But to check the surf? Where I live and surf there are no less than 6 camera angles you can look at to see what the conditions and waves are like at any given time.

Is that obsessive?

D.R.