Learning to catch waves correctly has its tricks and requires a lot of practice. The correct positioning will not only allow you to catch more waves, but it will also improve your safety and enjoyment in the water.
Learning to catch waves can be a long process, so it's crucial to give yourself the necessary time to integrate everything you learn in each session. After all, it's one of the most important skills for any surfer.
One of the most common questions for beginners is where to position themselves to catch more waves. Therefore, in this article, we will explore in detail how to learn to catch waves better. We give you some tips to learn how to catch more waves, taking into account where you should position yourself in the sea. Write down these tips!
Is there an exact science to catching waves?
Who hasn't seen surfers in the water who are always in the precise moment and place to catch a wave? Even before a wave disturbs the horizon, they are perfectly positioned where the wave will rise and gently carry them on a long journey to the shore – how envious, right?
These are surfers who either are very lucky, or every cell in their body is tuned to the sea. That "sixth sense," as some call it, exists and develops over time.
As befits any mystical element, this cannot be explained in traditional scientific terms (and that's where the "non-physical" dimension of surfing begins).
Surf scholars may conjecture that such a degree of understanding of the ocean by an experienced surfer is due to predicting its behavior based on previous patterns.
This hypothesis is very interesting, as we are taking concepts and a neuroscientific approach to describe a "sporting" activity (concepts I will not go into detail about at this time). Even more so, when you ask the surfer how they did it and you get a terse: "I don't know, you just feel it."
How to catch more waves? Discover the phases of waves to position yourself correctly
At this point, how can you catch more waves considering the sea? To do this, we will have to pay attention to the ocean. Let's review the phases of waves so that starting to surf isn't so complicated:
How to catch more waves: phase 1 – full phase
This is where the wave barely forms (angles between its face and the horizontal from 170º to 120º). It appears on the horizon as a barely visible disturbance moving forward (hopefully towards us), but it doesn't have the power to push us or carry our board, even with our greatest efforts.
How to catch more waves: phase 2 – formation phase
When the wave begins to take shape (angles less than 120º), and the peak of the wave rises. It presents excellent "surfing" potential if we paddle adequately. The mass of water begins to make contact with the bottom (sand, rocks, etc.).
This is the phase you should look for in your sessions and always try to position yourself and paddle in it. You will find a wave that will gently push you and a perfect ramp to drop into the wave at an angle of 120º or more, with enough time to stand up. This is the most "populated" spot on the wave and where everyone wants to be, so don't expect solitude in Phase 2.
How to catch more waves: phase 3 – closing or breaking phase
In this phase, the wave is already formed (angle of 90º or less), moving fast and with force. The upper vertex (or peak) overtakes the base of the wave and begins to break. This can break in an orderly fashion in sections, or sometimes the entire wall closes out. The wave continues to make contact with an increasingly shallow bottom.
Surfer catching a wave live
Conclusions
Very Important Surf Tip!: it is possible to catch waves in this phase, but it requires superior skill, agility, and observation. The wave has a lot of power, and often you need very little or no paddling to catch it. Many times, only a correct positioning of your body is needed to prevent the wave from lifting the tail of your board above the horizontal.
How long each phase lasts depends mainly on the seabed of the beach where you are surfing. The shape of the wave is a direct reflection of its bottom. Therefore, waves with abruptly changing bottoms will have a full phase 1 and quickly a breaking phase (phase 3), with an often non-existent or very short formation phase (phase 2).
Remember! Waves are dynamic elements, so the phases are constantly changing according to your position in the line-up. For example: at moment A you might be right in Phase 1 and at moment B in full Phase 3 without having physically moved from the spot. As you improve your sophisticated skills, you will be able to approach the breaking wave and the main peak. This is often where you'll find a clear area that many prefer to avoid due to the disastrous consequences (vertical falls from the wave's peak, or direct impacts with the bottom, for example).
Tip: always observe the phases of your local break. Study it, learn to read it, and over time you will understand it perfectly, anticipating its movements and positioning yourself in the right place every time you want to.
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