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More than any other sport, surfing shares a particular
symbiotic relationship with Mother Nature. It's the only sport that is
impossible to artificially replicate. (For the record, Japan's Seagaia Ocean Dome--the
largest indoor wave pool ever--closed in 2007. It was a rare instance of a
surfable wave pool, but could only produce waves about 10 feet high.)
As such, surfers tend to be a bit more 'green conscious'
about their unique arenas. Right, Spicoli?
No man, that's NOT what I meant. Not even close.
 ...via DGA
What
I do mean, is that surfing is only capable through respect of the ecosystems
that produce these waves. Even in the unusual instances of lake surfing (see Dairyland Surf Classic of Wisconsin) and river surfing (see Montreal's Habitat 67 ), it takes dedication to preservation.
The waves are the most important surfing factor. They are
also directly related to sustainability. Surfable waves rely on two factors:
the creation of the wave by wind, and the underlying seabed which contributes
to the break of the wave.
Excepting tidal forces, ocean water would be a relatively
stable, homogenous fluid mass. Yet in the middle of the ocean, the wind's
pressure and friction create irregularities in the surface that gain direction
and momentum. No matter the direction, these waves eventually will run aground.
 ...via Wikipedia (Not animating? Click here.)
As the wave nears shore, the ocean floor rises and waves
become slower and more pronounced in the water's surface. Breaking waves are either of the spilling, dumping
or surging variety. Spilling waves have a slow, minimized break that pushes
the water forward and over itself, while dumping waves crash down heavily and
can push inexperienced riders underwater, but also provide the best acceleration. Finally, surging waves are not
surfable, since they do not have a suitable seabed underneath them to break;
these are common at the bottom of cliffs. That leaves spilling and dumping
waves as the best kinds for surfing.
 ...via CSU Ponoma
For a spilling wave, a sandbar produces a seabed anomaly which
gives the wave its break. Sandbars can change from day to day, depending on
tidal activity. If offshore dumping occurs beyond a sandbar beach, sand and
silt can become stuck beyond the surfable beach. This can literally destroy
surfing spots, and even whole tourist towns. On the other hand, manmade
structures like piers and jetties can keep sandbars in place even during rough
seas, providing consistent breaks each surfing season.
 ...via Surfing Waves
Dumping waves are produced by reefs--be it natural or
artificial--that the wave rises over and then crashes upon itself once cleared.
These waves produce significant downward force, but also propel water (and the
surfer) towards land. When the Turkish oil ship Seli 1 sank off the coast of
Cape Town South Africa, it produced dumping-style waves that had been tame and
unsurfable before.
 ...via Surfing Waves
While
the style of break explains the acceleration of a surfer, it does not explain
the "tubular" cross-section of a wave. For this, we again defer to wind. Winds
blowing offshore slow down the break of a wave and create a force against the
water surface. This creates the 'water tube' that has become the popular
imagery for surfing
 ...via Transworld Surfing
Despite the 'slacker' profile that has become the standard
profile for surfers (thanks again, Jeff Spicoli),
they certainly have a knack for organization. Tubular waves come in three
shapes, defined by their dimension. Square waves have more width than length.
Round waves have the same, or nearly the same width and length. Almond waves
are significantly longer than their width, and are the best for long rides.
 ...via Wikipedia
Without getting all super-liberal-Al Gore-Inconvenient Truth
on my readers, it's important to note that the surfing industry is beginning to
look at new surfboard production methods and materials to reduce its carbon
footprint. The surfboard manufacturing industry produces up around 220,000 tons
of carbon emissions each year. Surfboards themselves are usually made of EPS foam, which
does not biodegrade, and produces quite a lot of carbon byproduct. Even polyester board
production emits a fair amount of carbon. Carbon is directly related to
greenhouse gases, which affect global climate, which in turn destroys surfing
spots with extreme weather conditions.
 ...via Surf Science
Surfboard companies are beginning to look at alternatives,
and materials like balsa wood are gaining in popularity despite their longtime
existence. Surfboard disposal can be an issue, but companies like RESURFACE
and The Driftwood Collective are
thinking about the sustainability of their favorite recreation.
Since surfing began in ancient Polynesia over 300 years ago,
I suspect that the sport is here to stay. It's vital that the beaches and
environments utilized by this group of athletes are maintained for future
generations. That begins, but does not end, with the surfing community being
vocal and active in preservation efforts. With surfing being very mainstream in
our now-obsessed alternative sport culture, I also believe that surfers will
earn the right to ride. At the very least, they can always dream about perfect swells.
Resources
Grind TV - Surf Blog
Wikipedia - Surfing; Habitat 67 (standing wave)
Visit Sheboygan - Dairyland 2012
Surf Transworld - Surf Science
Surf Science - Surf Board Design Guide
iSport - Surfing
SustainableSurf.org
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Re: "Hey Bud, Let's Party!" (Surfing Science)
