Sunny surfer left high and dry by a lack of those vital waves

A LONE surfer contemplates the gentle, rippling wavelets in Scarborough’s South Bay. Although the weather is superb, where is the curling surf that will give her an exciting ride?

The sport of surfing is still relatively embryonic in the East Coast resort, compared with the surfing culture that has existed for much longer in the south-west. But, given the right conditions, surfing in Scarborough can be as exhilarating as on the ocean swells of Torquay. Many variations of the sport exist and definitions of what constitutes a suitable wave are legion.

Bodysurfing – surfing without the board – is considered by some to be the purest form. Other variations include stand-up paddle surfing and the use of boats, canoes or mats to ride waves, as well as tandem surfing, where more than one person uses the same craft.

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Those vital waves are generated by swell, created when wind blows consistently over a large area of water, called the wind’s fetch. The size of the swell is determined by the strength of the wind and the length of its fetch and duration. Because of this, surf tends to be larger and more prevalent on coastlines exposed to expanses of ocean crossed by intense low pressure systems.

Local wind conditions affect wave quality, since blustery conditions can make the surface of a wave choppy. Ideal conditions include a light-to-moderate offshore wind, which blows into the front of a wave, making it a “barrel” or “tube” wave. Waves are referred to as right-handed or left-handed, and the most important influence on the wave’s shape is the topography of the seabed directly behind and immediately in front of it. Surf forecasting is helped by mathematical modelling of the size and direction of swells around the globe.

Technical data: Nikon D3s camera, 12-24mm lens, exposure 1/500th sec @ f5.8. ISO 200.