They say the early bird gets the worm and in many ways, the same is true for surfing. It is extremely common for surfers to wake up at the crack of dawn and hit the water just as the sun is rising. But why is this the case?
So why do surfers surf so early in the day? Surfers surf so early in the morning because the waves are better and the beach is less crowded. This is due to light offshore winds, clean surf and an overall great way start the day.
Why Are Waves Better Early In The Morning?
The words you never want to hear from another surfer when pulling up to a surf break is, “you just missed it”. These words truly break a surfer’s heart. The thought of just missing out on the best surf conditions is what surfers fear the most. To avoid this situation entirely, you need to know the best time of day to surf.
The best time of day to surf is generally in the early morning, around sunrise and in the late evening, around sunset when there is swell in the water. The waves tend to be clean and glassy at sunset as well as sunrise, but if you ask a surfer, most will tell you that the lightest offshore winds tend to happen at dawn much more frequently than sunset.
Why Should I Avoid Crowded Lineups?
Avoiding crowded lineups is one of the absolute best perks of surfing in the early morning. If you’re paddling out at dawn or sunrise, chances are that you’ll be able to catch a few set waves with the freedom to own your space as fewer surfers will be in the lineup than pretty much any other time. Less surfers means you have more room to work on your skills with less likelihood of getting in someone’s way or violating surf etiquette via snaking or dropping in. In other words, it’s the best way to ensure you have a quality surf.
The trick to beating the morning crowds is to wake up before the sun rises, throw on a wetsuit, and arrive at your local spot for first light. For most surfers, getting up at the crack of dawn is a necessary evil that we must face to ride our fair share of waves. Surfing especially early in the morning is often referred to as Dawn Patrol.
Another way to avoid crowded lineups is to surf on the smaller days between big swells. These days can still offer you super fun waves without the hassle of a crowd.
What Are Offshore Winds?
Offshore winds are the best kind of wind to have when surfing. Offshore winds blow from land into the water creating very smooth waves that typically take a barrel shape. The main function of these winds is to delay the breaking of waves. Offshore winds can be a problem when they’re blowing too hard. Surfers riding a wave can get blown back by the wind or sprayed with a large mist of water from the cresting wave making it extremely difficult to see when you drop in.
Why Do Offshore Winds Matter?
Light offshore winds are the most important reason for why the surf is better in the morning and evenings. As a basic rule of thumb, the winds are typically lighter in the morning, stronger in the afternoon and occasionally become light again just in time for a beautiful sunset session. Always remember that light offshore winds will provide your local breaks with clean and perfectly shaped waves and gusting onshore winds will provide you with poor and choppy waves.
Why Does Surfing At The Beginning Of The Day Help Your Mood?
Even though it might be extremely difficult to leave your warm, comfortable bed in the morning, it will be worth it. The same is true for sunset sessions. Most of us work long hard days, but to start or end your day with a tranquil surf session is always worth it.
Starting your day with surfing also improves your mood on a chemical level. For instance, dopamine is one of the chemicals your brain produces when you surf. Dopamine is generally referred to as the feel-good neurotransmitter. It’s a chemical that ferries information between neurons and contributes to feelings of pleasure and satisfaction as part of the reward system. This important neurochemical boosts mood, motivation and attention as well as helping regulate movement, learning, and emotional responses. It’s hard to describe the sensation after catching a nice wave, but it’s fair to say it’s extremely satisfying and dopamine is the scientific why it feels that way.
Your brain also produces serotonin when you surf. Serotonin is known as the body’s natural mood stabilizer. It’s a chemical that helps with sleeping, eating as well as reduce depression regulate anxiety and even heal wounds. Exposure to sunlight is thought to increase the brain’s release serotonin, which boosts your mood and will help you feel calm and focused. The serotonin you produce not only gives you a pleasant feeling when surfing, but also improves your mind and body’s health moving forward in your day to day life.
Can There Be Other Good Times To Surf?
To be totally clear, surfing can be a blast in the middle of the day. Sometimes all the stars align and your local surf breaks magically start firing when you least expect it. For surfers, these odd hour sessions are some of the most memorable ones because they occur less frequently and tend to be less crowded.
To score an epic surf session in the middle of the day, you’ll need to diligently follow the surf forecast for your region. If there is swell in the water and the report reads that the wind levels will remain light into the afternoon, there is a good chance the surf will be super fun in the middle of the day. So if you’re skilled enough to read surf reports like a pro, you can discover pockets of good surf in the middle of the day and score a solo session at a usually crowded surf break.
Another way to score good waves in the middle of the day is simply by luck. Sometimes, you’re driving by one of your favorite spots and decide to see what the surf looks like, and voilà, the winds are light and the waves are pumping with only a few people out. Simply put, the best time of day to surf is in the early morning and late evening. The surf is the best at these times because the winds are calm during the beginning and end of the day.
In summary, if you go surfing early enough, you have the opportunity to catch your fair share of waves before the crowd shows up. There are times when the surf can be good in the middle of the day, you just have to stay tuned to your region’s surf forecast and know which conditions work best there. Experienced surfers will always tell you that the best time to ride waves is generally in the morning and right before getting dark.
Is Surfing Super Early Really Worth It?
It’s always hard to leave a comfortable bed, especially on those early morning winter days, Saturdays and Sundays. The famous dawn patrol may be a pleasure for many, but it is also painful for millions of surfers worldwide. So why do surfers wake up early in search of waves? Why is it better to put on a wetsuit before the sun’s up and paddle out in cold water? Is it a ritual, a solemn rite, or are there scientific explanations for that masochistic behavior?
Besides lineups being less crowded, wind plays a critical role in the quality of surf at your local break. The majority of spots privilege offshore winds, or simply no wind at all, and that will usually happen at dawn and dusk, when the temperature of the water equals the temperature of the surface of the earth. As morning breaks into day, both temperatures will diverge, and onshore winds will dominate. As a result, you’ll notice heavier closeouts, choppy waters and fast-breaking waves. By noon, glassy waves have left the show. So remember, calm and offshore winds are friends of dawn and dusk.
Only the early morning sunrays will provide you with health benefits including Vitamin D, detoxification, mood elevation via serotonin, immunity and digestion improvements. Finally, don’t forget that the magic morning lights will turn your day into a memorable living experience. Some of my most memorable moments on the water have been sitting on a board as the sun rises, just letting that orange light sink in, as I exist in a living water painting for as long as Mother Nature permits me to.
What Should I Eat Before Surfing?
Now, a lot of your pre-surf diet does depend on what time of day you’re surfing. Since we’re already talking about waking up early to surf, let’s start with breakfast. A good pre-surf meal for the early risers should be low in fat and fiber to help prevent gastrointestinal distress and might include a container of low-fat yogurt with a banana or two slices of toast topped with peanut butter and all-fruit jam. If you surf a little later in the day, eat a high-carb breakfast such as a bowl of oatmeal with raisins and chopped walnuts with a cup of low-fat yogurt and a glass of orange juice. Overall, you can’t go wrong with a light meal that consists of high fiber and fresh fruit.
At lunch, you should focus on the carbs. If you plan on hitting the waves soon, eat a light lunch such as a cup of pasta with a light protein like fish or chicken breast. You should also make sure you’re eating vegetables to give you energy for the surfing you’ll be doing later that day. If you’re done for the day or plan on surfing before the sun sets, fuel up with higher calorie foods such as a grilled chicken sandwich on a whole-wheat bun, with fresh produce like a salad and fresh pineapple. Then wash it down with a glass of low-fat milk.
You’ll need to eat a high-carb dinner to refuel your muscles for your next day’s surf. This is known in the sports world as a recovery meal. A healthy dinner meal for surfers might include salmon with roasted potatoes, steamed broccoli, some whole-grain bread and a glass of low-fat milk. Or try a whole-wheat tortilla stuffed with black beans, rice and low-fat cheese. The goal here is to get a significant portion of clean protein and fats so you have plenty of energy for tomorrow’s surf.
How Do I Get Better At Waking Up Early?
Look we’ve all been there. Your drool is on the pillow and the snooze button is the ultimate temptation. However, like anything, waking up early is all about creating a routine. When I was first learning to surf as a teenage I was horrible at waking up early. I was late to homeroom pretty much everyday of my high school career. So when I learned everyone would be waking up at 5:00 am on the dot every day as part of a surf school I attended in Nosara, Costa Rica, I audibly gulped. I thought I was sunk.
But the school did a few smart things to make the process easier, so I’m going to share a few tips they taught me. First off: eat the second you get up. Don’t worry about showering (you’re about to get salty anyway) and get to the kitchen. To ease us into this routine, we had the luxury of having breakfast prepared for us but if you’re like me, you don’t need a huge breakfast. Too many fatty breakfast staples will slow you down on the water anyway. In Nosara, I stuck to fresh fruit and coffee. Fruits like avocado are good too because they provide the good natural kind of fats to keep your fueled for the exercise that comes with surfing.
So when that alarm goes off, try to tie it to one of your most basic human instincts. When that awful alarm sounds off, think eat. Then get your ass out of bed. If you’re like me and you’re not a morning person, try to remember that the feeling you have when you wake up is likely the worst feeling you have all day. Often times with waking up or even surfing and with most actives honestly, getting started is the hardest part. All you have to do is take that first step. Take the leap. Catch the wave.