Topic 10 of 10

Glossary

Surf terms in plain English

A plain-language reference for the words you will see in WaveWise, surf forecasts, spot notes and lineup conversations.

Common surf terms

Forecast

Swell: Organised wave energy travelling through the ocean, usually from wind or a storm.
Groundswell: Longer-travelled swell with more organised lines, usually more powerful than local wind chop.
Wind swell: Shorter-period swell made by nearby wind. It usually feels weaker, bumpier and less organised.
Swell height: The offshore height of the swell before it stands up over shallow water.
Face height: The size of the wave you actually ride, measured from trough to crest as the wave breaks.
Period: Seconds between passing swell crests. Higher period usually means more organised, powerful energy.
Set: A grouping of larger waves that arrives together, often with quieter water between sets.
Offshore wind: Wind blowing from land toward sea, often holding the wave face open and cleaner.
Onshore wind: Wind blowing from sea toward land, usually pushing the lip over early and adding crumble.
Cross-shore wind: Wind blowing along the coast, dragging across the wave face instead of directly opening or closing it.
Glassy: Very smooth surface conditions, usually from no wind or very light wind.
Choppy: Bumpy surface texture that makes the face harder to read and ride.
Tide: The changing water level under the wave. Tide can make the same spot sharp, soft or flat.
Energy: How much push the swell carries. Small or short-period surf can have low energy even when it looks clean.
Low power: Surf with limited drive down the face. It may be rideable, but expect softer takeoffs and weaker sections.
Swell window: The range of swell directions that can actually reach a spot without being blocked by land, islands or reefs.
Shadowed: When a swell angle is partly blocked before it reaches the spot, reducing usable wave energy.
Buoy: An offshore instrument that measures real wave and wind conditions, useful for checking whether the forecast is lining up with reality.
Forecast confidence: How much the available model and observation signals agree. Lower confidence means conditions are more likely to change.

Wave Reading

Crest: The highest part of a wave.
Trough: The lowest part in front of or between waves.
Face: The open, unbroken wall of the wave that a surfer rides.
Lip: The top edge of the wave as it pitches forward and starts to break.
Peak: The first point where a wave stands up and begins to break.
Shoulder: The softer unbroken part of the wave beside the breaking peak.
Section: A part of the wave that breaks or changes shape along the line.
Closeout: A wave that breaks across the crest at once instead of peeling. Usually only the whitewater is rideable.
Peeling: A wave breaking gradually down the line, creating a rideable face.
Mushy: Soft, weak surf that does not stand up with much shape or push.
Whitewater: Broken foamy water after a wave has collapsed. Beginners often learn here first.
A-frame: A peak that breaks both left and right, giving surfers a choice of direction.

Lineup

Lineup: The area where surfers wait for waves, usually just outside the breaking zone.
Inside: Closer to shore or deeper in the breaking zone than the main lineup.
Outside: Farther out to sea, beyond where many waves are breaking.
Priority: The right to take the wave, usually held by the surfer closest to the peak.
Drop in: Taking off in front of someone already riding the wave. Avoid it.
Snake: Paddling around someone to steal priority closer to the peak.
Takeoff: The moment you paddle into the wave and stand up.
Pop-up: The motion of going from lying on the board to standing in one fluid move.
Kick out: Ending a ride deliberately by turning over the back of the wave before it closes.
Caught inside: Being stuck in the impact zone while waves keep breaking in front of you.
Regular foot: Surfing with the left foot forward.
Goofy foot: Surfing with the right foot forward.

Equipment

Soft-top: A foam-topped beginner board that is stable, forgiving and easier to catch waves on.
Longboard: A longer board with lots of float, useful for small waves and earlier takeoffs.
Funboard: A mid-length board between a longboard and shortboard, often used for progression.
Shortboard: A smaller, lower-volume board designed for steeper waves and quicker turns.
Volume: How much space a board displaces, usually in liters. More volume helps paddling and wave catching.
Rails: The side edges of the surfboard.
Nose: The front of the surfboard.
Tail: The back of the surfboard.
Fins: The blades under the tail that give the board hold, drive and direction.
Leash: The cord tying your ankle to the board. Always wear one.

Safety

Rip current: A narrow current flowing away from shore, often through a deeper channel between breaking waves.
Channel: A deeper strip of water where waves break less. It can help paddling out, but it may also carry water seaward.
Longshore current: Current moving along the beach that can drift you away from your entry point.
Current sweep: Sideways water movement across the lineup that can pull you away from the peak or your exit.
Offshore pull: Water movement carrying you away from shore. Treat it seriously, even when the surface looks manageable.
Drift: Gradual movement along the beach or away from your starting point while you sit or paddle.
Impact zone: The area where waves are breaking with force.
Wipeout: Falling off the board or being knocked down by a wave.
Bail: Abandoning the board. Avoid doing this near other people because the board can snap back.
Duck dive: Pushing a smaller board under an incoming wave while paddling out.
Turtle roll: Flipping a larger board upside down and holding on as whitewater passes over.