Science of Surfing

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What makes for a successful air?
In what must have been an entertaining research project, James Forsyth and colleagues at the University of Wollongong and elsewhere analyzed what it…
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Kevin Okun
How often are there sharks near you?
This of course depends on many factors, but for some spots in San Diego County, a recent study reveals that juvenile white sharks are present about 97…
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Kevin Okun
Why does the ocean smell like ocean?
The ocean has a distinctive smell, easily recognizable when the wind shifts onshore and you get past the sunscreen-lathered tourists on the beach.
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Kevin Okun
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How are waves formed?
Every wave starts somewhere - from wind chop to the bombing sets at outer reefs.
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Kevin Okun
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November 2024

What causes the green flash?
What is all of this nonsense about the sun turning green at sunset?
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Kevin Okun
2
Should you pee on a jellyfish sting?
Unless you are trying to play a prank on your poor friend, urine is not the answer for jellyfish stings.
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Kevin Okun
What is a wave?
Waves are everywhere, from in your coffee mug to the light bouncing off this screen. Learn about all kinds of waves and how they relate to surfing.
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Kevin Okun
How do swells interact with underwater canyons?
Common wisdom says that the waves are funneled up the canyon, but that is not true - swells avoid canyons due to refraction.
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Kevin Okun

October 2024

Why do waves break (mostly) parallel to the coast?
Wave refraction plays a large roll of how swells enter the surf zone - and in how they break.
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Kevin Okun
What is sustainability?
Citing that something is sustainable without saying for whom or for how long is false advertising.
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Kevin Okun
5
What causes rip currents?
The classic description of a rip current involves a break in the sand bar or reef, but rips can also be caused by waves over a uniform bottom.
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Kevin Okun
Does kelp make a break more glassy?
Though kelp seems determined to turn your paddle out into a tangled mess, with its grubby little kelp hands holding onto your leash for dear life, it’s…
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Kevin Okun
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© 2024 Kevin Okun
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