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Why is peel angle important for surfing?
Peel angle is the angle between the breaking wave and the wave crest, and it decides whether or not a wave closes out. Why the seafloor sets it, not the…
Aug 31
•
Kevin Okun
2
Do other kinds of waves break?
A 200-meter wave breaks a few hundred meters down and leaves only a slick on the surface. Sound breaks. Light in a vacuum is the one wave that cannot.
Aug 24
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Kevin Okun
7
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First Order: Why is Black's Beach bigger than surrounding breaks?
A wave model ran 20 swells over La Jolla's real seafloor, then erased the canyon and ran them again. Blacks wins every time, but not the way you think.
Aug 17
•
Kevin Okun
6
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Why do some waves barrel?
Jan 20, 2025
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Kevin Okun
9
4
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First Order: Which swell directions can actually reach your break?
Jul 27
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Kevin Okun
13
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How does an incoming or outgoing tide affect the waves?
Sep 8, 2024
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Kevin Okun
4
1
Should you spread your fingers when paddling?
Feb 2
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Kevin Okun
11
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How are waves formed?
Dec 2, 2024
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Kevin Okun
9
5
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Fins Part One: Why does fin shape matter?
May 12, 2025
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Kevin Okun
8
3
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What affects water clarity?
Some days you see the bottom, some days your feet. Wave period, not wave size, does most of the work, and clear water and clean water are unrelated…
Aug 10
•
Kevin Okun
9
1
1
First Order: How does the seafloor change a swell on its way in?
A long-period swell arrives facing the beach on both coasts.
Aug 3
•
Kevin Okun
7
2
First Order: Which swell directions can actually reach your break?
Two breaks a few miles apart can read the same buoy and yet be nothing alike.
Jul 27
•
Kevin Okun
13
1
How has the ocean changed in the last two years?
Two years ago this week, the first of these went out.
Jul 20
•
Kevin Okun
9
1
Why is water colder near the poles?
It’s well known that the poles are much colder than the equator, but some may not know why.
Jul 13
•
Kevin Okun
3
1
Why do some waves hold you down longer than others?
Wiping out on an average day tends to leave the ocean spitting you back out pretty quickly.
Jul 6
•
Kevin Okun
4
Should you sharpen your fins?
Absolutely not.
Jun 29
•
Kevin Okun
7
1
Why is the water sometimes glassy after a set?
For our 100th article here, we’re going to try to answer this question that has been on my mind for about 5 years now.
Jun 22
•
Kevin Okun
6
1
What makes the V shapes in the sand when waves recede?
Getting more into surf fishing recently, I’ve spent a lot of time at the water’s edge.
Jun 15
•
Kevin Okun
2
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Science of Surfing
An oceanographer's take on all things surfing. Your Monday morning surf check.
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