Beach Break (waves that break near the shore, i.e. near the beach, or Beachbreak) – a wave that is formed due to the bends of the sandy bottom.
They are great for beginners as they give a lot of foam that beginners ride their first meters on the board.
Point Break (Peak waves or Point break) These waves appear where the bottom contour bends sharply. For example, this type of wave can be seen at Bells Beach in Australia.
Reef Break (Reef waves or Reef break) These waves are formed on a coral reef or rocky bottom, it all depends on the coastline and the specifics of the bottom. These are the waves you can see in most surf videos. Taming those waves is an incredible amount of fun. The North Shore Pipeline is a great example of such a wave.
Left and right waves. Now let’s try to consider these types of waves in a little more detail. A wave can be left-handed or right-handed, depending on the direction it breaks from the point of view of the person trying to catch that wave. If a surfer is trying to paddle into a wave that breaks from right to left, then he needs to move in the left direction in order to climb it, in this case it is a left wave. From the side of the beach, it will seem that the wave is breaking to the right, but the surfer’s point of view is much more important here! The right-handed wave is the complete opposite of the left-handed wave, and this is so easy to understand.
Onshore, Offshore, and Cross Shore
Waves are formed by the wind. Wind is a key factor in the formation of waves, as well as a factor that determines how surfing will be today and whether it will even be possible at all. Onshore: A wind that blows towards the shore is a bad wind for surfing. It blows from the side of the sea into the back of the wave, they begin to lose shape, sway, thereby making them unsuitable for surfing. Cross shore: the wind that blows along the shore is also not desirable, but at least it does not spoil the wave.
Offshore: This is the wind blowing from the shore and is the best for surfing. He blows in the face of the wave and gives them the right shape, because he inflates them like a sail. If you want to ride high-quality waves, wait for the wind from the shore.
