How To Dial a Spot

Brett Simpson, staying on his toes and adapting to the countless variables. Photo: Fostor

It’s difficult to know exactly what tide, swell direction, and winds will bring a peak to life. Many of us wander blindly through our local breaks, ocassionaly scoring decent waves when we should be getting more out of every swell. To get us on track, we spoke to Huntington Beach’s own Brett Simpson about the ins and outs of dialing in a lineup.

Know the Tides: When you’re trying to wire a spot, it’s imperative that you put a premium on knowing exactly how the different tides can affect the break. “The tides are definitely one of the bigger things that you have to be aware of when you’re really getting to know a spot,” says Brett. “They can completely change the face of the break. In just a few hours, you can go from surfing an inside bank on the shore to an out-the-back sandbar. Find out how the tides change up a break and you’re already on the right path.”

Take Notes: When you come in from an all-time session, don’t just chalk it up to dumb luck, take note of exactly what went into producing it. For Brett, who understands the inner workings of his hometown lineups in Huntington Beach better than anyone, the key to dialing a spot lay in the little details. “At home, for instance I know that north swells usually push out to sea. But recently we also had a few swells that acted a little differently because there was an inside sandbar that needed just the right tide and swell to make it work,” recalls Brett. “When it all came together, it fired. But if the tide or swell were too big, it would miss the sandbar and wouldn’t work. You have to know how everything fits together, to know when you’ll have the best chance to get it good.”

Do as the Locals Do: There’s no amount of analysis that can make up for a lifetime spent in a lineup. “This is a no-brainer,” says Brett. “Every time I’m out at Sunset and Myles Padaca or Pancho Sullivan are out, I keep my eye on their every move. Those kinds of guys have built reputations on that wave and are some of the best out there. If you can, watch how the best locals approach the wave and try to pick up a few things. You’ll learn a lot that way.”

Know More than the Forecast: With an Internet connection, you can now get a fix on swells, buoy reports, and weather forecasts at a moment’s notice. But when it comes to surfing in your own backyard, there’s no substitute for getting your own eyes on the lineup. “A lot of the forecasting sites are usually pretty spot-on, but there’s no substitute for actually checking it yourself,” says Brett. “There are always little variables with the winds and the period of the swell. So it’s always nice to see it with your own eyes and work from there.”

Learn From Your Mistakes: Sometimes there’s no better teacher than a bad wipeout. According to Brett, the quickest way to learn just how shallow an inside section gets on low tide is to make contact with it. “Honestly, sometimes it’s good to learn things the hard way. If you make a bad mistake in the water once, you probably won’t make it again.”

Nature Knows Best: “With so many variables coming into play at every break, dialing in a peak can be a lifelong pursuit. It doesn’t matter how much time you’ve spent surfing a certain wave, you’re always are bound to have a shocker or get smacked down now and then,” says Brett. “As an example, with a wave like Sunset, you have to put yourself in such critical spots to get the good ones that you risk getting cleaned up. Knowing the ins and outs there are crucial, but there’s still no telling what can happen out there though. Sometimes, Mother Nature has her own plans.”

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How To Nail A Water Shot with Zak Noyle

Noyle lines up with Jesse Merle-Jones in Tahiti. Photo: Noyle

Nothing captures the intensity of a heavy wave quite like a well-executed water shot. Riddled with difficulty and danger, shooting from the lineup has a substantial learning curve, and just outright isn’t for everyone. But if you’re apt to try your hand, SURFER Staff Photographer Zak Noyle has some insight into what it takes to pull off a stellar water shot.

Shoot With The Right Lens: I typically favor a fisheye lens in the water. It allows you to get as close as possible to all the action. When you do it right, you can literally be in the barrel with the surfer. Right now, I’m using the Canon 8- to 15-mm lens but I also use a canon 70- to 200-mm F4 long lens in the water with zoom controls on my housing. For beginners, I’d recommend a 50- or 85-mm prime lens; it’ll give you just enough space to be safe and learn without being right in the impact zone.

Protect Your Camera: Essentially, a good housing will keep your camera dry and safe. There’s a lot of different housings you can get, but a good one should enable you to use all of your normal camera functions with ease. I only use SPL waterhousings; I’ve tried and tested others, but SPL is the hands-down best. I swim out in the largest surf possible and don’t want a housing that could shatter with one hit to the reef. I’ve basically put my housings through the ringer, and they still function perfectly.

Train Before You Swim: I train several times a week, including Bikram Yoga two to three times a week to help stay limber. I also do 30 minutes of cardio on an exercise bike followed by a light work out every day. It’s always a good idea to swim laps in a pool with and without fins as well.

Know Your Break: With any lineup, whether you’re familiar with it already or not, you always want to get a good handle on exactly what the waves, currents, and conditions are doing before you jump in. You’ll hear this a lot, but if there’s a lifeguard on duty, always check with them if you’re at all unsure. It’s their job to know exactly what the break is doing. I’ve had several close encounters in the water where my pride got the better of me. You need to always know your limits and stay humble in the ocean.

Line Up Your Target: Pulling off a good fisheye shot isn’t an easy thing; a foot or two too high or low, inside or outside, can make all the difference. It can make a 10-foot wave look like a 4-foot wave and a 4-foot wave look like a 10 footer. It’s all about how and where you position yourself between the wave and the surfer. I’m constantly watching the landmarks on the beach and the surfers in the water. Every spot and session is different. To pull off a good water shot, you need to know exactly how the wave is forming; you want to always be on your toes and ready to move. You need to be able to move and turn back and forward in a moment’s notice—it’s what makes the difference between a web photo for Facebook and a cover of SURFER magazine.

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How To Pack Your Board Bag

Always remember to look both ways before packing your board bag in the street. Photo: Lowe-White

There are a number of things that can go wrong on a surf trip: dysentery, flat spells, staph infections—the list goes on. But there’s nothing more disheartening than opening up your board bag upon arrival only to find that your boards have fallen victim to baggage handler malpractice. With the sadistic approach the airlines take to transporting your boards, you’ll need every tool at your disposal to ensure that they arrive safely and in one piece.

The most ingenious inventions are often the most simple. Before you begin packing your board bag, head down to your local hardware store to pick up some foam tubing. Grab a few feet more than the length of the boards you’re packing. With a razor blade, cut down the middle from the bottom of the tubing towards the top, stopping a few inches before you get to the top. Take the tubing and secure the uncut end to the nose of your board and grip the open two ends to the rails of your board. The rails of your board can now stand up against just about anything the airlines throw at them.

Always stack your boards correctly. Your bigger boards should always go on the bottom (wax side up), and your smaller boards on top. Always keep the rocker in unison and the boards facing the same way.

If you’re packing a board with glass-on fins, you can approach protecting them in two ways: you can either pack them individually, wrapping each fin in two or more layers of bubble tape, or you can buy a foam fin box. If you’re packing a board with removable fins, remove them.

Always strap your boards together. Most good bags will come with straps, but if they don’t, you can always use a couple of leashes instead. When you’re stacking your boards, ensure that you use a towel between the deck and bottom to protect yourself from waxing the bottom of the boards. Keeping your boards strapped together will not only lessen your chance of picking up a ding while your boards are in transit, but it can throw off the prying eyes of a ticketing agent, making it look like your traveling with less than an entire quiver.

For an extra layer of padding, evenly distribute assorted soft gear throughout the bag. Pillows wrapped abound the nose and tail work wonders. Westuits and towels placed along the decks not only add an additional layer of padding, but it’ll also save you a bundle of money by not having to check another bag. Throwing boardshorts and T-shirts into the mix never hurt either.

What are your tips for packing a boardbag? Leave your answer in the comments section below.

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