Most beginners fixate on wave height. Experienced surfers watch swell period first. Here's why a 1.2 m swell at 14 s is often far better than a 2 m swell at 7 s.
You can have perfect swell and still get terrible surf if the wind is wrong. Wind direction is often the make-or-break variable that separates a great session from a wasted drive.
There's a reason experienced surfers wake up before sunrise. Dawn patrol — surfing at first light — reliably produces the best wave conditions of the day.
Beginner guide
