Learn in Indo? WTF?

**Jack Straw** · 03-28-2007, 05:39 PM

First time posting on this site, and some great reading. A few comments...to the guy from switzerland who want to go to Indo for a first time surf experience. Take it from Alta Chic, you are not going to learn that fast. I have been surfing for almost thirty years, and the first time I went to Indo after surfing NorCal for ten years solid and was very competent in big surf and I got my head handed to me on big days. Indo can be very very heavy. Go to Waikiki to learn. All you are going to do is put someone in the position of having to rescue you. And if you are going to just surf Kuta, why go? Indo is heavy. Surfing big hollow surf is heavy. Do not underestimate or you will pay a serious price. I have seen excellent big wave riders get seriously hurt on the shallow hard breaking reefs. You just have no idea how a wave like that will grab you and pitch you like a ragdoll on that reef if you get in the wrong place.

And as for why do some guys measure a wave from behind: It is old school. Most guys now outside of Hawaii measure from the front. But it started as a method to measure waves in accordance with swell size as opposed to wave face height. A twelve foot swell (what a buoy will measure) usually has about a twelve foot back, but depending on the reef or bottom has a face about twice as tall. It is just another way of measuring.

**Brocktoon** · 03-29-2007, 12:34 PM

Why not post your reply in the thread to which it refers?

Welcome aboard.

**Jack Straw** · 03-29-2007, 12:44 PM

I was/am not sure how. I have never "blogged" before, and am trying to figure this shite out. Sorry. Hopefully this will go in the right place.....

Thanks for the welcome.

**Brocktoon** · 03-29-2007, 01:13 PM

Originally Posted by Jack Straw

I was/am not sure how. I have never "blogged" before, and am trying to figure this shite out. Sorry. Hopefully this will go in the right place.....

Thanks for the welcome.

Looks like you've figured it out! (Incidentally, you're not quite "blogging" now but posting on a "forum" or "board". The whole discussion area is called a "forum", a coversation, such as this one you started, is called a "thread" and an individual comment, like the one I'm making now, is called a "post".)

Have you guys been getting this little North we're getting in Southern CA? Kind of short period but very welcome after an irrititating several weeks w/ out much action.

**Jack Straw** · 03-29-2007, 05:15 PM

Got it, thanks for the breakdown. The disadvantage of finishing school before the advent of the PC, clueless on the protocol, but the mystery is beginning to reveal itself

We have not had much swell at all this winter. I can't really remember that many individual days back, but last weekend was sort of a crappy head high to a foot or two over and Monday was ultra clean but small. Then came those northerlies. This morning actually looked fun, but I had to come in to work.

High hopes for next week!!!!!!!!!!!