Choose a Landmark
Posted: 2 June 2024
Your ability to choose the right place to take-off will greatly assist in whether you catch the waves or not. Most surfers will, at sometime, use landmarks to help identify the best take-off point in the line up.
You need to choose two landmark points that you can line up so that when you are in the water, you are certain you are in the correct place. If you only choose one landmark, you will be able to see the landmark from a number of places however you will not know if you are in the exact position every time.
As you paddle out, always be checking where the waves are breaking. Then, as you continue to paddle out, look back towards the shore and see where you are on the shoreline. Try to pick two landmark points that line up. The landmarks can be anything - palm trees, hills, buildings, stalls or anything that is fixed, that you can see from the water.
When you are in the water, the waves can look quite different as to where they could be breaking. Landmarks are an extra aid – especially in larger surf.The landmarks will also help you know if you are drifting too far from the take-off position.
You may not always be able to choose landmarks at all breaks. If the swells are coming in from different angles, the take-off point can be at different places for each wave.
Sometimes you may choose two sets of landmarks especially when the sets are coming through in two distinctive sizes – e.g. larger swells (out further and right) and small swell sets (in closer and to the left).
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