magic seaweed swell vs BWE cam - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

old_rookie · 12-20-2010, 03:10 PM

Checking out the report for LJ on MSW - right now, 3pm, it is about 4.5ft.
Looking at the wave height at the beach, it seems much smaller than I would expect with a swell of 4.5ft - but since no one is out there, I could be off without a reference. Do the waves crashing have no connection to the swell height? Seems to me there isn't.

chris138 · 12-20-2010, 03:32 PM

Surf reports are usually for up the beach toward SIO. The reason those swells aren't breaking at the launch is the short period/interval. If it was 4.5 ft at 15 seconds, it would be a whole different scenerio. Long interval will wrap but short interval refracts.

12-20-2010, 03:10 PM	#1
old_rookie Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Santee Posts: 904	magic seaweed swell vs BWE cam Checking out the report for LJ on MSW - right now, 3pm, it is about 4.5ft. Looking at the wave height at the beach, it seems much smaller than I would expect with a swell of 4.5ft - but since no one is out there, I could be off without a reference. Do the waves crashing have no connection to the swell height? Seems to me there isn't.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

12-20-2010, 03:32 PM	#2
chris138 donkey roper Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Pacific Beach Posts: 968	Surf reports are usually for up the beach toward SIO. The reason those swells aren't breaking at the launch is the short period/interval. If it was 4.5 ft at 15 seconds, it would be a whole different scenerio. Long interval will wrap but short interval refracts.