See also: beack checks and buoy data formats.

Your surf information will arrive in an abbreviated format, as we have to fit a lot of information into the 160 characters of a text message. Please make sure you read and understand the explanations below.

Surf Forecasts

Surf forecasts contain information on wave height, swell direction, wave period, wind strength and wind direction for each day. The forecast gives you all the information you need to work out where best to surf along a particular stretch of coastline on that day. The wave height is valid only for the most exposed breaks along that coastline, as explained below. The combination of wave height, swell direction, wave period, wind strength and wind direction will determine the breaks with the best surfing conditions on any one day. You must use your local knowledge, as a surfer, to work out which break(s) to check out.

Wave Height

The wave height relates to the height of the surf at the most exposed breaks along a coastline. The most exposed breaks will be the ones that directly face the direction of the incoming swell. For breaks facing away from the swell direction, the waves will be smaller than the height predicted in the forecast. ItsGoingOff use the surfing wave height scale illustrated here. This scale is often called 'back of the wave' and relates most closely to the scale used by experienced surfers around the world.

Swell Direction

The swell direction is very important factor in many parts of the country. If the swell is coming from the North, then northerly facing beaches will be most exposed, having the wave height stated in the forecast. On the same day, southerly facing beaches may be flat or may have a very small wave. Headlands can also block out swell from a particular direction. If it's bigger waves you want, then use your map to work out which beaches are directly facing the incoming swell. Or if the wave height is 8ft and you're a beginner, then you'd be best looking for a beach that faces at an angle to the incoming swell direction, or a break that is sheltered by a headland.

Wave Period

The wave period is an indicator of how far the swell has travelled (or how lined up the swell will be). A wave period of 4-8 seconds indicates locally generated wind sea. The surf will be messy, or choppy, and waves will be breaking in different places each time.

A long period swell (12-20 seconds) indicates a swell that has travelled many miles to reach your break. These are the best types of waves for surfing. The swell travels towards the beach in long lines. The waves increase in height as they shoal, before breaking (and hopefully peeling) along the length of the wave. Long period swell is more likely to produce barrelling waves, though that will also depend on the slope of the seabed. The waves are also more likely to break in the same place each time.

In addition, larger waves will have a longer period. So a 2ft swell of 10s period will be lined up, but a 6ft swell of 10s period will be choppy.

Wind Strength and Direction

Wind strength is measured in Force numbers by the Beaufort Scale illustrated here.

Surfers normally require the wind to be offshore (blowing from the land to the sea) so that the wave faces are 'clean'. If the wind is blowing strongly onshore (from the sea to the land) then the waves will be 'blown out' and unsurfable. So when you're deciding which break to drive to, choose one that is offshore.

Sometimes the presence of headlands or cliffs will cause the wind to blow from a different direction locally. Use your local knowledge to choose a break that will be sheltered from the wind or offshore.

What this will look like on your phone

        An example forecast for Fistral,
        as it will appear on your mobile.
The standard text message can only be 160 characters long on most mobiles, so to fit in all five days of information, we have had to use abbreviations. All ItsGoingOff forecasts are given in the format:

4CAST NAME date Day1: wave height, swell direction, wave period; wind strength, wind direction Day2: wave height, etc. for days1 to 5.