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O.K. the word’s out, it’s no secret any more that the waves here in Tofino (and everywhere else in the Northern Hemisphere) get much “better” in the fall and winter months; but what does “better” really mean?

This term ‘better’ (when talking about surfing in the winter) is primarily used by the experienced surfer who has spent all summer riding the smaller (South) swell waves and is now looking forward to the much larger and more powerful winter (North) swells. ‘Better’ is also used to describe the quality of the waves; during these months large storms are generated North of here, up near the Alaskan ‘Pan Handle’, these storms consistently produce large North West swells that do not have to travel far before hitting our beaches here in Tofino. Because these waves do not have to travel as far as the summer south swells they are still carrying a lot of their original energy and size. The quality of these waves is also affected by our prevailing South East wind during these months. A South East wind is what we call on “offshore” wind; this wind blows from the beach towards the wave, physically preventing it from breaking until it reaches shallower water, where it will break more dramatically, often with a hollow section that is commonly called the “tube”. This offshore wind also ‘cleans up’ the swell (waves) by grooming the face of the wave and eliminating some of the surface ‘chop’ and bumps from the wave.

So where does this leave the novice to intermediate surfer? Is the fall and winter a good season to plan a surf trip? Well here goes, there are many advantages to planning a surf trip in the fall and winter:

• You will find cheaper accommodations in the town of Tofino,
• You will find the water and waves much less crowded,
• Contrary to popular belief, the water isn’t actually that cold (the water temp’ only fluctuates by approximately 6°C year round),
• If you are planning to take surfing lessons, the group sizes are much smaller, thus ensuring more personal tuition,
• If you are planning on renting equipment, there is much more choice available to you.

But what about the waves themselves, is it safe to surf here in the winter if you are a novice to intermediate surfer? Well, the waves are consistently larger and more powerful through the fall and winter months, but do not let this discourage you. Here in Tofino we have six surfing beaches within 30mins of town; all of these beaches have slightly different orientation, this means that if there are large powerful waves hitting one beach, you just need to drive around the corner to the next beach (that faces a slightly different direction) and you may find much smaller, less powerful waves. So even when it is ‘overhead’ at Long Beach or North Chestermans, you may find a nice clean ‘waist-high’ wave at South Chestermans or Mackenzie Beach.

If you do plan on visiting Tofino for a surf trip during the winter and fall months and you do consider yourself to be a novice to intermediate surfer here are some words of wisdom:

• ALWAYS seek advice about where to surf from a respectable surf shop or rental company, such as Storm or Pacific Surf School.
• When asked what your ability level is – BE HONEST.
• Be aware of your ability and do not tackle waves larger than you are used to – it is not easier to ride bigger waves!
• If in doubt take a lesson. In a lesson you will be guided to the safest beach for the day and receive professional tuition with a certified lifesaver.

Written by Paul Horscroft, BSc Surf Science & Technology.

For more info’ on surfing in Tofino in the winter, check out Jay’s article on our resources page entitled “Bigger is better: winter swells”