Why there should be more surfer geologists
Surfers the world over have raved over a section of the California coast called The Mavericks. Now scientists know why. Geologists mapping the ocean floor have found the clear indication of what makes those waves so darn legendary. A nice ramp on the floor combined with a couple of deep troughs on either side allow the waves to get large and stable – the perfect combo for surfing. It’s kinda like nature’s water park.
One Reply to “Why there should be more surfer geologists”
Comments are closed.
There are plenty of reasons to be a surfer/geologist! I think Dave Sandwell (satellite altimetry guy at Scripps) had a catalog of them at one point. It looks like Sandwell even teaches an oceanography course on surfing: http://topex.ucsd.edu/ps/