Surfing and the invasion of technology

           Ever since I was little I was always exposed to computers starting with MS-DOS 6.0. As I grew older I stayed up with the latest technology that came out, however there was a change through middle school to become a user instead of a guru. What drove this decision was my interest in other hobbies that involved interaction with the outside world and other people. I started surfing when I was about 6 or 7 years old and never thought a computer would have any application in the act of surfing. This all changed when my surf buddies hit the legal age of driving in their states.

            It was easy to meet up with friends and ride a bike with board in hand to a few of the beaches were normally hot. Once we were able to drive it opened up many new areas that are now “easily” accessible. The first trip away from our local spot revealed that time and timing is an important factor when leaving known surf conditions. In 1983 reliable surf reporting was first brought to the masses, however it was only located in Orange County California. In 1995 Surfline.com was created. By 1996 the first surf cam was installed for everyone to view without having to waste time or leave the couch. Fortunately for us, we were now able to see real-time conditions without driving all around. I now saw how computers would become integrated in surfing.

            We were now able to plan our surf adventures and know a few days ahead of a swell where it would hit. At first site this was fantastic news and at first had no negative side effects. However as with all good things there is always a bad side. The surf community is very locals based and we tend to shun outsides from our breaks. With the installation of cameras at popular local beaches heavy flow of non-locals started. This disrupted the normal attitude and overall vibe of the local feeling. There was even rumor that some jersey surfers were looking to break the cameras to prevent outsiders from intruding.

            All in all I believe it is still positive for the surf culture, however, I will trully still enjoy meeting up with friends at the end of the street to see what mother nature has in store. The ability to plan ahead allows for switching hours at work to catch the perfect wave. The truly local spots will always remain as word of mouth and kept reserved to the local crowd.