Ocean and sea – surf theory

Around 71% of the earth’s surface is covered by water. Good news for us surfers: there are great waves to ride on almost every coast.

The world’s oceans and seas offer waves on almost every coast. Even in relatively small seas like the North Sea and the Baltic, someone is surfing somewhere almost every day. You can even surf on Lake Constance. Let’s start with the three largest oceans on the planet, because the potential for perfect Wellen is highest along the coasts of the Atlantic, the Pacific and the Indian Ocean.

The Pacific Ocean

The sea – Pacific Ocean surfer ___________________________________

Area: approx. 165,200,000 km²

Volumen: ca. 696.190.000 km³

Tiefste Stelle: 11.034 Meter (Marianengraben)

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Der Pazifische Ozean (lateinisch pacificus ‘peaceful’), also called the Pazifik, Stiller Ozean oder Great Ocean , is the largest and deepest ocean on earth and borders all the other oceans. Everything about the Pacific is huge! It is almost twice the size of the Atlantic and covers a third of the earth’s surface. It is the deepest ocean and home to the largest (underwater) mountain, the largest coral reef and, much more important for you as a Surfer, the biggest waves.

The heavy storms over the Aleutians in the North Pacific and the storms of the “Roaring Forties” bring constant swell from all directions. The Pacific is framed by the Ring of Fire: 452 volcanoes line the edge of the Pacific Plate, from New Zealand to Alaska, Japan and Chile. Hawaii rises majestically from the middle of this huge tectonic plate – the centre of the Ring of Fire and of the surf universe.

The Atlantic Ocean

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Area: approx. 81,705,000 km²

Volumen: ca. 345.700.000 km³

Tiefste Stelle: 8.605 Meter (Puerto-Rico-Graben)

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Der Atlantische Ozean, auch Atlantik , is the second largest ocean on earth after the Pacific. Its borders are the polar circles and the meridians through Cape Agulhas in the east and Cape Horn in the west. Compared to the bigger, deeper Pacific, the Atlantic may seem less impressive at first, but it has some exciting superlatives. It is the stormiest ocean in the world, has the biggest tidal ranges, and the Mid-Atlantic Ridge forms the longest (underwater) mountain range on earth – as long as the Himalayas, the Andes and the Rocky Mountains combined. The Atlantic covers 25 percent of the earth’s surface and receives the most fresh water from rivers of all oceans. More people live on its shores than on those of any other ocean.

The Indian Ocean

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Area: approx. 74,970,000 km²

Volumen: ca. 291.900.000 km³

Tiefste Stelle: 8.047 Meter (Sundagraben)

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The Indian Ocean lies mostly in the southern hemisphere. It borders Africa, Asia and Australia, the Atlantic and the Pacific, and along the 60th parallel south also the Southern Ocean. Although the Pacific is the largest and the Atlantic the stormiest ocean, you still find the best waves in the Indian Ocean. Why? The “Roaring Forties”, a region north of Antarctica where one low-pressure system follows the next, produce waves almost non-stop.

On their almost endless journey through the southern Indian Ocean, there is no land to slow the waves down. This very stable storm belt around 40° south constantly sends perfect swell north. Indonesia and a few scattered islands soak up these waves and turn them into world-class breaks with a tropical backdrop. No wonder Indonesia is the number one surf holiday destination.

Besides the three great oceans, there are of course two special seas in Germany that we don’t want to leave out: the North Sea and the Baltic Sea.

The North Sea

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Area: approx. 575,000 km²

Volumen: ca. 54.000 km³

Tiefste Stelle: 725 Meter

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For many Germans, the North Sea is where Wellenreitens. Ob vor Sylt, the East Frisian Islands, Heligoland, the Netherlands and Denmark – people surf there regularly. Locals have a love-hate relationship with the North Sea. With an area of around 575,000 square kilometres and an average depth of about 90 metres it is fairly small and shallow, so real groundswells rarely form. North Sea surfers usually ride messy, choppy wind swell created by low-pressure systems right over the coast.

You often fight the elements, which is part of the charm. Those who stay loyal and drive to the coast regularly are rewarded with surprisingly good days. North Sea surfing is definitely worth it once you have made peace with the cold water and the Wind ! It is often only a few hours’ drive away and makes for some great weekend trips.

The Baltic Sea

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Area: approx. 412,500 km²

Volumen: ca. 20.000 km³

Tiefste Stelle: 459 Meter

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The Baltic is the largest brackish sea in the world and even less reliable for surfable waves than the North Sea. German Baltic spots such as Weissenhaus, Timmendorf, Damp and Kühlungsborn work 99% of the time only with strong onshore winds, which usually means short periods and very choppy chaos. Still, Baltic locals know their coast so well that they score surprisingly good sessions. But you need to be in exactly the right place at the right time, or frustration sets in fast. So make friends with the locals – maybe you’ll get an interesting call now and then!