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By Michael AH Russell

Tide knowledge can be an invaluable for timing a great surf session and reading a tide report is actually quite easy. Tides advance and retreat in wave-like motion. The row of numbers along the bottom represents the time of day, while the numbers along the left indicate the height of the tide. All you have to do is match the hour with the corresponding tide measurement.

Tides can affect surf spots differently. However, the general rule of thumb is most reef breaks will turn on when the tide is low-pushing-high, while beach breaks usually work better with a medium tide. Keep in mind though that this is just a guideline and not the rule. Surf spots can vary on how they handle tides, and there is no substitute for surf break familiarity.

So next time you go surfing at a specific surf break, take a mental note to what the tide is doing and how it is affecting the waves. Are they breaking slow and mushy on the higher tide, and fast and steep on the lower tide? Its all about experience, and understanding tides is an important skill for timing the best time to go surfing that will help you for as long as you're a surfer.

Note: Tides can vary dramatically by location so its important to find a tide chart that displays the tides for your local area. Most surf shops will carry local tide charts or you can try searching online. For an example of what a tide chart looks like visit the Nice Rack Beginner's Guide to Surfing.

Find surfboards for sale in Perth

By: Aaron Schubert

Image: Robert Paul Young

Western Australia is known throughout the world as one of the better locations to go for surfing. We have all sorts of breaks, ranging from the standard beach right through to massive reef breaks and even the deep water surfing breaks. There is a lot of secrecy surrounding the best locations in Western Australia, so be sure to look around to find what you want! Western Australia has good surfing in most locations, ranging from Kalbarri to Lucky Bay, Smiths Beach, Dunsborough, Margaret River, Augusta and Denmark.

By speaking to the locals though, you will soon find out where the better breaks are, even if they are a little more 'used'. The South West of WA has some amazing surfing, which is why Margaret River has annual surfing competitions. There are days where you can get 8 metre waves, right off the beach of Margaret River. Venture out further into the ocean and you can see some absolutely huge waves, but that is for the full on professionals!

Smiths Beach is just around the corner from Margaret River, and this has some decent surf when the weather picks up. Of course, it pays to get out and have a drive around. The point at Smiths Beach is usually pretty good, and then a bit further north at Yallingup the waves can be absolutely monstrous. The great thing about this area is that regardless of where you are, you can always find some reasonable waves within a 30km or so drive.

Mens Rip Curl Titanium "Tidemaster" Watch AU $10.00

Rip Curl Shipstern Tidemaster 2 Tide Watch A1034-MID NEW AU $296.11

Rip Curl Eclipse Black SSS Stainless Mens Boys ATS Tide Surf Watch Gift RRP $500 AU $279.99

Rip Curl A1029 Black Men's Chronograph Wrist Watch AU $674.11

Rip Curl Shipstern Tidemaster 2 Tide Watch A1037SIL NEW AU $278.47

Rip Curl Ventura Tidemaster 2 Watch A1048BLK NEW AU $185.65

Rip Curl Shipstern Tidemaster 2 Tide Watch. A1029-BLK AU $286.83

Rip Curl Shipstern Tidemaster 2 Tide Watch. A1034-MID AU $296.11

Rip Curl Shipstern Tidemaster 2 Tide Watch. A1029-SIL AU $286.83

Rip Curl Shipstern Tidemaster 2 Tide Watch. A1039-MID AU $240.42

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By Jason Scheers

This is more than just a tide watch. With just a quick glance at your wrist the Rip Curl Shipstern Tidemaster 2 can tell you the time, the current tide, how high or low the current tide is and the current phase of the moon. All of this information is great for anyone that loves to spend any amount of time in or near the ocean. That means you surfers, fisherman, boaters and scuba divers.

How does this tide watch do all of that? The engineers at Rip Curl came up with the idea and patented it. They call it the Automatic Tide System and don't worry about your geographic location because this tide watch has tide charts pre-programmed for 200 of the worlds greatest beaches. Check out some of these other great features

• Stainless steel case - Strong and durable and resistant to saltwater corrosion
• Quartz movement - Always on time
• Calendar
• Countdown timer - Great for scuba divers. Sometimes it is all to easy to lose track of time when your down there.
• Dual time - Know the time for two places at once.
• Stop watch
• Water resistant to 660 feet or 200 meters
• Digital and analog displays
• Alarm
• Back light - Bright and easy to read even in the sun.
• Diving bezel
• Mineral crystal window - Strong, durable and resistant to scratches.

If you are looking for the ultimate watch for yourself or anyone that enjoys the ocean then you really can't do any better than the Rip Curl Shipstern Tidemaster 2. The ability to adjust to tide system to your specific location offers a huge advantage that other tide watches in this price range do not have.

By Bill Braddock

Image by dcysurfer

Longboard surfing has made a comeback in popularity over the last ten years from its older roots. Longboard surfboards typically refer to surfboards that are greater in length than nine feet although longboards for women are often in the 8'6" range as well. Riding a longboard can be described as an experience where the surfer is gliding down the wave. With shorter surfboards the surfer is accelerating by working the wave top to bottom to gain speed and keep afloat, where the longboarder is trimming and gliding with the wave. The longboarder embodies grace in the surf where the shortboarder seeks more radical movement.

One of the keys to riding a longboard surfboard correctly is trimming the surfboard to stay in the curl of the wave. Different techniques for trimming a longboard surfboard include walking the board, nose riding, and hanging ten. Walking the board refers to moving forwards or backwards on the board to either accelerate, by moving forwards, or slow the board down, by moving backwards. Nose riding or hanging ten is a method of trimming the longboard surf board where the surfer walks to the front of the longboard and hangs all ten toes over the nose of the surfboard.

Longboarding typically happens in gentler more tapered waves where the surfer can maximize their glide and trimming. When a surfer is paddling out to the lineup and a wave comes a shortboarder would duck dive to get under the white water. With a longboard, that is typically not possible as the surfboard is so large. A longboarder can use a variety of techniques to get through the whitewater, but the most common technique used is to turtle where the surfer flips the longboard upside down with hands about mid way between the nose and the mid section of the board allowing the whitewater to pass over the surfboard while the surfer is underwater.

There are many different styles of longboard surfboards that are available on the market. There are longboard surf boards built to learn to surf and these are typically wide and thick and often times are made of a soft material to not hurt the beginning surfer if they are hit by the longboard surfboard. There are also longboard surfboards built for the intermediate, advanced, and expert surfer. A cruiser longboard is built such that it can be ridden more from the back of the longboard surfboard and is not optimized for walking to the nose of the longboard surfboard. A nose rider is a board that is optimized for trimming and walking forward to hang ten or nose ride. Often times, a nose rider will be concave in the front allowing the surfer to spend more time in the curl of the wave on the nose.

Different Longboard shapers exist making the different shapes mentioned above. Shapers such as Donald Takayama, Skip Frye, and Dick Brewer are among some of the best known although there are many other top shapers out there. To purchase a longboard, visit your local surf shop or read some surfboard reviews online and purchase a used longboard for sale online and save some money.

Image: hold it, I'm focusing

A surfing exercise program can benefit any level of surfer, from the wide-eyed beginner, to the grizzled veteran, and everyone in between. Even if you consider surfing just a casual hobby, you don't want to be the guy who exhausts himself after only a few minutes of paddling and then spends most of his time in the water just trying to recover. And for the serious surfer who is already in pretty good shape, see how focusing on five specific areas of surf fitness will take your training to the next level, resulting in immediate improvements on the waves.

So what are the five critical types of surfing exercise that will make you a better surfer?

1. Cardiovascular: as part of your surf fitness, you will want to build up your endurance. Paddling takes a lot of energy, and you will be doing it for long stretches at a time. Running and swimming are very good surf exercises with cardio benefits. Be sure to do enough to keep your heart rate up for 30 minutes at a time.

2. Core strength: addressing your core means building up your abdominal and back muscles, which also are very important for paddling. In addition, core fitness is a big part of fighting against the weight of the water, which is something you do almost constantly while surfing the waves. Abdominal crunches, presses, and planks are good examples of core surf exercise.

3. Upper body: yet another area that will help with paddling! But again, because you spend so much time paddling, there are huge benefits to doing it well. By paddling faster, you'll be able to catch more waves. A stronger upper body also will allow you to pop up onto your board more quickly. The bench press, pushups, pull-ups, and upper back moves like lat pulldowns are good in this area. Specific surf paddling exercises are shoulder presses and rowers, if you have access to a machine.

4. Flexibility: your surfing exercise program also should include stretching, something that a lot of people tend to avoid. More flexibility and mobility will allow you to maneuver your board better, remain upright, and do more tricks. As an extra benefit, if you are like some surfers and have lower back problems, stretching your back and hamstrings should give you some relief.

5. Lower body: conditioning your lower body is another way to help you remain on your board and do more advanced maneuvers. Movements involving balance and power will help strengthen your lower body. Your surf fitness program should include drills like lunges, squats, and calf raises. Incorporate the use of a stability ball to improve your balance even more; squats and bridges with a fitness ball are examples of enhanced lower body strength exercises for surfers.

By getting yourself fit for surfing, you will reach a level of health that most people only can imagine. You also will transform your appearance, which will have plenty of benefits too, especially when you're on the beach lounging in your bathing suit. And perhaps most importantly for those of us who truly love to surf, your surfing exercise plan will help you reach your full potential as a surfer, allowing you to enjoy yourself more every time you step in the water.

Bali is an amazing island surfing location in the Indonesian archipelago of 18,700 islands just 8 degrees south of the equator.

Legend has it that Bali was first discovered as a great surfing destination in the late 1960s by Australian surfers, but whether or not this is true, Bali has since become one of the hottest spots on the world surfing itinerary by leagues of surfing enthusiasts.

These days Bali has a huge surf culture, so whether you're a novice trying out your first beach breaks or an accomplished reef break rider, Bali offers some of the best surfing beaches anywhere in the world.

The peak season for Bali surfing tours is from April to November, which is considered to be the dry season, but you can catch a mean wave at any time during the year. During the dry season, Bali picks up the swells from the Indian Ocean so it's possible to find surf up to 12 feet or higher off the reefs on the southwest and southeast coasts.

Kuta is usually the drop-off point for surfing enthusiasts from all over the world as it's only a short distance to legendary surfing spots like Padang Padang, Uluwata, Nusa Dua and Impossibles. Kuta Beach also produces some great beach breaks but it is a popular tourist haunt so the chances of getting on a clean barrel all the way into shore are not good.

Unlike many of the well-known heavy reef breaks around some of the other islands in Indonesia, Bali's surf conditions are milder, which better suits the novice to intermediate surfer looking for consistent, 3 to 5 foot waves.

Bali has so many advantages to offer anyone planning a surfing adventure, it's hard to know where to start. What about the fact that you can get around the entire island in a day, so once you know where the great waves are breaking, it's easy to make your way there. Or how about the fact you don't need a wetsuit because the waters around Bali average a balmy temperature in the low to mid 20 degrees Celsius (just remember to take a good sunscreen!)

Catch a Bali Surfing Tour

In addition to the pleasures already mentioned, surfing in Bali has to be on top of the list of premier surfing locations because you don't need to rough it in a crude beach shack. Even the most budget-conscious surfers can stay in premium Bali accommodation with air conditioning and satellite TV thrown in for unbelievably reasonable prices.

What's more, if you travel with one of the expert Bali surfing tour operators, they will make sure that everything you need to make your Bali surfing holiday a treat will be laid on for you. They will even supply you with a board if you want to try a different ride or if you can't be bothered lugging your own board all over the place.

The Bali surf guides will meet you each morning during your stay and tell you where the best waves are breaking, then take you there in one of their air conditioned SUVs or beach craft. They can recommend the top breaks for your style and skill level and you can even take your pick from left or right breaking waves if the conditions are right!

Better yet, their network of local informants know where everyone is headed, so will happily steer you away from the crowds to an equally good location with less riders competing for the breaks.

Bali hotels are fabulous value for money and if you stay in one of the popular tourist spots like Kuta or Legian beach, the best surfing options are close by.

And then after you've spent a monumental day on the waves, you can retire to your luxury Bali accommodation for a refreshing ale before you hit the local night spots for some riotous activity.

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