Surfing the Net is all very well, but for some people, surfing is all about waves. If you are one of those people whose idea of fun is pitting yourself against the mighty ocean, armed only with a strip of polysterene and fibreglass, your iPhone could prove to be a surprisingly useful friend in the eternal quest to catch the next awesome wave. Keep tabs on your favourite surfer, monitor the swell, keep up-to-date with forecasts, learn about the world’s best waves, and predict the tides. Surf’s up with an app!
NOAA Ocean Buoys App ($1.99)
This is not strictly a surfing app, but it will prove vital when you are checking ocean conditions anywhere. It features data from more than 120 buoys spread across North America, Europe, and the Caribbean, detailing current swell, wind, temperature, and other weather conditions. Mobile access to these buoys means you can predict what the ocean has in store for you on any given day. Now, you will always know if the swell is hitting your local area, or if the winds have switched offshore yet. And all at the touch of a button.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/noaa-buoy-and-tide-data/id292148184?mt=8
Surfline
Surfers everywhere rejoice! Surfline’s premium forecasting services are now available in a free iPhone app. Their impressive short- and long-term forecasting tools are now at your fingertips, together with access to current reports and high-quality live cams for surf locations worldwide. Download this app for your iPhone, and you are sure to use it constantly.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/surfline/id393782096?mt=8
World Surf Atlas
The World Surf Atlas tells you all you need to know to plan your next trip to any of the world’s top surf spots. This excellent overview incorporates detailed information for 500 of the world’s best waves, including descriptions of the waves, the sea-bottom (sand, rocks or reef), the wave direction, hazards, average temperatures, wetsuit information, and GPS data. It also features maps of all the world’s most important surf regions.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/world-surf-atlas/id374261325?mt=8
Shralp Tide
There is no point in paddling out if you don’t know the tide. The Shralp Tide app can identify your current location and deliver tide info for the next five days. Simplicity and speed make this a great app. The tide information you’re looking for appears within seconds, and, because it’s available on a five-day forecast basis, you can plan your surfing activity week to week.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/shralp-tide/id302781008?mt=8
ASP To Go
This app allows you to keep tabs on the best surfers in the world as they vie for points on the World Tour by following the results from each event. The most awesome feature lets you watch events live from your phone. It includes detailed information about each event during the contest, including event status, results, photos, news, video highlights, and the live stream.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/asptogo/id356421816?mt=8
John Falvey works for www.novacarhire.com, a popular site offering car hire in more than 26,000 destinations. When everybody else is sensibly taking refuge from the chill Atlantic winds, John prefers to grab his surfboard and catch the waves at Inch Beach or Castlegregory, Co. Kerry. His favourite vacation place is the incredible surfing resort of Playa de Famara in Lanzarote, Spain, and he believes there is (almost) nothing a good day’s surfing won’t cure.