A Surfer’s Guide to Types of Waves and Where to Find Them

Surf breaks are your playground, and understanding the different types can turn a good session into an epic one. As there’s a vast universe of waves out there, surf breaks can come in every imaginable shape and size. There are big waves, small waves, hollow waves, mushy waves, smooth waves, textured waves… and that’s just the beginning. No two waves are exactly the same.

Many factors go into the size and shape of a wave: the swell intensity and intervals, wind knots and direction it’s blowing, tides, bathymetry, and what lies beneath the ocean surface.

We’ll dive into the science of wave formation another time, but for now, let’s focus on what lies beneath the surface and some of the most common types of surf breaks that are out there just waiting to be discovered and surfed (by you)!

BEACH BREAK

Ah, the beach break—your sandy-bottomed playground. The ocean tends to gradually get deeper the farther you go out, and many average beach breaks can often close out, meaning the entire waves break all at once, leaving you with no shoulder to surf on.

Beach breaks can be shifty and unpredictable, but when the conditions (and sandbars!) align, they serve up some of the best waves you’ll ever ride.

Pro Tip: In warmer waters, stingrays like to hang out on the ocean floor. Shuffle your feet to avoid stepping on these prickly critters—your feet will thank you. 

Stepping on a stingray will put a huge damper on your day. Thankfully, in 20 years of surfing I never have, but I know enough unfortunate souls who have, and I’ll take their word for it when they say that it’s terribly painful.

Famous Beach Breaks:

• Hossegor, South-Western France: Often referred to as the “Surfing Capital of Europe,” Hossegor can get solid and was once a stop on the World Tour.
• Supertubos, Peniche, Portugal: Punchy, hollow, and shallow sand-bottom barrels that can break very close to shore even when it’s pumping.
• Blacks Beach, La Jolla, California: Known for its powerful waves due to a deep underwater canyon right off shore.

JETTIES AND PIERS

Jetty and pier breaks are beach breaks with a twist. They are characterized by a sandy bottom, sloppy bathymetry, and peaky-punchy waves.These structures shape the sandbars, creating better-formed waves.

Another thing about these types of surf breaks is that as a wave runs into the obstruction, the water has to displace, often causing the wave to gain a couple of feet in size. You may find a pier or jetty can commonly be a few feet bigger than its neighboring beach breaks and may be able to handle larger swells before closing out.

Famous Jetty and Pier Breaks:

• Newport Jetties, California: Offers consistent, peaky waves with powerful breaks influenced by the jetty structure.
• Sebastian Inlet, Florida: Famous for its powerful and hollow waves, making it a prime spot for advanced surfers.
• The Wedge, Newport Beach, California: Known for its massive, steep waves created by the unique refraction off the jetty, experienced surfers only.

POINT BREAKS

To many people, the term ‘point break’ is likely synonymous with the 1991 action movie where Keanu Reeves plays an undercover FBI agent (Johnny Utah) trying to catch a gang of bank robbers led by Patrick Swayze (Bohdi), who also happen to be die-hard thrill-seeking surfers.

However, this was not written for most people in the world. So, for all of you information-seeking surfers out there, a point break is when you have a headland or point where the wave wraps along the coastline making for a long, organized, and epic ride.

Point breaks are some of the most sought-after and desirable types of surf breaks on the planet. Think of point breaks as nature’s conveyor belt for surfers!

Find yourself at the right point break at the right time and on the better swells, you can potentially score waves that are almost a mile long! That just blows my mind every time I think about it.

Famous Point Breaks:

• Jeffreys Bay (J-Bay), South Africa: Renowned for its long, fast, and perfectly formed right-hand point break, delivering some of the most sought-after and consistent rides in the world.
• Rincon, California: Known as the “Queen of the Coast,” offering long, right-hand rides that will leave you grinning ear to ear.
• Chicama, Northern Peru: Home to incredibly long rides. Peruvian surfer Cristobal de Col holds the Guinness World Record for most turns on a single wave—34 turns!

REEF BREAKS

Reef breaks—where the ocean meets its toughest critics: the rocks and coral. Often considered the most dangerous type of break, the coral reef in particular.

Rocky reefs can be covered by seagrass, making them a bit more forgiving if you happen to make contact. However, sea urchins are fairly common in the nooks and crannies, so it’s usually best to steer clear of the reef and not get into the habit of kicking off the bottom or standing up in shallow water if you wipe out or jump off a wave.

Pro Tip: Always be on the lookout for boils in the water, which can indicate a dry or exposed reef. Unless you enjoy getting worked by the ocean, it’s best to leave these waves to the pros. When you get to that level, you can count on leaving some skin on the reef as a token of good faith and earning your keep.

Famous Reef Breaks:

• Pipeline, Oahu, Hawaii: Known for its powerful, hollow waves breaking over a shallow reef.
• Uluwatu, Bali: Famous for its long left-hand waves and challenging conditions.
• Teahupo’o, Tahiti: Famous for its thick, glassy barrels that break over a razor-sharp reef, creating some of the heaviest and most dangerous waves on the planet.

LESS COMMON SURF BREAKS

MAN MADE “ARTIFICIAL” WAVES

Artificial waves, also known as man-made waves, are created using technology to replicate the surfing experience of natural waves. There are several artificial wave companies out there. Like in any other industry, technology improves every year, progressing the sport and creating a higher-quality wave.

But look no further, people, and cross your fingers as Kelly Slater Wave Company starts opening its waves to the public all over the world. Check out the following link to our post about it, and be prepared to have your mind blown: Kelly Slater Wave Company created a wave, and it’s perfect!

Famous Artificial Waves:

• Kelly Slater Wave Company, Lemoore, California: Known for its perfect, machine-generated waves that offer consistent and high-quality surf conditions.
• Wavegarden, Basque Country, Spain: Pioneers in artificial wave technology, offering long, rideable waves in a controlled environment.
• The Surf Ranch, Texas: A premier wave pool providing long, barreling waves suitable for surfers of all skill levels.

SLABS

Slabs are the wild cards of the surf world. Slabs are usually heavier reef breaks coming out of deeper water and breaking in very shallow water making for some of the nastiest, scariest looking waves on the planet. These mutant waves are freaks of nature and can be very dangerous. 

Notable Slabs:

• Shipstern Bluff, Tasmania: Famous for its powerful, mutant waves that crash over a shallow reef, creating extremely challenging and dangerous surf conditions.
• Ours, Sydney, Australia: Known for its heavy, barreling waves that break over a shallow rock shelf, making it one of the most dangerous surf spots in Australia —surf at your own risk.
• The Cave, Portugal: Known for its heavy, hollow barrels that crash over a sharp, shallow reef, making it one of the most challenging and treacherous waves in Europe.

We’ve only scratched the surface but hopefully, this is a helpful start to learning about the various types of waves and surf breaks. There’s a lot more knowledge and wisdom on waves within the surfing community, so if you’re an experienced surfer and have something to add, please share your insights in the comments below.

Cheers, Eric