Saving Californias Surf Breaks Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Saving Californias Surf Breaks - Research Paper Example  With the advent of surfing environmentalism also came the task of educating both the surfing and non-surfing public of how waves are created, how rock formations in the sea and its other natural resources aid wave formation and how human interference, such as coastal developments and road constructions, affects the process. Educating the public about surfing basics is not complete without talking about surf breaks, which are crucial in creating wave breaks that surfers ride (Butt, 2009). “A surf break is defined as a permanent obstruction, such as a reef, headland, bombora [and] rock or sandbar, which causes waves to break” (Silmalis, 2007). Although what constitutes the actual wave that surfers ride involves a more complex combination of weather, wind direction, tides, and ocean current, an integral part of this fusion are surf breaks (Diel and Menges, 2008, p. 84). The texture and shape of the sea floor determine the height of the wave (p. 87).