Matt Warshaw still vividly remembers the shock he experienced when he noticed the camera on the flagpole. It was September 2000, ten years after he left his job as Surfing magazine editor and relocated from Southern California to the solitary waves of San Francisco’s Ocean Beach. His initial anger towards the camera and its broadcasting website, Surfline, soon turned into curiosity as he utilized the camera for his own wave-checking purposes.
Even though Surfline continues to face criticism from surfers, branding it as “full bullshit,” the company primarily functions as a wave forecasting service. It has evolved into a subscription-based media enterprise, providing 24/7 surf predictions and live views from its vast collection of over 1,000 cameras. Millions of people visit Surfline every month to plan their surf outings. The company has also teamed up with the World Surf League to ensure optimal surf conditions for professional contests.
However, these services are not always welcomed in the surfing community. Surfing thrives on secrecy, with knowledge about prime surfing spots earned through experience. Ideally, each wave should be enjoyed by only one or two surfers at most. However, Surfline’s convenience of providing real-time information allows surfers to optimize their time in the water while managing their personal and professional commitments. This convenience can lead to crowded breaks, which some view as detrimental to the traditional spirit of the sport.
Surfline’s critics highlight numerous reasons for their displeasure. Forecasts that do not accurately align with actual conditions, high subscription costs, and the commercialization of a sport that many believe should be free are among the grievances. Despite the negative feedback, Surfline remains steadfast in their belief that they provide value to surfers who want to sustain their passion for the sport throughout their lives.
One of the main criticisms of Surfline is its alleged contribution to overcrowding at certain breaks. While the website may play a role, other factors such as increased interest in the sport due to pop culture influence, commercialization, and the COVID-19 pandemic have also led to a surge in the number of surfers. Consequently, Surfline often becomes the go-to source for surfers, guiding them on when and where to go.
Surfline’s power and control in the industry are consolidated within the hands of Kevin Wallis, a 23-year veteran of the company who leads the forecasting team. Wallis takes his job seriously and feels the weight of responsibility, whether he’s forecasting for professional contests or casual surfers. Despite allegations that Surfline intentionally avoids installing cameras at certain local breaks to keep them secret, Wallis denies such claims. Many Surfline staff members reside near popular surf breaks, and they don’t compromise on accuracy in their forecasts.
The perception of Surfline as a major corporation driven by profit has persisted since its early days when it had a smaller workforce. Surfline’s impact on surf breaks and the influx of surfers during prime conditions have led some surfers to prefer spots without cameras. Furthermore, there are concerns that wealthier surfers benefit the most from Surfline’s information, as they have the means to act on it by traveling to remote locations.
Before the advent of the internet, surfers had to rely on creative methods to gauge wave conditions. Nowadays, Surfline provides a valuable resource that enhances the surfing experience, even for those living far from the coast. From New York City to Malibu, surfers use Surfline’s cameras to assess crowd conditions and make informed decisions about where to surf.
Criticism towards Surfline underscores a longstanding debate about the accessibility of surfing. While the sport has always been competitive, with multiple riders sharing a single wave historically, today’s lineups are often characterized by intense competition for waves. Surfline believes in equal opportunity, advocating for everyone to have the chance to ride waves. However, not all surfers complaining about crowded breaks share this perspective.
Like other areas of life, the internet has transformed the surfing experience, bringing both advantages and challenges. While businesses can expand when they become viral, waves cannot be increased in overcrowded breaks. Although the vastness of the ocean offers countless unexplored surf spots, the tension between accessibility and exclusive experiences continues to dominate the conversation in the world of surfing.
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