Conversation: On how surf forecasts could suck less with Gavin Bechtold

Confused by swell direction, wave period, or what “2–3 ft (observed)” actually means? You’re not alone. In this episode, we’re breaking down the surf forecast—line by line—with Gavin Bechtold, creator of Go Surfing San Diego and the Sunday Stoke surf forecast newsletter. We talk about what all those Surfline numbers really mean, how to figure out when (and where) to paddle out, and why wave energy might be your new favorite metric.

Plus:

• Gavin’s self-taught journey from foamie to shortboard

• Why Tourmaline is a beginner’s best friend

• The magic number of surf sessions per week

• What makes a forecast “good enough” for beginners

This one’s for every surfer who’s ever opened Surfline and gone, “…wait, what’s a kilojoule?”