has the internet taken the adventure out of life or is this what we need now

Wee bit ironic posting this on the internet, no?

A bit ironic indeed... If surfing is your 'life' and driving around looking for waves is your adventure then yes, it has. For me, its gives me better organisation to know what I'm doing. Flatness means I go catch up with friends who aren't coastal. Couldn't imagine how much I'd be spewing if I spent all day on an 'adventure' only to find ankle snappers everywhere I went. So, for me (growing up in the 'internet generation') it has made things so much more convenient. That does not mean I have a surfing experience that is disconnected from 'the adventure'... or does it?
Don't look at the internet as something 'new'... Its just a convergence of traditional media/communications tools. Surf reports have always been on radio, print, television..

The Cape DeCoudic wave buoy has been busted for a few weeks now(it's been battered by constant 20-30ft+ swell for months) and its amazing how much of a difference it makes to the numbers in the water.
I live in a crappy old beach shack but it has some advantages. I can see the ocean from my window but used to check the CDC buoy online before I even got out of bed. But now I just look out the window, and I can hear the swell when it picks up too.
Today there was another huge swell, bigger than forecasted. Solid lines were breaking in front of my house, as big as ive seen it. I wondered what the buoy would have recorded today? Well over 10 metres i'd imagine.
I went down to a break that likes such conditions and there was one guy out!
People who live around the area are not tuned into what the waves are doing since the buoy has been down and are not in the habit of constantly checking the surf like we all used to do in the old days!

Good work YS, thats what its all about, I do miss living right next to the ocean.
Shaun you are right, its all in the journey, one leads to another, dont matter if there are waves or not.
Who gives a rats arse if SN called 3-4 ft and its only 2-3 ft, whoop deee dooo.

Wow Shaun, I like the new attitude and tone, much more positive and refreshing!

And I also agree. I chase swells all the time and the pure nature of getting out and about, scouring the coast and taking it all in is half the fun!

The Internet is an invaluable tool that saves me time.
Between running my own business, my young family and mates that I occasionally share a few beers with it make a massive difference if I can look on the net and see it's 1ft crowded crapola and not to waste one second of my time.
Going overseas and getting directions to places is great too.

So yeah it's great for me personally but the all round greater good? Don't know and don't care it's not going to shutdown anytime soon our only hope is that surfing becomes increasing unpopular.
Hopefully the world tour goes bankrupt and more kids take up soccer.

Complaining about the Internet and about how what methods people use to make choices is really petty.

Fair enough Shaun. Seems a bit overly romantic to me. I mean, my pursuit of waves doesn't mean i don't 'love the surroundings' from the window of a car. I just wouldn't want to waste a day driving around. I'd rather do something else. Hopefully I can upgrade my status soon... then again, i'd rather be a 'lone wolf', than part of a 'pack'..

For judging surf conditions in days gone by all I had was every day's synoptic chart in the local paper.Even used to hang out to see Alan Wilkie on TV smile as he said there was a heavy south east swell running.
The internet for me is nothing short of awesome.Swellnet is a great way to add refinement to one's thought's about conditions and where to go for a surf in local surroundings.
It's all about time these days and this site has saved me plenty,so I say go with technology because it is the way of now and in the future.

Well Billyboy, I'm a romantic type of guy. No day is wasted if you keep your eyes and ears open. Having said that there is nothing I like more than wasting time, I am right now.

Fuck! New attitude and tone, don't really think so, always had the attitude that you have to put in the time. People notice when you only turn up at a local spot when it's really good, don't give those guy's an inch.

Just put down BillyBoy a few months ago,
My little Jack Russell,
Was a champion he was.

Jack Russel, small in stature, big and brave of heart. Dog's so much smarter than us, never seen one waste time on the internet.

And I've never seen anybody on the internet lick their balls.

No, wait.... I have.