Is this a magic surf report?

Today I'd like to briefly review a surf reporting/forecasting site called Magicseaweed.

Link to Magicseaweed

Magicseaweed is one of the more commercial surf forecast sites that I've come across. So much so, that I'm not even sure calling it a surf forecasting site is really accurate...

This site not only gives forecasts for many surf spots around the world, but it is also a hub for great photos and video clips. A lot of surf gear can also be purchased on this site.

Magicseaweed screen shot

Source: http://magicseaweed.com

Today, I'm only going to review the surf forecasting part of the site.

I'm going to do this even though I've personally stopped using Magicseaweed a number of months ago. But I'll get to that later...

I feel the best qualities of Magicseaweed are that it's forecasts are pretty easy to read - that is despite the fact a surf forecast is not given in prose. Every measure of the influential factors on surfing conditions is supported diagrammatically in an understandable format. Not only that, the site gives somewhat specific forecasts for specifically defined locations for various parts of the day. This is particularly useful for when you are a surfer exploring a new area and you need to find where some spots are to get started.

Being a site with a global outlook, Magicseaweed can be your surf forecasting travel companion - providing you have internet access mind you!

Magicseaweed screen shot

Source: http://magicseaweed.com

What I don't like is that I find the site has proven to be quite inaccurate for some locations it claims it can forecast for. There have been a number of times, back when I lived in or visited Adelaide Australia fore example, where the local forecast was way, way out. By that I mean 8 foot out!

Australia satellite photo

Adelaide satellite photo

View Larger Map
Source: maps.google.com/maps?hl=en-GB&tab=ml

That kind on inaccuracy made me loose a lot of trust in the site. That is why I don't use it any more.

I know all surf forecast sites have their glitches, and it's safest to cross-reference two or three of them at any given time to get the most accurate picture, but Magicseaweed has proven to be way too far out, way too often for me to go back to it.

Having said that, it's a nifty place to stop for motivational pictures and clips if that's all you're after.