A-frame

Aaberg, Denny

Aaberg, Kemp

Abberton, Koby

Abbruzzi, Sid

Abellira, Reno

Abubo, Megan

academia and surfing

Adler, Tom

advertising and surfing

Aeder, Erik

aerial

Aguerre, Fernando

Aichner, Scott

Aikau, Clyde

Aikau, Eddie

Aipa, Ben

air-drop

airbrush

Airshow

Ala Moana

Alabama

alaia board

Alaska

alcohol and surfing

Alexander, Kala

Allen, Chuck

Alms, Paige

aloha shirt

Alter, Hobie

Alvarez, Pepe

Ancell, Kevin

Andaman Islands

Andersen, Lisa

Anderson, Craig

Anderson, Simon

Andino, Kolohe

Angel, Jose

angle

Angola

Angourie

Antarctica

Apocalypse Now

Arabian Sea

Aragon, Janice

Arakawa, Eric

Archbold, Matt

Arena, Eduardo

Ashton, Juan

Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP)

Atlantic Ocean

August, Robert

Aurness, Rolf

Auster, Ken

Australia

Avalon, Frankie

Azores

backdoor

backside

backside attack, Pipeline

backwash

bail out

Bain, Rob

Baja California

Baker, Bernie

Baker, Grant “Twiggy”

Baker, Tim

Bali

Ball, John “Doc”

Ballard, Bill

Ballard, Rochelle

balsa

Baltic Sea

Banks, Jim

Barbados

Barilotti, Steve

Barland, Michel

Barreda, Sergio “Gordo”

Barry, Michael

Bartholomew, Wayne

Baxter, Jackie

Bay of Bengal

Beach Boys, The

Beacham, Debbie

beachboys

beachbreak

Beachcomber Bills Grand Prix

Beachley, Layne

beavertail

Becker, Phil

Bedford-Brown, Stuart

Belgium

Bells Beach

Bendall, Ma and Pa

Bennett, Barry

Benson, Becky

Benson, Linda

Bermuda

Bertlemann, Larry

Beschen, Shane

World's third-largest ocean, covering 42 million square miles, located between Africa, southwest Asia, and Australia; includes the Andaman Sea, the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal, the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea, and many other tributaries. Along the Indian Ocean's 41,000 miles of coastline are some of the world's best surf breaks, including South Africa's Jeffreys Bay, Grajagan and the Mentawai Islands in Indonesia, and Gnaraloo in Western Australia.

Surface currents in the Indian Ocean are directed for the most part by a counterclockwise gyre in the south, along with a unique figure-eight current in the north. Wave-generating storms in the Indian Ocean often form along the notorious "Roaring 40s"—on or near the 40-degree latitude, between the tip of South Africa and the southwest tip of Australia. 

From June to October, low atmospheric pressure over southwest Asia results in southwest-to-northeast winds and currents in the Indian Ocean; these conditions produce excellent surf in Indonesia and Western Australia. Between December and April, high-pressure systems over northern Asia result in northeast-to-southwest winds and currents, often creating excellent waves in South Africa, Madagascar, and the Seychelles. Tropical cyclones can meanwhile form in the northern Indian Ocean in May to June and October to November, and in the southern Indian Ocean during January and February. 

The Indian Ocean is home to a complete spectrum of coastal environments, from lushly tropical to barren desert. Some Indian Ocean islands, like Madagascar, are geologically ancient. Others, like Mauritius, are relatively new. The Indian Ocean holds an estimated 40 percent of the world's offshore oil.

The Indian Ocean was the last of the three major surfing oceans to be introduced to surfing. Surfers have mapped most of the Indian Ocean's coastline over the past 40 years, but hundreds of first-rate breaks remain secret, underutilized, or undiscovered.

Indian Ocean

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Encyclopedia of Surfing

Encyclopedia of Surfing