I love to surf, so I created an app to record my sessions. It downloads weather and buoy data from the NOAA. Then, when you park to go surfing it starts a timer. When you leave, it notifies you to record your session. It also integrates with the health app.

Surf Sessions makes it easy for you to integrate your surfing into an overall fitness plan. Create a list of surfing locations, and then start recording your surfing sessions. This app will estimate the calories you burned while surfing and then share your surfing workouts with the Health App.

Privacy Policy

Surf Sessions does not collect or store any health information about you. All of the data is located either on your device and/or on Apple’s iCloud servers. It is never sent to us. We take your privacy very seriously and do not intend to collect or share your personal health data. For more information, you can read our detailed privacy policy (pdf).

FAQ

Why do you need my location?

We use your location while you are using the map to find the closest buoy station to you. If you want your sessions to auto-record, we use your location in the background to find out when you might have parked to go surfing. Our app is only notified of your location when you request the buoy data at your current location and when you enter or exit a parking location.

Why is the Buoy Data only available in the US?

The only free service that can load current conditions is the United States National Buoy Data Center (NBDC), which is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). There might be some Buoys outside the US that are included in their service, however, that is not a guarantee. If there is enough interest and financial support (people willing to pay for it), I will consider using a non-free service that can collect data around the world. If you know of a service that provides better data, please contact me.

How do you determine which Buoys to use?

I use the buoy data that is closest to you. For each surf spot, you can edit the wave, wind, and tide buoy, if there is a better buoy for that spot.

What value should I use for my intensity (MET Value)?

The Metabolic Equivalent is a way to estimate the number of calories burned by activity type. Surfing has a reported MET Value of 3.0, and competitive surfing has a value of 5.0. However, swimming has a value of 8.0. Any value you use will be an estimate. If you were fighting a current and paddling most of the time then you might want to use a value closer to 8. That might be closer to a swimming activity. If you didn;t catch a lot of waves, you might want to use a value closer to 2.

Can I recommend new features?

Yes, just email me.