vagues de roche

English translation: rock/reef breaks

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

French term or phrase:	vagues de roche
English translation:	rock/reef breaks
Entered by:	Miranda Joubioux (X)

14:44 Apr 21, 2008

French to English translations [PRO]
Tech/Engineering - Ships, Sailing, Maritime

French term or phrase: vagues de roche

In a section entitled
Voile ou Moteur

Là où je vis, au Pays Basque, la mer est difficile et l’environnement immédiat se prête davantage à des sorties au moteur.
Ce que j’adore, c’est partir au large en bateau pour aller surfer les vagues de roche.

I'm a bit perplexed by vagues de roche. Is this something specific to the Pays Basque?
If so how close to the shore would they be? Is there a specific term for them in English?
I also need to know what's the best way to translate "au large" and this depends on what this term refers to.
I feel that local knowledge is required.

Any help would be appreciated.

Miranda Joubioux (X) KudoZ activity Questions: 591 (none open) (65 closed without grading) Answers: 712
Local time: 11:00

rock breaks

Explanation:
Not listed as one of the three here

http://www.surfing-waves.com/peeling_waves.htm

but you get the message below.

Les Landes, pour le surfeur, se visitent du Sud au Nord. C'est ainsi. Pour comprendre la richesse de ce littoral, qui abrite les meilleurs BEACHBREAKS (vagues qui cassent sur du sable, par opposition aux vagues de ROCHER) du monde, il faut monter progressivement vers le nord, vers la côte sauvage.
http://www.viamichelin.com/viamichelin/fra/tpl/mag5/art20060...

Reef shoes are a good idea for coral and ROCK BREAKs. ...
www.nomadsurfers.com/English/Costarica/costarica_witches.ht...

The surf guide will analyze the swell before you arrive and give your group a few different ... Coiba offers a combination of reef, sand, and ROCK BREAKs. ...
www.quiksilvertravel.com/?pageID=531

In southwestern Iceland several miles of beach and ROCK BREAKs play host to a cadre of NATO affiliated surfers, occasionally joined by the odd traveler. ...
www.surfermag.com/features/onlineexclusives/iceland06

The southern part of the island is windier because of the south east trade winds. There are waves for every standard, from gently breaking FLAT ROCK BREAKs to the very fast shallow reef breaks far offshore.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/sports/features/surftrail3.shtm...

Some of the breaks are beach breaks, reef breaks and ROCK BREAKs. Also, Swami's in Encinitas is more of a soul surfing spot with three or more people taking ...
www.epinions.com/content_103676087940

I assume these things are far enough offshore to require motoring out there (for surfing with a board).

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Note added at 1 hr (2008-04-21 15:47:12 GMT)
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"Rock" or "reef" probably makes little difference. Both appear to be used for "high spots" offshore along that piece of coastline.

France has numerous quality beach breaks, pointbreaks and some offshore REEFS, perfect for beginners, but also challenging in autumn and winter for the experienced thrill seeking big wave surfers"

Mimizan Plage
Nice little village, I've surfed here with 3 meters and it was perfect. If there is a real terrible smell in the morning :GO surfing it's OFFSHORE
(delete apostrophe, I think)
http://www.globalsurfers.com/france.cfm

Fifty years on, Biarritz is the undisputed European capital of surf. Whether it’s slow wavelets for beginners or monstrous OFFSHORE REEFS for the pros, the area has something for everyone.
Booties are always worth bringing if you’re surfing REEFS.
http://sterling-magazine.com/2008/01/01/a-surfers-guide-to-b...

At Hossegor the CONTINENTAL SHELF JUST OFFSHORE creates heart stopping waves packed with power. For a more mellow surf, head to grand Plage in Biarritz. http://www.bbc.co.uk/cornwall/have_your_say/surfing.shtml

Spot: Guethary-Parlementia, France
Description:
I paddled out from the lifeguard hut on the beach. It was a FAIR DISTANCE OFFSHORE, and me and the camel ferral looked in anticipation as the wave picked up from nothing
http://www.wannasurf.com/community/index.php?option=com_wclo...

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Note added at 1 hr (2008-04-21 16:03:23 GMT)
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Just to confuse you, it looks as if you might be able to say "sea break" or "offshore break" too!

The OFFSHORE SURFING in New Caledonia is concentrated mainly offshore in the south province. Some of these surf breaks are:. DUMBEA: Left and Right. ...
www.surftravelcompany.com/SURF_NEW_CALEDONIA.htm

The most recent areas of development include our extreme open ocean big cat racing systems and our open ocean hydrofoil paddle board for OFFSHORE SURFING. ...
www.gumbylock.com.au/Aussie/html/Links/Links_O.html

Adrenaline addicts are TOWED IN BY JET SKI to a legendary, DEEP-SEA BREAK called Jaws. ...
www.fodors.com/world/north america/usa/hawaii/maui/activity...

No one has surfed these waves before; it’s a good feeling to hear the locals say the first person to ever surf the si bruk (SEA BREAK) standing on foam and ...
www.wavehunters.com/png/PNG_Saint_Matthias_Surf.asp
(not sure that this one IS offshore though ...)

It has a spectacular SEA BREAK for surfers, which can be admired from one of the many outdoor cafes along the avenue. Take time to watch local teams play ...
www.hotproperty.co.uk/overseas/property_search/details/1055...
(not sure that this one IS offshore though ...)

And the large artificial island (SEA BREAK) protecting the port had waves ... With surf so big, this wasn't the ideal scouting trip - all the beaches looked ...
www.kayaktrips.net/sea-kayak/000138.html

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Note added at 21 hrs (2008-04-22 12:42:42 GMT)
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My interpretation: there is not a great deal of logical connection between the ideas expressed.
1. la mer est difficile et l’environnement immédiat se prête davantage à des sorties au moteur.
2. Ce que j’adore, c’est partir au large en bateau pour aller surfer les vagues de roche.

So, when he goes sailing, it's best to use the engine to get away from the port. And incidently, independently of how he gets his boat out, he likes to take it out to these places where he can surf the break on his board, presumably having anchored his boat nearby or having someone else to sail/motor it for him.

Selected response from:

Bourth (X)
Local time: 11:00

Grading comment

Another difficult one to grade, since Guys answer gave me matter for thought too. What I wanted to be precise about was that the reef breaks were offshore. I couldn't use tow-in here, since I have a fair idea of what kind of boat he uses and it's not what I've seen on the may images of this type of surfing. This guy likes his creature comforts. I imagine he goes out on a speedboat with friends and surfs back on his surfboard.
Thanks for all you references Bourth (as usual :-)) and thanks for all the other suggestions.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

4 +2

rock breaks

Bourth (X)

3 +1

rock washback or surgeback waves

Drmanu49

stopper waves

Jack Dunwell

(tow-in surfing on) offshore reefs/breaks

Guy Bray

rock waves

MatthewLaSon

underwater rock waves

Emma Paulay

Discussion entries: 9

Bourth (X)

21:47 Apr 22, 2008

and for want of the Panama Canal failed to reach Malibu and Waikiki.

Bourth (X)

21:47 Apr 22, 2008

Re. the motor, the guy's obviously a wimp. Fishermen have been sailing out of Basque ports for centuries, some reaching North America before Columbus, some say, so it is perfectly possible to sail through those waves. They didn't take surfboards though

Jack Dunwell

France

17:53 Apr 22, 2008

So what happened to the boat he'd taken out and what of his great dilemma about motor or sail?And what did he do with it when he threw himself onto his surfboard and thrashed ashore?The boat disappears? Bobs around? Oh la! (again)

Miranda Joubioux (X)

ASKER

14:50 Apr 22, 2008

I've just rung the customer. She says that he is surfing with his surfboard.

Graham macLachlan

19:04 Apr 21, 2008

sailors talk about surfing their boats but I've only experienced it on a large swell; it's not as dynamic as on a surfboard but then again you tend not to fall off as much; perhaps the rocks create some kind of upwelling in the area were this guy goes

Miranda Joubioux (X)

ASKER

15:46 Apr 21, 2008

That's part of my problem with this sentence. The person in question is both a sailor and a surfer. You half feel that he may be using his boat to get to the best surfing sites, as suggests Bourth. It's very ambiguous.
My first thought was that he was "surfing" waves on his speedboat, but lafter a closer look at all the surfing sites I'm not sure any more.

Drmanu49

France

15:29 Apr 21, 2008

If it's Voile ou Moteur, this ref is not really relevant, it's not break. That would be more for surfers. But on a small sail boat it could be rock surge wave.

Emma Paulay

France

15:28 Apr 21, 2008

Are you sure he is talking about surfing them on his boat, or is he talking about surfing? Your link says surfers 'tow into waves with personal craft' and so go out to sea to surf...Just a thought!

Miranda Joubioux (X)

ASKER

15:18 Apr 21, 2008

I found this link to a spectacular wave off the Basque coast
http://www.extremehorizon.com/bigwaves.asp
There would appear to be two types of breaking waves in surf lingo
Reef break and Point break, but can I use these in a sailing context?

Answers

22 mins confidence:

underwater rock waves

Explanation:
Just thinking that maybe he means waves created by underwater rocks further out to sea. (I'm not suggesting anything as big as the wave in the link...!)

Reference: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/12/sports/othersports/12surfi...

Emma Paulay
France
Local time: 11:00
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 8

4 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

rock washback or surgeback waves

Explanation:
Strong southerly wind catches washback from large wave that struck Castle breakwater, ... rough seas off Albecq, west coast of Guernsey, Channel Islands ...
www.jrinaldiphotography.com/hack/feed.mg?Type=search&Data=s... - 446k

posed of three basic facies: washback- and surgeback-deposited sands and. breccias, fall-back breccias, and amalgamated slumped target-rock blocks ...
www.springerlink.com/index/k252nx253v264373.pdf -

au large would be at sea or away from the coast.

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Note added at 31 mins (2008-04-21 15:16:00 GMT)
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or as suggested by Colin: head out to sea / head offshore

Drmanu49
France
Local time: 11:00
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English,

French
PRO pts in category: 174

11 hrs confidence:

rock waves

Explanation:
Hello,

Aren't these just "rock waves"?

See here:

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://lh3.google.com...

MatthewLaSon
Local time: 05:00
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 4

52 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

rock breaks

Bourth (X)
Local time: 11:00
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 142

Grading comment

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)

agree

Emma Paulay: That's what I was trying to say :-))

15 mins

neutral

Jack Dunwell: Hello, Bourth!This is about sailing a boat. Choice between sail or motor. What waves are called that leave you with no way on!!This is not answering the question What does he do? Anchor(!!) his boat, surf in , then...?What about the motor? There are waves

2 hrs

-> Only if you believe it's about sailing a boat, which I don't, on the strength of what we have.

neutral

Drmanu49: Would you take a boat in the break?

3 hrs

-> I think he's taking the boat TO the break, to surf it with a board.

agree

Graham macLachlan: it would be silly to take a boat into a breaking wave//looks like you're right

3 hrs

-> I think he's taking the boat TO the break, to surf it with a board.

1 hr confidence:

stopper waves

Explanation:
The waves near here, Biarritz and along the Landes shores, can break easily, hence the surfing. Generally, if you have enough room you can sail out of most places, in a decent boat. But in constricted spaces or a lumbering old hulk, having your way knocked out of you by stopper waves would leave you with no steering. You'd have to put the engine on, if you had one.
Then again, if you have a nice flat-bottomed boat and can get up speed on a reach , heading up and over breaking waves is exhilirating.
And then again, sailing into big waves is fantastic, pushing the boat into the wave then letting it out on the top. But you don't get very far.
What was the question?

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Note added at 3 hrs (2008-04-21 18:27:28 GMT)
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"partir au large" is to head out to sea, of course!

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Note added at 3 hrs (2008-04-21 18:37:02 GMT)
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I appeal to all sailors to come now and heave overboard these landlubbers. I'll add my 3,000 nautical miles to yours. C'mon me beauties!

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Note added at 1 day2 hrs (2008-04-22 17:35:49 GMT)
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There's a lot of talk here about "heading" out against the impossible odds. We're actually talking about the great enjoyment of sailing big waves. They lift you up and you work with them. Have any of you had waves break down onto your foredeck, pushing bows under? Me neither.

Jack Dunwell
France
Local time: 11:00
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 12

1 hr confidence:

(tow-in surfing on) offshore reefs/breaks

Explanation:
Common surfing term here in California: check on Google. Many of the biggest waves form on reefs up to miles offshore, and you need a (power) boat to get there, and for entry to (and rescue from) these huge mountains of water

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Note added at 1 day3 hrs (2008-04-22 18:14:37 GMT)
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In place of further explanation, see:

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=tow-in surfing&s...

Guy

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Note added at 1 day3 hrs (2008-04-22 18:17:39 GMT)
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In place of further explanation:
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=tow-in surfing&s...
Guy

Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tow-in_surfing

Guy Bray
United States
Local time: 02:00
Native speaker of: English

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English translation: rock/reef breaks

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