Dawn Patrol Routine: Maximizing Surf Time for 9-5 Workers

Introduction

For anyone that works a 9-5 job, it can sometimes be challenging to practice their surfing during the week. Especially, those that don’t live within walking distance to the beach. However, if you live approximately within 20 minutes to your local break and have a reasonable commute, it might be easier than you think to get some waves in before work! I am going to share my own personal dawn patrol routine and gear list. Hopefully, this post will help you establish your own efficient dawn patrol routine.

Planning Your Dawn Patrol Routine

“Failing to plan, is planning to fail.”

-Benjamin Franklin

First things first, knowing what time sunrise is on any given day is key. If you can be the first person to the beach you will be sure to score some waves to yourself. I usually will check what time first light is and aim to be at the beach at around that time. I used to be a critic of daylight savings but since I’ve started surfing I don’t think I would be able to make it to work on time without it.

If first light is at 6:30 AM, and assuming you don’t have to be at work until 9 AM, you can probably get anywhere from an hour to an hour and a half of surfing in before you need to start getting ready for work (depending on your commute). I usually use the Surfline app to find the first light and sunrise times and will use them to determine when I need to wake up to start my dawn patrol routine.

Preparing For the Early Morning

I always make sure to pack for work and surfing the night before. I will pack a bag with my work clothes and shoes. In this bag, I will also keep another small bag with surf wax, a surf comb, sunscreen, a towel, and biodegradable reef-safe soap to shower with afterwards. Having this bag ready is a huge time saver in the morning.

When I first wake up I will eat a banana and have a glass of water to keep me fueled up and hydrated during my surf. I’ll double-check and make sure I’m not missing anything in my bag, brush my teeth, and then start packing up my car right away.

Dawn Patrol Gear List:

• Go bag with work clothes, shoes, and a fresh towel
• Bag with surf wax, wax comb, biodegradable soap, and some spare leash string.
• Leash
• Wetsuit
• Plastic bin for storing wetsuit after surf
• Changing poncho
• Portable shower filled with hot water
• Changing mat
• Surfboard
• Waterproof watch to keep track of time in the water

Getting Ready to Surf

Once I have arrived at the beach I will quickly get changed into my wetsuit using my changing poncho. You can find them pretty cheaply on amazon I think I found mine for around $25. I always stand on top of a mat while changing in and out of my wetsuit to avoid getting sand or dirt on the inside of the suit. 

Next, prepare your board by adding a fresh coat of wax, installing your fins, and attaching your leash!

When I’m finished changing and preparing my board, I will stow away my valuables somewhere safely in the car, lock my car, and use a key lock box to store my car key safely. You can also find these pretty cheap on amazon. If you don’t feel comfortable leaving your key in a box you tie a valet key (that does not utilize electronics) to the key lanyard on your wetsuit if you have one.

Post-Surf Dawn Patrol Routine

After I finish surfing I will usually rinse my board first and then rinse the outside of my wetsuit while I am still wearing it using my portable shower. The shower has a handle pump on it to add pressure to the tank, I found mine on amazon for about $50. I will then roll my wetsuit down halfway and take a shower using the biodegradable soap I brought with me. Rinse off your wetsuit and then throw it into a plastic container to keep water from getting all over your car.

Now all you should need to do is dry off completely and get dressed for work. Lucky for me my work doesn’t require me to dress up nicely, so I’ll just put on my jeans, shoes, and a shirt. Those that have to wear suits have a bit of an extra challenge here, but it is possible! I have seen it done before.

Arriving to Work

Next, it is time to pack up the car and head to work. Fortunately for me, I park in a covered and secured parking garage, so as long as it’s not too hot I will leave my board in the car; I avoid parking in spots where it is sunny. If it is warm outside I will crack the rear windows to allow some airflow. Since I work in a secure location I don’t have to worry about my car getting messed with. For others, you might need to find a place inside your building to stash your board (Ex: Break-room, storage closet, etc.). I will hang my wetsuit to dry on either my side-view mirrors on my car or a ledge in the garage. About halfway through the day I will go out to the garage and flip the suit so the outside dries. 

Conclusion

That about sums up my entire routine. Once you are finished with work don’t forget to grab your wetsuit on your way home! I am fortunate enough to have the flexibility to show up to work a little late if I need to, as well as the secured parking garage. Finding a safe place to store your gear could be a challenge, but if you are passionate about surfing every day you can definitely find a safe place at work if you look hard enough.

Hopefully, this post has given you some ideas on how to make your dawn patrol routine happen more efficiently! Just remember that the first time you try this you might be a little slow, but once you have the routine locked in you should be able to get it done faster and faster.