{
 "source": "https://swellotter.com/about#faq",
 "faq": [
  {
   "question": "What is Swell Otter?",
   "answer": "Swell Otter is a free surf forecast for the UK, made by a UK company with no ads. Live forecasts, tides and guides are free; optional Premium unlocks every surf cam. It forecasts 203 surf breaks across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, with an hourly forecast for the next 7 days, a star rating for every hour, tides, sunrise and sunset, surf cams where there are any, and a long-form guide to each break."
  },
  {
   "question": "Is Swell Otter free?",
   "answer": "Yes. Every live forecast, guide and swell alert is free to use, with no ads. It is paid for by surfers who chip in for a coffee, or join Swell Otter Premium (£9.99 a month after a 5-day free trial), which unlocks every surf cam. Historical forecasts for every break since 2016 are free too. See swellotter.com/support."
  },
  {
   "question": "Where does the forecast data come from?",
   "answer": "Wave and swell forecasts come from the Open-Meteo marine API, which is built on the ECMWF WAM wave model and other national weather services. Wind and air temperature come from the Open-Meteo weather API. The wind model check compares Met Office, ECMWF, ICON-EU, Météo-France and GFS. Tides are a model estimate of sea level from Open-Meteo, shifted to chart datum so they line up with UK tide tables."
  },
  {
   "question": "How often is the forecast updated?",
   "answer": "Swell Otter fetches fresh model data for each break at least once an hour. The weather and wave models behind it publish new runs a few times a day, so the numbers move most after each new run."
  },
  {
   "question": "How does the Swell Otter star rating work?",
   "answer": "Each hour gets 0 to 5 stars, mostly from the swell period and the wind. A longer period is worth up to 2.5 stars and a clean wind (calm, or offshore up to 15 knots) up to 2.5; onshore wind is worth almost nothing. Size decides whether there is anything to ride and sets a ceiling: under 1 ft of breaking face is 0 stars, 1 to 2 ft can score at most 2 and 2 to 3 ft at most 4. The breaking face is estimated from the swell height, period and direction. Stars lost to wind are shown faded, so you can see when a good swell is being spoiled."
  },
  {
   "question": "How accurate are the surf heights?",
   "answer": "They are model estimates, not observations. The forecast is usually right about the trend (building, dropping, onshore, offshore) a few days out, but local sandbanks, reefs and tide can make a break bigger or smaller than the number. Always look at the beach before you paddle out."
  },
  {
   "question": "Which UK surf spots does Swell Otter cover?",
   "answer": "Fistral, Watergate Bay, Sennen, Porthleven, Summerleaze, Bude, Widemouth Bay, Polzeath, Constantine Bay, Harlyn Bay, Mawgan Porth, Crantock, Holywell Bay, Perranporth, Porthtowan, Gwithian and Godrevy, Porthmeor, St Ives, Praa Sands, Poldhu Cove, Whitsand Bay, Gwenver, St Agnes, Chapel Porth, Treyarnon Bay, Trevone Bay, Towan, Tolcarne, Lusty Glaze, Crooklets, Sandymouth, Trebarwith Strand, Gunwalloe, Kennack Sands, Portwrinkle, Portreath, Porthcothan, Summerleaze, Millook, Tregantle, Polurrian Cove, Long Rock, Croyde, Bantham, Woolacombe, Putsborough, Saunton Sands, Westward Ho!, Lynmouth, Challaborough, Wembury, Downend, Hope Cove, Thurlestone, Speke's Mill, Bovisand, West Bay, Kimmeridge Bay, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Compton Bay, Hayling Island, East Wittering, Brighton, Camber Sands, Joss Bay, Southbourne, Highcliffe, Shoreham, Seaford, Freshwater Bay, Bracklesham Bay, Worthing, Cromer, East Runton, Walcott, Sea Palling, Gorleston, Overstrand, Sheringham, Mundesley, Staithes, Sandsend, Whitby, Scarborough North Bay, Cayton Bay, Filey, Fraisthorpe, Runswick Bay, Bridlington, Robin Hood's Bay, Hornsea, Saltburn, Tynemouth Longsands, Redcar, Seaton Carew, Seaburn, Sunderland, Sandhaven, South Shields, Whitley Bay, Blyth South Beach, Druridge Bay, Alnmouth, Embleton Bay, Bamburgh, Cullercoats, Newbiggin, Beadnell, Seaham, Amble, Blackpool, Seascale, St Bees, Silecroft, Freshwater West, Rest Bay, Porthcawl, Llantwit Major, Southerndown, Aberavon, Langland Bay, Caswell Bay, Llangennith, Manorbier, Broad Haven, Newgale, Whitesands Bay, Aberystwyth, Hell's Mouth (Porth Neigwl), Porth Ceiriad, Aberdaron, Rhosneigr, Aberffraw, Rhossili, Oxwich Bay, Hunts Bay, Freshwater East, Marloes Sands, Broad Haven South, Poppit Sands, Llangrannog, Black Rock Sands, Porth Oer, Trearddur Bay, Ogmore-by-Sea, Tenby South Beach, West Angle Bay, Druidston, Abereiddi, Borth, Harlech, Thurso East, Pease Bay, Brims Ness, Dunnet Bay, Melvich, Strathy Bay, Torrisdale Bay, Balnakeil, Durness, Sandwood Bay, Bay of Skaill, Orkney, Barvas, Lewis, Dalmore, Lewis, Scarista, Harris, Balevullin, Tiree, Machrihanish, Lossiemouth, Sandend, Fraserburgh, Aberdeen Beach, St Andrews West Sands, Belhaven Bay, Coldingham Bay, Sandside, Farr Bay, Skirza, Machir Bay, Westport, Thorntonloch, Cruden Bay, Stonehaven, Eoropie, Mangersta, Sinclair's Bay, Brora, Balmedie, Lunan Bay, Kingsbarns, Achmelvich, Big Sand, Whiterocks, Portrush, West Strand, Portrush, Portstewart Strand, Castlerock, Benone Strand, Ballycastle, Tyrella, East Strand, Portballintrae, Whitepark Bay, St Ouen's Bay, Jersey, Plémont, Jersey, Vazon Bay, Guernsey, Portinfer, Guernsey, Le Pulec, Jersey, Perelle Bay, Guernsey, Grève de Lecq, Jersey and Pembroke Bay, Guernsey. More breaks are being added."
  }
 ]
}