EDITORIAL
Let's bring back the sane surf reports

It would be embarrassing if the world learned that this highly coveted surfing mecca was having such trouble reaching a consensus on how to measure its waves.

Hawai'i's recreational and competitive surfers need to know what they're up against, for safety reasons, if nothing else. And it doesn't help them that the surf reports available right now are all over the map.

For example, some forecasters calculate the "local" swell, while others measure the full wave face. And others don't even specify which side of the wave they're talking about, which is dumb considering the face can be twice as high as the back.

Granted, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is trying to standardize wave measurements and is poised to unveil a Web site that it says would offer a new "collaborative and improved" standardized surf zone forecast.

In the course of this plan, however, NOAA managed to enrage the local surf community by shutting down the surf forecast Web site of Pat Caldwell, whose predictions surfers have come to depend on even though his numbers don't always match with those of the National Weather Service. Indeed, Caldwell's Web site listed the heights of both the wave face and the local swell, and local surfers considered his predictions superior.

Thankfully, NOAA heard their complaints and will include Caldwell's surf reports on their new Web site, as long as Caldwell doesn't calculate wave heights under the old local system.

We realize they're trying to get everyone on the same page. But for now, we see no harm in using both measurements if it lessens confusion and increases safety.