Surf Alerts Setup Guide: Beaches, Surf Times and Google Calendar in 3 Steps

Step 1: Add your beaches and ideal conditions

Drop a pin exactly where you paddle out, not just the town. Forecasts are taken for that point, so a pin on the right stretch of coast matters.

Then edit the beach and set your rules:

• Wave height: start a little wider than you think. You can tighten it after a couple of weeks of alerts.
• Wind: pick a maximum speed and the directions that are offshore or cross-offshore at that beach. Unsure? Read offshore wind explained.
• Tide: tick only the phases that genuinely work. Many beaches are fine on most tides; reefs are fussier.

Add every beach you'd realistically drive to, and switch off the ones that are out of season.

Step 2: Tell it when you can surf

Be realistic. A window you never actually use just produces alerts you ignore. Typical setups:

• Weekdays 06:00-09:00 before work
• A long lunch on remote days
• Weekends from early to mid-afternoon

Set the shortest session worth blocking, often 90 minutes including travel, and a look-ahead of 3-4 days so blocks land before meetings do. Save, and step 2 is ticked.

Step 3: Connect Google Calendar and choose how alerts work

In Settings, confirm your contact email and mobile number, then connect Google Calendar. Google may show a notice that the app isn't verified yet. That's normal for newer apps.

Choose between:

• Ask me first: you get an email or text and approve each session. Best for the first few weeks.
• Block it automatically: sessions go straight into your calendar. Best once you trust your rules.

SurfSlot never declines meetings. If one overlaps a session, the block is still added and the clash is flagged.

After setup

Press Check forecast now to see your first matches, then check the Schedule tab occasionally. If you get too many alerts, narrow wave or wind ranges; too few, widen them or add a window. For the bigger picture, read how to surf more with a full-time job, or see the 3-step overview.