A Good Dawn Patrol Routine | How I Make Early-Morning Surfing Easier

There are mornings when my alarm goes off at 4:45 a.m., and I’ll admit that getting out of bed isn’t always easy.

But I’ve never regretted doing it.

There’s something about being one of the first people at the beach that never gets old. The roads are empty. The air is cool. The wind is often lighter, and sometimes there isn’t another surfer in sight.

For an hour or two, it feels like the ocean belongs to you.

Over the years, I’ve learned that the best dawn patrol sessions don’t begin when your alarm goes off.

They begin the night before.

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It Starts Before You Go to Bed

If I have to make too many decisions in the morning, I’m already making dawn patrol harder than it needs to be.

Before going to bed, I get everything ready.

My board is ready to load—or already secured in the truck if it is safe to leave it there.

My leash is attached.

My towel is packed.

My boardshorts are folded.

My wax is in my surf bag.

My keys and wallet are in the same place they always are.

When the alarm goes off, all I have to do is grab a cup of coffee and leave.

No searching.

No forgotten equipment.

No unnecessary excuses.

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Know Where You’re Going Before You Wake Up

One mistake I used to make was waiting until I woke up to decide where to surf.

Now I spend a few minutes the night before checking the buoys, swell direction, wind forecast and tides.

I’ll usually have two or three possible spots picked out before I go to sleep.

If my first choice is crowded or the conditions aren’t cooperating, I already know where I’m going next.

That little bit of planning means I spend more time in the water and less time driving around wondering where the best waves might be.

Conditions can still change overnight, so I check them again before leaving and always look at the ocean carefully before paddling out.

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Sometimes You’ll Beat the Sun

One of my favorite parts of dawn patrol has nothing to do with surfing.

Sometimes I arrive so early that it is still too dark to see the conditions clearly or paddle out safely.

So I sit on the beach. Usually with a friend or 2. 

Watching the horizon slowly light up.

Listening to the waves.

Those quiet twenty minutes before sunrise can be my favorite part of the entire morning.

There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.

The waves will still be there when there is enough light to evaluate the conditions and paddle out safely.

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Surf With Someone

It’s much harder to hit the snooze button when you know someone is waiting for you in the parking lot.

Having a friend keeps you accountable, and it is also the safer choice—especially when you are surfing early, in low light or at a less-crowded break.

It makes the session more memorable too.

Some mornings the waves are incredible.

Other mornings they’re terrible.

Either way, you’ll usually end up laughing about something on the drive home.

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Bring Fresh Water

Not every surf break has a shower.

If you’re surfing somewhere without one, having fresh water waiting in your vehicle is one of the best things you can do.

One trick I’ve used for years is bringing warm water with me. I fill a large, reusable water jug with comfortably warm—not extremely hot—water before leaving. The container needs to be designed to hold warm water and should close securely.

If I prepare it the night before, I store it in an insulated container or wrap it in a blanket to help it retain some warmth.

A refillable jug with a handle works well because it is inexpensive, easy to carry and holds enough water for a proper rinse.

Since I drive a truck, I secure mine upright to the tie-down hooks in the bed so it cannot tip over or slide around while I’m driving.

It’s a simple trick, but after a cold winter-morning surf, a warm freshwater rinse feels like a luxury.

Always test the water before pouring it over yourself. It should be comfortably warm, never hot enough to burn your skin.

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Keep It Simple

I’ve found that the easier I make the routine, the more often I actually surf.

You don’t need three hours.

You don’t need perfect waves.

You don’t need to catch the wave of the day.

Sometimes all you need is forty-five minutes in the ocean before work.

That short session can completely change the way the rest of your day feels.

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Why I Still Wake Up Early

If people ask me why I am willingly wake up before sunrise just to surf.

The answer has never been about finding perfect waves.

It’s about finding something peaceful before the rest of the world wakes up.

It’s about watching the sunrise from the water.

It’s about sharing a few waves with friends before everyone heads off to work or family.

It’s about driving home tired, salty and smiling while everyone else is just beginning their commute.

By 8:00 a.m., you’ve already done something for yourself and somehow, the rest of the day just feels a little bit better already. 

That’s what dawn patrol has always been to me.

Not chasing the biggest waves. Not trying to impress anyone.

Just starting the day by doing something I love.

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See You in the Water

If you’ve never tried dawn patrol, give it a shot.

Pack your gear the night before.

Check the forecast.

Meet a friend.

Get there before the crowds.

If it’s still dark, sit on the beach and wait for enough light to paddle out safely.

I think you’ll discover that some of the best surf sessions aren’t remembered because the waves were perfect.

They’re remembered because of how they made you feel.

Sometimes the best part of surfing isn’t the wave at all.

It’s everything that happens before and after it.

We surf because we love it.

The Dawn Patrol Heritage Tee and Dawn Patrol | Made for Early Morning Tee were inspired by these quiet mornings—when the roads are empty, the sun is just beginning to rise and you are already on your way to the water.

Daniel Sole
Founder, Sole Surf Company

Image Note: The featured image was generated using AI.