Eyes on. Duranbah Beach, Gold Coast, Australia–first stop of the World Surf League Championship Tour–from the @Space_Station. Congratulations, @caroline_markss on your first @wsl CT win! #SwellFromSpace pic.twitter.com/SxYB9QeSkC
— Christina H Koch (@Astro_Christina) April 10, 2019
As surfers, we understand that the waves we ride often travel thousands of miles before they terminate on our coast – giving us the chance for a momentary thrill before they disappear. We know this fact when we spout on about swell direction, purple blobs, and El Niño, but rarely do we internalize how wild it is to ride a form of natural energy for our own enjoyment.
It might be easier to appreciate how far ocean waves travel with a little distance – which may be the inspiration behind NASA astronaut Christina H. Koch’s super surfy tweets in recent months. Koch is part of the Expedition 59 and 60 crew that embarked on a mission to the International Space Station back in March 2019. In the months since occupying the ISS, Koch’s been posting lineup shots of Australia, New Zealand, and Indonesia from space and tweeting congratulatory notes to Caroline Marks and Courtney Conlogue on their respective wins. Evidently, astronauts have time to follow pro surfing between advancing human knowledge of the cosmos.
“The @Space_Station orbital inclination gives us a straight shot connecting Bali and the beaches of Australia,” wrote Koch in a May 13 tweet. “Beautiful view of the competition sites as the WSL championship tour bounces back and forth between the two.”
The @Space_Station orbital inclination gives us a straight shot connecting Bali and the beaches of Australia. Beautiful view of the competition sites as the @wsl championship tour bounces back and forth between the two. #swellfromspace pic.twitter.com/KrrfkU2iS3
— Christina H Koch (@Astro_Christina) May 13, 2019
The lineup shots Koch’s posted in recent months are absolutely breathtaking. Here’s the latest as she hovered above New Zealand.
“Lined up, even from the @Space_Station. Watching the sets wrap in over Raglan Bay, New Zealand. #SwellFromSpace,” Koch tweeted.
Lined up, even from the @Space_Station. Watching the sets wrap in over Raglan Bay, New Zealand. #SwellFromSpace pic.twitter.com/DJ6ShKHTYz
— Christina H Koch (@Astro_Christina) May 20, 2019
We’re still a few months away from the World Surf League’s annual migration to Tahiti, but here’s a little perspective on what a swell filling in looks like from space:
Can already see the long period SSW swell showing in southern Tahiti and even breaking on the reef. Hoping for another good view of Teahupo’o from the @Space_Station when it peaks later this week! #SwellFromSpace pic.twitter.com/H7fUQxyeP8
— Christina H Koch (@Astro_Christina) May 8, 2019
Follow Koch and the rest of the ISS crew’s journey here.
