Taking our eyes off the diamonds (and focusing on the myth of artificial reefs)

March 23 2011 | Artificial reefs,
by Jim

Surfers have scoured the planet for waves. We've put many things on the back burner to seek out new waves or return to faraway waves that have carved memories into our minds. We know where the diamonds are on this planet, they are the waves that already exist... the gems we surf every day. Some are famous like Uluwatu, Kirra and Trestles and others are our go-to, local breaks. The tragic element of this story is that we KNOW where the best waves in the world are... and yet we, collectively... all of us that surf, do very little to protect them. At the same time we buy into another romantic notion. We think we can make perfect waves. I put myself into the camp that believes we can make great waves... as long as we're talking about doing so in a highly controlled environment. I.e. In a pool, in a lake, etc. The recent video out of Spain's Basque coast proved a wave can be made and it looks fun. I'm not sure about the business model, energy requirement, etc... but the wave looks surfable.

Once we venture into the ocean I take myself out of that group of believers. I say this because people have been trying to make waves on coastlines for a long time and the results are... absolutely horrible. I wrote a series on this subject a while ago called "do artificial reefs work?" and explored every angle into that question I could think of. Today I heard an update on two of the recent failures, the Opunake project in New Zealand and the Bournemouth project in England (the latter sold as capable of bringing Hawaii-like waves to England). Let's do one thing. Let's understand that we already have the diamonds. Let's pause, take note of the results to-date with ocean-based artificial surfing reefs... which are abysmal. Let's work together to protect the gems we surf every single day. Do that via finding a Surfrider chapter to connect with or do it on your own... but don't take your eyes off the diamonds you already have.

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