Artificial Surfing Reefs: Rincon Was Not Built In a Day
Is the world's newest artificial reef project yet another disappointment? In a story recently reported in the New Zealand press, the reef currently under construction in Mount Maunganui, on the north island of New Zealand, has come under sharp criticism from some local surfers that claim it will never produce a world-class wave. To further exacerbate the issue, a competition recently scheduled for the reef, the Surfing New Zealand Pro, was held over a sandbar at Tay Street, inside of the reef, where better waves were breaking. But is the jury really out on Mt. Reef?
We surfers need to think back to the day when artificial surfing reefs were something we could only dream of. Who hasn't driven by one of the many places on our coast - with close-out waves or uneven reef - and dreamed of changing the contours of the bottom to produce a world-class wave? I know I have, hundreds of times. In the US, the Army Corps of Engineers had their way with most of our coast for decades, both destroying and creating waves, but were never really thinking about surfers when they placed tons of boulders in one place or another. Killer Dana died, but then again, Sebastian Inlet was born. But nowadays? We ought to all be thanking the stars above that a surfing reef is even being considered as a viable option for coastal protection.
That is the fundamental reasoning behind the formation of ASR Limited, the company in New Zealand that built Mt. Reef, and currently has numerous other projects in the works all over the world. We surfers should be raising our level of collective stoke that such a future is upon us. Our dreams are finally coming true. So why, then, all the nay-sayers in New Zealand?
"It's not complete," states Shaw Mead of ASR in regards to Mt. Reef, "but it's still delivering very nice waves." The construction of the reef, in other words, has not yet been finished, and hence it is too early to judge the quality of the waves it will create once complete. There was also a problem with one of the containers that makes up the reef - which was not properly sealed by the construction crew - and thus part of the reef is actually missing.
"A lot of the negativity stems from the nationals there a couple of weeks back - a big wobbly swell breaking beyond the reef - but many surfer's perception is 'there's an artificial reef there, so there should be perfect waves there all the time'", furthers Mead. "Once completed," he added, "the focus, or take-off zone, will instigate waves breaking and make it more surfable even in dodgy swells."
The criticism of the reef seems to be a bit hasty, especially considering the fact that on certain days the reef has produced excellent surf - including a 19-wave sequence shown on www.caughtonradar.com. Managing director of ASR Ltd., Dr. Kerry Black, states that Mt. Reef "has produced some astounding photos, even if it didn't break well on the day of the national comps. The comp surfers went onto what some say was the best sandbank they have ever seen at Tay Street, which was there only because of the reef."
The Mt. Maunganui reef project, which is the first of its kind in New Zealand, should be considered a success in light of other artificial reef projects that have never produced high-quality surf. The first artificial reef project in the world - Pratte's Reef at El Segundo in Los Angeles County - was constructed in 2001, yet never produced a decent surfing wave. The project, designed by Dave Skelly, was fraught with funding and permitting problems, and hence was never able to be built according to the specifications desired by the reef's designers. Reef projects that followed - most notably in Queensland and Perth, Australia - have produced rideable waves, albeit not ones that surfers consider to be waverider's dream.
Considering past efforts to reproduce waves that rival the best in the world, we should give the designers of the reef at Mt. Manganui the credit they deserve. Not even the Superbank breaks like a machine on every swell, so let's not let expectations get ahead of reality. We can't expect miracles when we're only at the starting gates. So what if Mt. Reef isn't perfect on every swell? Ask any local, and they will tell you that the waves in Mount Maunganui are a hell of a lot better than they used to be, and from what we hear from the reef's designers, they'll go up another notch once the reef is complete. After all, Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither was Rincon.
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READER COMMENTS
Sat Apr 4, 2009, 10:29 AM
meade has now finally conceded that "meades reef' in manganui produces a "fickle wave" and if you google artificial surfing reefs you will find that blacks opanake reef is in just as much trouble as is weights reef in bournemouth . A reef on "hallowed beach" has been canned in florida as it was just incorrect in the promoters claims for "most everything" a return of 0.33 to one of the cost of the reef finaly "debunked' this 40 to 1 return myth promised. finally "josephs reef" in tsunami ravaged india deserves attention as 5000 fishermen got ARRESTED complaining they needed new nets before surfaid money went to a surfing reef -drs" whoo?" still mantain its good use of relief money -the fishermen -well they are still at risk and hungry. read Dr drivel's reply to our surfaid money use being critisized at http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/travel/news/article4921034.ece and make up your own mind about ethics, surfing and commerce in
Sat Apr 4, 2009, 11:03 AM
the use of our surfaid funding meanwhile the meadia war goes on with one claim of sucess against non sucess -but the ron jon surfpool sucess in florida (oh there is that hallowed ground again mentioned so often in asr hype) so just look for http://www.surfingmagazine.com/news/surfing-pulse/thats-bullshit-chapter-1-jimmy-wilson-082208/ to see how the record of sucess is mounting up for these dr "who's"
Fri Apr10, 2009, 6:22 AM
As an example, the efficacy of the artificial surfing reef (ASR) at Mount Maunganui, New Zealand, was evaluated. GIS, multibeam echo soundings, oceanographic measurements, photography, and wave modelling were all applied to monitor sea floor morphology around the reef. Results showed that the beach-state has more cellular circulation since the reef was installed, and a groin effect on the offshore bar was caused by the structure within the monitoring period, trapping sediment updrift and eroding sediment downdrift. No identifiable shoreline salient was observed. Landward of the reef, a scour hole ~3 times the surface area of the reef has formed. The current literature on ASRs has primarily focused on reef shape and its role in creating surfing waves. However, this study suggests that impacts to the offshore bar, beach-state, scour hole and surf zone hydrodynamics should all be included in future surfing reef designs. More real world reef studies, including ongoing monitoring of existing surfing reefs needed
Sat Apr11, 2009, 6:54 PM
bought to you from the promoters of surfing reefs - the orlando ron jon wave pool "The Ron Jon Surfpark looked like the real deal from the start. A solid financial backing, a hip new website with digital previews that made it look like Pipeline was about to come to Orlando. The hype was real; unfortunately nothing else was." "So there you have it. Not only do we have the Orlando Surfpark to thank for getting out hopes up, we also can thank them for stunting any future development on wavepools around the world for the next decade because I guarantee you investors have taken note of this hideous failure. They took top-notch technology and millions of dollars to create a contraption that is easily shown up by neighbor Typhoon Lagoon's wave pool, which wasn't even built specifically for surfing and was constructed in 1989" yes Will henry, the jurys also out on black and meades wave pool at ron jon florida and its also out on meade mount reef at mt mangabui, its also out on Blacks
Tue Apr14, 2009, 5:44 AM
Are you taking the piss or what? "So what if Mt. Reef isn't perfect on every swell? Ask any local, and they will tell you that the waves in Mount Maunganui are a hell of a lot better than they used to be, and from what we hear from the reef's designers, they'll go up another notch once the reef is complete". You've obviously not spoken to any local. Have you even seen this thing in the flesh - other than "web knowledge" gleaned from various views from a battered local-trashed webcam. The reef, it's immediate bars, the bars either way for about 1km are far worse than they were prior to construction, i live within eyesight of it, and go past it twice a day. and in more than two years I've had two failed waste-of-time surfs on the thing for a laugh, running & jumping off it onto a passing swell. So yea...it works *smirking*. The internet is an amazing beast isn't it? Simple reality that I'm looking at out my fleshin window right now is somehow turned i
Tue Apr14, 2009, 5:41 AM
The internet is an amazing beast isn't it? Simple reality that I'm looking at out my fleshin window right now is somehow turned into cleverspeak & hubris by those who've never been here and somehow everybody elsewhere in the world thinks our reef works "sometimes" or on the right tide/swell/conditions whatever. it's all lies. it's a complete failure. It'll never be finished. They have no money and no-one here is dumb enough to give them any more. http://www.surfing-waves.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=13651&p=129717#p129717
Thu Apr16, 2009, 3:48 AM
Definition of Fraud Under the “common law” of all states, there is a body of definitions, including the definition of fraud, that have been developed and refined by judges and lawyers over the years. As more cases about fraud have been adjudicated, the definition of what constitutes fraud has become more precise. Fraud has a specific legal meaning. The following essential elements must be present before an actual finding of fraud will occur: Misrepresentation of a material fact consisting of a false representation, concealment or non-disclosure; Knowledge of the falsity (scienter); Intent to deceive and induce reliance; Justifiable and actual reliance on the misrepresentation; and Resulting damages. read all and decide for yourself if there is an attempt to mislead and decieve going on here?
Thu Apr16, 2009, 4:47 AM
Underwater check on 'surf grief' By RICHARD WOODD - Taranaki Daily News Last updated 05:00 15/04/2009 Share Print Text Size Relevant offers Surf reef representatives say they will be back in Opunake this week to do an underwater inspection of what some locals are now calling the "surf grief". But the Raglan-based designer and contractor, ASR Ltd, is keeping its options open about when the reef might be completed and operational.
Mon Apr20, 2009, 8:44 PM
More work could always be done on Mt Reef because the reef is modular with the bags. You can just keep adding to it. We have some good pix on the Mt Reef. Check out Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=GB&hl=en-GB&v=rC0B7Lh__Zk One of our ASR guys was barrelled on the reef about a week ago. I think he has pix so you could contact the office or check the Mt Reef website on www.mountreef.co.nz. This has been a pretty good season for the Mt Reef. Some clean swells came through.
Fri May 1, 2009, 5:37 AM
fickle Adjective 1. changeable in purpose, affections, etc.: notoriously fickle voters 2. (of the weather) changing often and suddenly [Old English ficol deceitful] fickleness n is what blacks own partner says the mount reef is . it stand to reason that black defendin g the reef is also ..... fickle? or ficol?
Sun Jul26, 2009, 7:11 PM
I'm a keen surfer at the mt. To put some perspective to it the mount only receives swell about 65 days out of the year in total, but often has offshore winds and so good surfing conditions. The reef has barely been surfable for 2-3 small windows of waves over the past year (ie not days but a few hours). The reef was over sold, poorly executed/managed (constucted), then all involved have thrown there hands in the air and pointed to other factors with little by way of follow through. They would have been better to lay the platform at the blowhole at the mainbeach to enhance a wave that nature has already started (albeit im sure there would have been resouce management issues to address). Agree the main effect of the reef has been to provide better sand banks adjacent to the reef itself... not exactly what you want to spend 1milon dollars to achieve!!
Tue Aug11, 2009, 7:08 PM
everyone who is local knows that the reef was a total flunk. the question now is who will pay to take it away and make it go back to normal??? will it ever be the same again? they shouldn't of messed with mother nature. there has been many times when i havent even been able to get into the water let alone surf because the water was way to thick with weed to even wade in. i get the gut feelin that this isnt even the end and that the ASR and whoever was involved will just keep building crapy reefs and try to tell everyone that they work...rather than just accepting that they made a huge mistake and fixing it!!