June 2, 2022  |  News

Is there such a thing as the perfect number of waves per hour?

News

How much does the waves-per-hour boast matter? Surf park operators and insiders give their take on this contentious metric. The successful operation of a wave pool business largely comes down to the skill of the pool operators in knowing, and being able to cater successfully, to their clients. It’s a delicate balancing act with millions of dollars on the line.

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May 22, 2022  |  News

By popular demand the WavePoolMag app is now available for Android users

News

WavePoolMag announced today a reboot and several functional updates to the Surf Planner page which powers the iOS and Android apps. Both the webpage and the apps allow users to discover the latest proposed, planned, and open-for-business wave pools from around the world, roughly 100 projects around the world! Hit the buttons below to download the FREE WavePoolMag app Android

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May 20, 2022  |  News

Waco session inspires Air Jordan wetsuit booties

News

There are few harsher critics than surfers. By and large, inventions in the surf world are met with scorn and derision. That is until they are deemed necessary. The retractable legrope? Yeah, that didn’t last long. Nose guards? Out of vogue now and scoffed at when they first hit the market, but they’ve saved more than a few eyeballs and

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May 17, 2022  |  News

First Person: Melbourne airport’s got barrels in a vending machine!

News

Max Emerson is a mid-level surfer who has been lucky enough to cobble a career out of making their internet life look more glamorous than it really is. One million Instagram followers is enough to support a chronic travel (and surfing) addiction. As a result, Max has been fortunate enough to paddle out in places like Hawaii, Texas, Australia, Costa

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May 13, 2022  |  News

California desert wave pool updates 2022

News

The WavePoolMag desert update focuses on developments in the evolving surf park oasis east of Los Angeles. After the pandemic, progress on the four surf parks planned for the Coachella Valley is moving ahead with one scheduled to open in a few months with the others to follow in 2023-2024. This current article is an update of the one we

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May 12, 2022  |  News

We speak with possibly the fastest advancing adult learner on the planet

News

“Adult Learner” can be a pejorative term in the surf world. The comments thread for salt-focused publications is rife with kook-calling and the unrealistic expectation that everyone should know how to surf before they even, uh, learn to surf. If surfing was that easy, there would be no Kookslams insta page or Novice-shaming threads on BeachGrit. Fortunately, this hostile climate

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May 12, 2022  |  News

Backyard Sheetwaves: A glimpse into D.I.Y wave machine fails and wins

News

Creating inland surfing experiences doesn’t always have to cost millions of dollars and require the infrastructure of a small village. As with any awesome innovation, there are those who will try and recreate it at home. With zero regard for efficiency (or safety), these bold pioneers are determined to release the stranglehold of “Big Surf” on the wave pool industry.

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May 10, 2022  |  2022 Gear Guide, News

2022 WavePoolMag Gear Guide

2022 Gear Guide, News

Gear guides are fun. Everyone loves to window shop. That’s why there are so many product showcases sprinkled across the internet. At their worst, they are paeons to objects born of an unsustainable capitalist structure. At their best, they herald a sublime shift in surf culture and remind us that our current pair of boardshorts won't survive another season. We’re

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May 6, 2022  |  News

Andrew Wray explains how today’s pools draw from a well of rich surf tank history and innovation

News

Editor’s Note: Andrew Wray had a hand in designing many of the first-generation wave pools. With the launch of Endless Surf, he's been kind enough to provide background, history and overall perspective to bridge yesterday's wave tanks with today's modern marvels of engineering. In this installment, he talks about the patents on those first pools and how that changed everything.

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May 5, 2022  |  News

Zoning board in Jackson New Jersey approve big-ass wave pool. Surfers rejoice.

News

While many wave pools coming off the drawing boards now are being used as anchors for private communities, or hotel and restaurant combinations, an increasing number are being built as star attractions for activity parks. One such proposed development is Adventure Crossing, in Jackson, New Jersey. A sprawling 4-stage development featuring Golf, bowling, sports fields, rinks and courts, indoor recreation,

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May 3, 2022  |  News

How one wave pool is sending aid to Ukraine

News

The Wave recently got in touch with fellow Bristol business, British Corner Shop, to develop the We Care package – a parcel of essential food that will be delivered directly to those in need in Ukraine. The packs will be taken by trucks directly into Lviv in Ukraine, as part of Climate Action’s 20-20-20 Campaign, which is aiming to deliver

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April 29, 2022  |  News

History Lesson: Andrew Wray on the wave pools that that kicked off the dream

News

Editor's Note: When surfing first hit the wave pool, it was most likely into one that Andrew Wray had a hand in designing. From Typhoon Lagoon to Sun City to Dion Agius' Dubai pool of choice, Andrew has played a role in creating surf. Now with the launch of Endless Surf, he was kind enough to give us a little

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April 26, 2022  |  News

Pools, Ponies, and Promises – California’s Olas Ranch shut down before it leaves the gate

News

Editor's Note: Last week and out of the blue we heard about the Olas Ranch project for San Juan Capistrano. We interviewed the development team and got a dialed-in schematic as to how it would all work. Then, just as quickly, the city of San Juan Capistrano tanked the idea in favor of one of the seven other proposals -

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April 26, 2022  |  News

The Big List 2022: prices, times & notes for all the world’s wave pools

News

How many surf-able wave pools are there in the world? As of today, there are 19 wave pools in the world open and semi-open to the public with dedicated surfing hours - Hint: to find a wave pool opening near you soon, check the WavePoolMag Surf Planner. In this guide, we list hours, prices and features of the world's surfable

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April 25, 2022  |  News

Couple Goals: Hit the wave pool, nix the matching polyester outfits, here’s why

News

Dripping with sweat, pulse racing, breathing heavily… there’s a reason you like to watch your significant other work out. These physical signs mimic arousal, yet some of us might only see old sweat pants and faded Under Armour gear. But put BAE in a form-fitting wettie, topped off with a stoked smile and surfing can be quite the aphrodisiac. But

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April 15, 2022  |  News

The Dead (wave) Pool: What happened to the Big Three?

News

This is a very exclusive club. One for which you have to spend millions. And you don’t want to be in it. The qualifying barrier? Redundancy. Welcome to the Wave Pool Graveyard. But were their projects out-and-out flops, or simply ahead of their time? Regardless, some have paid a hefty price for trying and tripping, but in the process, they’ve

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April 14, 2022  |  News

Employee of the Month: James Miles of Urbnsurf

News

James Miles is excitable. It might even be his superpower. He’s one of those individuals who bring enthusiasm wherever they go. And it’s not the cheerleading type of froth so pervasive across Tik Tok and Youtube makeup tutorials. James isn’t phoning it in. I don't think he ever does. Which could explain why he’s had such an illustrious career in

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April 12, 2022  |  News

Craft beer-themed wave pool gets greenlight

News

Last week elected officials in Yakima County Washington heard residents speak out on the proposed Barreled Surf Park. Some pro, some con. In the end, local officials will allow Joey Lawrence and Mike Roy to develop land near East Norman and St. Hilaire roads in Moxie. The result will be Barreled, a $30 million surf park with lodging units, a

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April 7, 2022  |  News

Wave pools signal mental and physical health boom beyond expensive coastal zipcodes

News

Does surfing make you a happier person? Yes. Salted surfers have known this all along. There are obvious exercise benefits, but more and more we see that surfing is good for mental health as well. Some call this Blue Health. And as wave pools push surfing beyond the world's coastal borders, stoke and wellness are reaching the landlocked on global

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April 5, 2022  |  News

Fort Pierce Update: Koa Bay defines new project

News

Without fail, each week we get an inquiry via Instagram or after our Newsletter send out "What's happening with the Florida project?" Our answer is always a question "which Florida project do you mean?" This week we learned that the Fort Pierce wave pool project in Florida is pushing ahead. A new website for Koa Bay shows artist renderings for

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March 31, 2022  |  News

Unit wave pool breaks ground in Utah

News

The aptly named Hurricane Valley, Utah - 30 minutes from the gates of Zion National Park - is set to host waves. Namely, to be home to the first Unit surf pool in North America. On March 24 ground was broken on an 80 acre, luxury private surf community, Southern Shores. Along with a small lake hosting the 16-meter wide Unit surf

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March 30, 2022  |  News

Wave Pools and Fundraising: SurfAid & Urbnsurf forge template with unique event

News

On Friday, March 25th SurfAid's signature fundraiser event, The SurfAid Cup ran at Urbnsurf in Melbourne for the second year. Eight teams from around Australia raised $54,537 for SurfAid’s programs helping to improve the health, wellbeing and resilience of people in remote surf communities. Each team of six featured a lineup of talented surfers, with judging provided by Surfing Victoria.

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March 29, 2022  |  News

Endless Surf pool gets the greenlight in Northern Queensland

News

The Endless Surf wave pool planned for a site adjacent Port Douglas in northern Queensland Australia was approved by the local council this week. A 294-page officer's report addressed initial concerns about sewage and water use as well as use of agricultural land. The Douglas Shire Council granted the development permit for the 100-acre eco-resort with SUP lagoons, an aqua

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March 29, 2022  |  News

How the Kelly Slater Wave Pool Works

News

Kelly Slater Wave Company Kelly’s design is the most famous of the wave pools. The prototype transformed an abandoned waterski park in Lemoore California into the upscale Surf Ranch, the darling of the WSL and company team-building power perk for the Fortune 500 surf set. The system is a simple plow design, like Wavegarden’s Lagoon and Surf Poel in The

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March 27, 2022  |  Latest, News

Can wave pools help diversify the lineup?

Latest, News

There’s always been a barrier to surfing for persons of color. When beaches ban a specific group of people - until about 1960 in SoCal and 1968 in the Gulf - the result is kids who don’t grow up swimming, going to the beach, or, ultimately, surfing. Most dedicated surfers today learned at a young age, ushered into the fold

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