On the heels of The Wave filling up the pool and its much anticipated grand opening, the folks in Bristol announced hours, prices and a few extras recently.

In addition to the nuts and bolts information you need for a session at The Wave, the innovative company debuted some creative ideas to help shape the future of inland surfing.

Becoming standard fare on the wave pool landscape are things like free on-site parking (arrive an hour before your session during peak periods) a surf shop, surf rental space, lockers and restaurant.

Where The Wave is breaking from tradition is offering Holiday parties and school physical education lessons.

“The Wave is a unique environment and provides a special place for an education-led, active learning adventure for children over six-years-old,” says the company. “Unlike many activities and days out, a trip to The Wave combines a healthy dose of exercise with a memorable learning experience.”

Hours
A surf session hour at The Wave is just under one hour. This is in addition to a safety briefing beforehand.

The pool will be open in November from 7am-8pm and surfing hours will be from 8am to 3pm (the sun sets early in wintertime Bristol). December through February sessions will start at 9am and end at 3pm. Mid-February to April as the daylight expands will see 8am to 4pm pool hours.

Prices
Beginner surf lessons start at £55 while intermediate lessons run the same price. Both options include equipment rental.

Booking sessions are reserved for intermediate and advanced levels. Groms under 16 pay £30 per session while adults pay £40. Equipment rental is included but surfers are free to use their own kit.

Special Passes
The Wave offers an Early Rider Membership Pass which allows priority booking for seven days before times go up for general sale. Other perks include a surf coaching session, swag and free spectator access. £149

Spectator access
Those who just want to check the action at the cafe-bar or pool edges can buy entry for Adults (over 16 years) £5, Juniors (6 to 16 years) £2.50, Children (under 6 years) free.

Locals pass
Bristol residents in postcodes starting BS35 5, BS35 4 or BS32 4 get access to the gardens and grounds, including the cafe-bar and shop: Adult locals pass: £15, Juniors (6 to 16 years): £5, Under 6 years: free

Intermediate or Advanced session?
You can book your session on the right or the left but not both. The Wave warns that “surfers stay on their booked side for the duration of the session, with no switching, for safety reasons and to ensure surfers maximize their time in the lake.”

Advanced Wave:

Wave type: A range of open-faced waves, both right and left. Some have faces with a soft incline and slow peeling speed, while others break rapidly with steep barrel sections.

Water depth: 1.5m at take-off
Wave height:1.2m-1.9m
Wave length: 12-15 seconds

Suitable for: Advanced surfers who have mastered all the fundamentals of surfing and surfing etiquette and can comfortably ride waves above 1m. They can handle themselves in most conditions: duck diving through whitewater; paddling in deep water; lining up in the take-off zone; catching a wave before it breaks; popping up to their feet; managing their speed, and turning on the open-face until the end of the wave.

Intermediate Wave:

Wave type: a wave with an open face that maintains its unbroken profile to the end.
Water depth: 0.9M
Wave height: 0.6M
Wave length: 12-15 seconds

Suitable for: Improving surfers, able to surf without assistance and who’ve progressed from beginner waves but aren’t yet ready for the advanced wave. This is an enjoyable and safe experience for improving surfers, who have an understanding of the fundamentals of surfing and surfing etiquette and safety.

Note: If you are unsure about which ability level category you fall under, check their information here. You can get all the pricing and booking specifics for The Wave at this link

• The Lowdown: The Wave Bristol has broken ground and opens it’s Wavegarden Cove facility November 2019.
• WavePool Construction Progress: Complete
• Accessibility: Open November 4
• Type of wave(s): The Wavegarden Cove produces everything from gentle knee-high rollers to head-high slabs via their top-secret machinery.
• Wave Generating Technology: Wavegarden Cove Technology
• Surf Technical Information: Advanced waves run between 4-to-6 feet while intermediate waves stay in the 2-foot-range. Rides run between 12-15 seconds on each section of the wave pool
• Hours of operation/Seasonal Hours: The pool will be open in Winter from 7am-8pm and surfing hours will be from 8am to 3pm. Equinox months will see 8am to 4pm pool hours for surfing. Summer surfing hours have yet to be announced
• Price Breakdown: £40 for a “just-under-an-hour” session for adults and £30 for groms. This covers intermediate to advanced surfers. Beginner sessions come with lessons and start at -£55 per 55 minutes
• Waves per hour: 900 waves per hour