STATUS: System proven with full-scale prototype
WAVES: 3-8ft+ split peaks offered simultaneously at four separate reefs
LOCATIONS: Yeppoon, Queensland prototype
Anyone who has tossed a rock into still water and watched the ripples fan out comprehends the Surf Lakes system. Mix in elementary bathymetry knowledge and each one of us believes we could design such a machine. But we can’t. It’s a bit more complicated than that. A pneumatic system pumps air to move a giant central plunger up and down at a specified height and speed. Adjustments to the height and velocity at which the plunger is dropped, affect the intensity and size of the waves. Once the central wave-making device falls in a pre-programmed manner, swells radiate out in 360-degrees. The swells interact with four different breaks to create a wide variety of surf across all skill levels. Surf Lakes can produce 2000 rides per hour at anywhere from 2-to-8 feet in height. Internet-famous breaks include The Island, Occy’s Peak, a Beachbreak and a beginner peak.
The breadth and scope of building one of these wave pools can be daunting, and Surf Lakes now offers two sizes for different development targets and budgets. Surf Lakes Standard has a smaller footprint and is designed for the beginner to intermediate markets. Surf Lakes XL is meant to be a premium surf destination or resort appealing to all skill levels. The prototype in Yeppoon Queensland will become a public-facing surf park once funding is secured.
