It’s an amazing time for unsalted surfing as Bristol and Melbourne have filled their tanks and are ready to crank out waves. While the world focuses their attention on these two big brands, it’s good to take note that there is much more going on right now in the global wave pool narrative.

American Wave Machines in on a roll with their Meadowlands project (which could open in Spring 2020) and two new contracts slated for Sao Paulo pools in Brazil. They’ve also been tagged by the Thermal Surf Club to power their wave pool in the California desert.

While last month’s Surf Planner Update focused on new wave pools in France, Texas and the UK, this month we dish deets on New Zealand, Canada, Coolum, New Jersey and the California Desert.

WHoW Aquasports

The Christchurch zone could use some positive news, as the area has been ground zero for heaps of misfortune this past decade. In 2011 an earthquake ripped through the town toppling businesses and homes. Most recently the March mosque shootings claimed 51 lives.

To help rebuild the area after the earthquake a red zone was established limiting the type of construction in quake areas. From the rubble the WHoW Charitable Trust has emerged to help develop and facilitate the park.

The players behind theWHoW Aquasports project are seeking to create an “aquasports park” with water-themed sports surrounding a central wave pool.

• The Lowdown: The very first wave pool in New Zealand. The project seeks to reclaim the area’s not-very-habitable post-earthquake Red Zone. Full size Cove will sit alongside zippiness, whitewater rafting pool and other outdoor sport.
• WavePool Construction Progress: Planning stages
• Accessibility: Public
• Type of wave(s): Combination Wavegarden Cove and other water recreation
• Wave’s Technical Information: Lagoon Technology – Wave height: 2-3 ft, Left and Right break, Length of Wave: 30-60 yards/meters. Cove Technology – Wave height: 4-6 ft, Waves per hour: 500-1000, Both Left and Right Peak, Length of Wave: 30-60 yards/meters, Boardshorts, Wetsuit
• Hours of operation/Seasonal Hours: N/A
• Admission and Price Breakdown:N/A
• Pool Structure: Concrete Pool (Cove)
• Waves per hour: Wavegarden Cove puts out about 900-1000 waves per hour when cranked up
• Atmosphere: Kiwi friendliness and outdoor enthusiastss
• Apparel: Light wetsuits in summer and full suits in winter

Tiger Bay

South Britannia Beach, just 45 minutes north of Vancouver, is expecting a Wavegarden Cove at the center of a larger development called Tiger Bay if all goes according to plan.

Halfway between Whistler and Vancouver, it’s a savvy location as one could theoretically ski in the morning, surf the Cove in the afternoon then sit down to samosas and curry in downtown Vancouver for dinnertime. The drive from slopes to the city is just 90 minutes along the famous Sea-to-Sky Highway.

As a full-size Wavegarden Cove, it could hold up to 100 surfers in the lineup at a time. The project will benefit greatly from trailblazers Urbnsurf in Australia and The Wave in Bristol England who will have worked out any kinks in their full-size Coves by the time Tiger Bay navigates the lengthy approval process from the agencies that be.

• The Lowdown: Ideally situated between the slopes of Whistler and the urban spice of Vancouver, this project would offer a Wavegarden Cove next to a flat bay of saltwater. The project calls for mixed use buildings and year-round surfing. Which means it could be the first project to host a snowday-wave pool
• WavePool Construction Progress: Full size Wavegarden Cove in the planning stages
• Accessibility: Private and public
• Type of wave(s): Combination Wavegarden Cove and Lagoon and whatever else works
• Wave’s Technical Information: Lagoon Technology – Wave height: 2-3 ft, Left and Right break, Length of Wave: 30-60 yards/meters. Cove Technology – Wave height: 4-6 ft, Waves per hour: 500-1000, Both Left and Right Peak, Length of Wave: 30-60 yards/meters, Boardshorts, Wetsuit
• Hours of operation/Seasonal Hours: N/A
• Admission and Price Breakdown: N/A
• Pool Structure: Manmade Lake (Lagoon) and Concrete Pool (Cove)
• Waves per hour: Cove about 900 waves per hour
• Atmosphere: Rugged, outdoor Canadian vibe. Bring your flannel
• Apparel: Year-round wetsuits. Full boots, hood and gloves in deep winter

Okahina Wave at Futureoscope

This new system works like a floating atoll and can be deployed in stationary bodies water like stagnant bays, lagoons and freshwater lakes. Wave generators revolve around a circular floating platform sending out waves that peel across its spiral-shaped reef where surfers can enjoy 30-seconds lefts or rights.

Circular pool shapes have long been sought after, but never made it past the computer sketches or warehouse models. One reason is that the circular wave action never dissipates all of its energy, thereby creating a rapid current after only a few waves.

“To prevent the water from turning around and around, we developed a spiral-shaped reef and not a completely circular one,” says founder Laurent Héquily. “This makes it possible to stop any circular current that would interfere with the efficiency of the waves.”

The Okahina Wave planned near Futureoscope is one of three Okahina concepts being explored for development in France.

• The Lowdown:> A floating atoll by Okahina will be anchored in a freshwater lake next to Futuroscope. Wave generators revolve around a circular floating platform sending out waves that peel across its spiral-shaped reef where surfers can enjoy 30-seconds lefts or rights.
• WavePool Construction Progress: Completed by October 2020
• Accessibility: Will be open to the public, All-ages
• Wave Generating Technology: Okahina Wave Technology.
• Wave’s Technical Information: Bending rights and lefts suited to all ability levels
• Price Breakdown: Stay tuned
• Pool Structure: Floating platform anchored with concrete block
• Waves per hour: Unkown
• Apparel: Outdoors and unheated, so board shorts in summer and 4/3 with boots in winter

KSWCo

At the center of the project (besides the Kelly Slater Wave itself) would be a 20,000-seat spectator stadium built for surf fans to sit back and take in competitions including WSL qualifying events.

Andrew Stark, WSL Australasia General Manager, told the Sydney Morning Herald that the wave pool and sports infrastructure would help the area’s bid for the 2032 Olympics.

Queensland developers Consolidated Properties are working with the World Surf League, who owns KSWCo, to build the project. Current plans call for a hotel, restaurants, bars and shopping. Another component is a six-star eco-resort and environmental education center and station for the area’s unique wetland habitat.

• The Lowdown:> Currently the world’s best human-made wave is owned by the WSL and plans for an Australian location on the Sunshine Coast are well underway. Initial push is for a sports-themed centre with stadium to accommodated 20,000 surf fans. Sister wave, the Surf Ranch in Lemoore, is reserved for training, video clips, WSL contests and friends of the King. Will be interesting to see how much access the public will have to this wave pool
• WavePool Construction Progress: None yet
• Accessibility: Will be run by the WSL as they see fit
• Wave Generating Technology: Kelly Slater Wave Company
• Wave’s Technical Information: Wave height: 2-6 ft, Both Left and Right Breaks, Length of Wave: over 100 yards/meters, Hollow performance-oriented levels
• Price Breakdown: Stay tuned
• Pool Structure: Long, rectangular shape with locomotive hull racing down the centre
• Waves per hour: 15-20
• Apparel: Outdoors and unheated but on the Sunshine Coast. So board shorts and bikinis most of the year

American Dream

The wave pool is just one component of a $5billion mega-mall that will be 45% retail shops and 55% amusement park. American Wave Machines’ PerfectSwell tech will work alongside a full-size hockey rink, indoor snowpark, rollercoaster, aquarium, Ferris wheel and more.

In an online interview Bruce McFarland, head honcho at American Wave Machines, confirmed last April that they would be powering the wave pool at the Meadowlands.

“We’ve actually got a few different locations where they’ll be implementing our wave technology within the next year,” McFarland told Surfer Magazine. “One of them is the American Dream development in New Jersey, just outside New York City. The facility in New Jersey is going to be in a more traditionally-shaped wave pool because it was actually designed quite a while ago. It’s a smaller space and so there will be shorter rides, but it’s still going to be very similar to BSR in terms of the surf performance you’re able to get out of it.”

• The Lowdown: Multi billion dollar mega mall waterpark in line with the Mall of America in Edmonton, Canada. The surf component here is American Wave Machines Perfect Swell tech modelled after BSR Surf Resort (but indoors)
• WavePool Construction Progress: nearly completed
• Accessibility: Will be open to the public, All-ages
• Wave Generating Technology: American Wave Machines PerfectSwell technology.
• Wave’s Technical Information: Performance wave with rights and lefts suited to all ability levels but super-customisable with fun perks like the Freak Peak
• Price Breakdown: Stay tuned
• Pool Structure: Indoor concrete
• Waves per hour: 120-160
• Apparel: Heated indoor setting, so boardies and bikinis

Thermal Surf Club

The planned development in the Coachella Valley would have bungalows, villas, residences, a club house/restaruant, surrounding swim pool and bar all surrounding a state-of-the-art American Wave Machines wave pool.

Known as the Thermal Beach Club, the project by WhiteStar Development LLC would cover 240-acres in the Coachella Valley. The development will be luxury focused and tap into existing water rights.

According to their brochure, at the core is a 20 acre Crystal Surf Lagoon using AWM PerfectSwell technology – the same kind that we see at the BSR Surf Resort.

• The Lowdown: Set within a 20-acre Crystal Lagoon, the Southern California desert’s next wave pool looks to be powered by American Wave Machines’ Perfect Swell technology.
• WavePool Construction Progress: Planning stages
• Accessibility: Private luxury development setting
• Wave Generating Technology: American Wave Machines Perfect Swell
• Wave’s Technical Information: Both Left and Right Breaks, Length of Wave: 30-60 yards/meters, Semi-hollow to hollow and performance-oriented. 120 -160 waves per hour come in three-wave sets at between 1:10-1:30 apart. Waves are waist to head-high
• Hours of operation/Seasonal Hours: Unknown
• Pool Structure: Concrete pool facility with sand added
• Waves per hour: 120-160
• Atmosphere: Exclusive club vibes.
• Apparel: Mostly boardshorts and bikinis. 3/2 fulls and spring suits for fall/winter

Thermal Beach Club PDF