“That’s not real surfing. The wave doesn’t move.” — Me, three years ago
For the first seven wave pools out of the 27 I’ve surfed so far, I had no interest in trying a deep-water stationary wave. Then one day I did … inside a mall … and it changed my impression forever.
No Thanks
Some refer to this style of wave pool as a standing wave, stationary wave, rapid wave or river wave (mimicking). Others don’t understand the difference between these deep-water stationary waves and a shallow-water “sheet wave” like a Flowrider. I was skeptical myself, thinking the feeling wouldn’t be the same as surfing in the ocean. It isn’t. But that wasn’t a good reason not to try.
One common criticism is the wave itself doesn’t move, limiting the feeling of traditional surfing. Another knock is there’s no paddling, no reading the waves and no duck-diving required, which bypasses the traditional skills needed to surf. Some have compared rapid surfing more closely to wakeboarding and skateboarding than actual surfing.
The bias against these wave pools, while not obvious to all, lives on. My social media posts featuring deep-water stationary wave pools often result in comments along the lines of “You mixed standing waves with rolling waves,” “River waves are not wave pools” and “Not a wave pool.”
Then it Clicked
While I’m embarrassed to admit it, the only reason I ended up trying my first standing wave pool was because I was already traveling to Switzerland to check off another traveling wave pool, Alaia Bay, and figured “why not?” since I was already in the country. OANA Surf is located in Ebikon, Lucerne, inside the Mall of Switzerland. It’s the only indoor wave pool in the country, making it an inviting add-on to my cold-weather travel itinerary.
I planned a two-night visit to Lucerne, Switzerland, giving me two nights to try the Citywave deep-water stationary wave pool in the middle of this landlocked country. Figuring out what the different sessions meant, on top of the drastic time difference, made booking my sessions difficult. Thankfully, the OANA surf park staff were great with communication and replied promptly — already a much different experience than most surf parks I tried reaching out to.
With four sessions booked across two nights, I didn’t know what to expect. The first session on my first standing wave was a shock. The feeling is not the same as surfing in the ocean or at a traveling wave pool like Wavegarden. My turns were modest and weak as I tried to understand where to balance my weight on the surfboard and how to navigate the 7.5-meter wave. By session two of four, I was beginning to gain my stationary bearings. Progression was much faster due to faster repetition on the never-ending wave, and I was able to land a couple of my signature chop-hops.
With each ride on the Citywave, I was more eager to dig deeper in my turns, spray further, cut closer to the wave pool walls, land more 180s and try shuv-its. I did not feel self-conscious or judged when falling like I do in the ocean when wiping out in a competitive wave-scarce break. In fact, the locals in my session, who were ripping, were generous in providing guidance, tips and tricks to the newbie. There was hooting and hollering from staff and fellow surfers in my sessions.
This is when my skepticism for deep-water stationary wave pools changed. It might not mimic ocean surfing, but there is lots of room to progress and challenge yourself, all while immersed in a supportive surf-centric environment.
Beyond my immediate surf experience, the surf park venue was a world of its own. Sure, you’re surfing in a shopping mall! But as soon as you walk through the door into OANA Surf, the vibe transforms into a warm and vibrant oasis with inviting colors, music, smells from the onsite bar + restaurant, a rad surf shop and seating surrounding the wave pool for viewing/drinking/working. It felt like I stepped into a different world with surfing at the center.
Believer’s Case
I don’t claim rapid surfing is the same as surfing in the ocean or a traveling wave pool, but it has its own benefits.
Where deep-water waves shine:
- Accessibility: Easy takeoff for all abilities and backgrounds, up-close coaching while on the wave
- Progression: Lots of surf time, tries, repetition on these ongoing waves allows for expedited progression in comfort and skill
- Culture: Supportive peers not competing for wave count, encouraging crowd dynamics, environment conducive to learning
Session costs and cost per wave at deep-water stationary pools tend to run lower than what you’d pay at a traveling wave pool, making them a more accessible entry point for curious first-timers and budget-conscious regulars alike. On the operator side, the investment required to build and run a smaller-footprint standing wave is considerably less than what a full traveling surf pool demands, which is exactly why more developers are starting to pay attention.
Excuse my naivete, but I didn’t realize how deep the history and culture run around rapid/river surfing in Europe, home of the original Eisbach in Munich, Germany. There are die-hard river surfers who thrive in the deep-water stationary wave pools around the world. One-off competitions and contest series are held annually at these wave pools featuring levels of skill I will likely never attain.
Regardless of the elite surfers who currently shred these standing waves to pieces, this style of wave serves a wide spectrum of surfers. Existing stationary wave technology features different wave settings catering to beginners, intermediates, advanced and expert-level riders focused on progression.
The surf park industry is taking these deep-water stationary pools more seriously. The benefits of smaller-footprint wave pools are hard to ignore. Think less land needed, less capital for wave tech, faster construction turnaround time and less water usage. Stationary wave technologies have a strong presence at industry conferences, media coverage is increasing, and professional river surfers are transitioning into the traditional surf competition world. This is raising awareness of how valuable this style of wave pool is for training.
Standing Wave World
More stationary wave pools are coming to life, and the surfers are booking, enjoying and returning. It’s happening, whether you’re on board or not. Regulars are on a quest to progress and perhaps compete at their local pool. Out-of-town visitors are trying surfing for their first time ever, in a stationary wave pool, where they feel less intimidated than in the crowded ocean.
Injured surfers are using these long rides and repetition for rehabilitation. Businesses are sponsoring surf events and hosting corporate experiential gatherings. New surf parks are including deep-water stationary wave pools as complementary experiences to larger traveling pools. Pre-existing surf parks are even adding these smaller standing waves to their venues, like Waco Surf’s “Shredmill.” There are countless benefits to this style of wave pool and surfing, and I’m for it!
Who’s currently creating these fun never-ending waves?
There are too many surf parks featuring these different wave-making technologies to list, so I recommend checking out WavePoolMag’s Wave Pool Map.
The Future
I’m surprised there aren’t more stationary wave pools operating in the United States. There are eight standing wave pools built currently, with two more in the planning, two being built as of this writing and one set to open this summer — Heroes Paradise featuring EpicSurf wave tech.
The wave technologies are ever-evolving with improved basins, water efficiencies and sizes. Some impressive examples include:
- YourWave designed a standing wave using patented inflatable forms — think bouncy castle material — to shape the wave. The fully cushioned wave basin minimizes wipeout impact
- UNIT announced their “Dynamic Wave” which generates multiple moving wave pockets in the deep-water stationary wave
- EpicSurf and Aqua Creek developed the world’s first standing wave access lift, improving accessibility of the wave pools
- Unlike most standing wave systems, Ka’ana Wave Co.‘s technology doesn’t require a dedicated purpose-built single-use basin — it can be retrofitted into existing pools or lagoons
- SurfPill in Amsterdam is using a floating YouWave system to help filter city canals and improve water quality
My hope for the future is more small-footprint wave pools in different markets around the country. They are still few and far between, making it difficult for most to experience without extensive travel.
See You on the Standing Wave
The doubters are shrinking. The lineups are growing. And somewhere right now, someone is riding their first stationary wave and reconsidering everything they thought they knew about surfing. I’ll be right there with them.
In fact, I’ll be checking off two more of these wave pools in May: Heroes Paradise’s EpicSurf and Lakeside Surf’s Citywave. And if I’m lucky, maybe Waco Surf’s new FlowSurf this summer.
Connect with me on LinkedIn or Instagram @SurfParkNerd to let me know what you think about this type of wave pool.
