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Posts Tagged ‘Big Surf’

 |  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

This is a very exclusive club. One for which you have to spend millions. And you don’t want to be ...Continue ›

Pope blesses wave pool

 |  News

Saying goodbye to the world’s first surf park – Arizona’s Big Surf

News

Welcome. Please be seated. We’re gathered here today not to mourn a loss but to celebrate a life well-lived - one of countless waves and good times. And, yes, there was that one time the Pope blessed our beloved wave pool. And it was with a slew of sad emoji faces on our devices that we learned of the closure

Welcome. Please be seated. We’re gathered here today not to mourn a loss but to celebrate a life well-lived - ...Continue ›

Artist collage featuring Big Surf

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How Big Surf in Tempe cut the modern wave pool template

Latest

Big Surf in Arizona was way ahead of its time. The world is just now catching up some fifty years later. Go ahead and make fun of Rick Kane and the cult classic "The North Shore," but as more wave pool projects emerge each month we’re finding that the surf park song remains the same. Through some digging and an

Big Surf in Arizona was way ahead of its time. The world is just now catching up some fifty years ...Continue ›

Ludwig II thinking about wave pools

 |  Latest, News

The history of 20th-century (and earlier) wave pools

Latest, News

This surf-focused history of wave pools pre Y2K uncovers the surf-able and the non-surfable. Only surfing would find a connection between a mad Bavarian king, America’s largest cosmetics company and pre-Nazi Germany. All three were instrumental in creating wave pools. The mad king is credited with making the first artificial waves. Clairol bankrolled the first large-scale American wave pool, and

This surf-focused history of wave pools pre Y2K uncovers the surf-able and the non-surfable. Only surfing would find a connection ...Continue ›

Turtle from The North Shore

 |  News

Talking with Turtle: What we can learn from that one ’80s movie about wave pools & Hawaii

News

Flashdance, E.T., Die Hard, Terminator and other '80s celluloid gems have nothing on the North Shore. Let's face it, an Arizona wave pool surfer taking on the Pipe Masters is just as unreal and magical as a buff cyborg cruising the time-space continuum for Sarah Conner. North Shore follows the hero’s journey storyline as Rick Kane confronts and learns what

Flashdance, E.T., Die Hard, Terminator and other '80s celluloid gems have nothing on the North Shore. Let's face it, an ...Continue ›

surf in lemoore

 |  News, Television

BSR, Kelly’s and Big Surf tour with YouTuber Ben Gravy

News, Television

We live in wonderful times. It’s a time when YouTubers can earn six figures dolling out makeup tips. It’s a time when a grown man in his parents’ basement makes bank for detailing his video game exploits. It’s a time when one of surfing’s favorite YouTubers Ben Gravy earns advertising coin to go surf wave pools. What does he do

We live in wonderful times. It’s a time when YouTubers can earn six figures dolling out makeup tips. It’s a ...Continue ›

1969 Arizona Big Surf wave pool

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In 1969 Australia sought Queensland location for wave pool

Latest, News

Professional surfing’s first world champion and bon vivant Peter Townend dropped a bomb in our inbox recently with an old newspaper clip. “Was researching in the PT collection over last weekend and found this Aussie newspaper column on the Tempe, Arizona wave pool,” said Peter PT Townend. What was this bombshell? It appears that Queensland, currently the site of three

Professional surfing’s first world champion and bon vivant Peter Townend dropped a bomb in our inbox recently with an old ...Continue ›

Vintage Big Surf Arizona

 |  News, User Guide

Be Kind Rewind: America’s first surfing wave pool

News, User Guide

How marketing dollars from the Clairol Hair company launched America's first wave pool and culture, and why Big Surf is still a viable spo option today... Waikiki Beach at Big Surf in Arizona launched the wave pool revolution 50 years ago. Well, kind of. The world’s first look at wave pool surfing, while scoring high on the novelty scale, mistimed

How marketing dollars from the Clairol Hair company launched America's first wave pool and culture, and why Big Surf is ...Continue ›