The Wave Bristol reopened this weekend after closing mid-March due to COVID-19. For many, this was the first chance to sample the waves in warm water – 20 degrees Celsius, or about 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

“We have just had the most amazing weekend reopening The Wave,” the company said on social media. “The team was on point, and the customer feedback was incredible. It was such a relief to get our place open after such a tricky year.”

Highlights from reopening week included a newly finished open-air zone, Advanced Plus and Expert wave settings as well as a paddle out.

“Our team paddle out was a special moment. A time to reflect on the challenges we’ve faced and look forward to our fresh swell tomorrow.”

While everyone struggles under the Coronavirus, most of the world is learning a “new normal” and getting used to masks, social distancing and sanitizing hands.

The Wave implemented the following to meet UK guidelines.

• Managing the numbers visiting at any one time; Reducing the number of surfers in beginner lessons to 5 plus a coach

• Maximizing the use of the spacious grounds with plenty of socially distanced seating

• Increasing the frequency of cleaning key areas such as changing rooms and toilets

• Putting a new ‘one-way’ system in place to change the way people move around the site

• Locating plenty of hand sanitizer points around the site, which staff will ask people to use

All four of the world’s neo-wave pools had to shut for COVID. In addition to The Wave, Urbnsurf in Australia and BSR in Texas turned off their machines for weeks. The PerfectSwell wave pool at Far Far a Bay in the American Dream mall New Jersey – just days shy of its scheduled grand opening – never publicly launched and remains closed today. BSR has since reopened, although Texas is having a tough time with the Coronavirus. Urbnsurf reopened for just a few weeks before having to close due to a spike in COVID cases.

Check our full review of The Wave in Bristol