Making Waves

Words: Kirk Owers

Illustration: Sam Squire

Creating a perfect wave is so very simple in theory. All you need is a chunk of swell-exposed coast, a barge to dump sand bags in a triangular formation, a deck chair to observe the horizon and some patience. So long as your angles are right the next ground swell will trip over your fantasy bank and spill crystal cylinders in either direction. All that’s left to do is to surf yourself numb and decide how you’re going to spend those royalty cheques.

The reality is slightly more complex as anyone who has dabbled with the dark art of wave formation will tell you. While there have been numerous attempts to mimic nature around the globe so far the most notable curve produced has been a learning one. The most frustrating thing about the process is that we know for certain that world class waves can be engineered because they have been on numerous occasions by complete accident.

Coolangatta is the classic example. Kirra has been gutted and resurrected several times due to council tinkering while the Superbank was fortuitously spirited up by automated dredging of the Tweed. Today targeted pumping can build a solid bank at Snapper with the push of the button while an extension of the groyne has helped restore Kirra to glory.

Numerous A-grade waves owe their existence to coastal developments designed for something else entirely. California’s famous Wedge was created by a break wall designed for safe harbour entry. Durban’s New Pier was built to prevent beach erosion while over on Oahu dynamite created Ala Moana Bowl in the process of rerouting the Ala Wei harbour. America’s east coast abounds with other examples.

Of course not all these practices are desirable or even defendable but the point remains: we have the power to create world class waves and spread out the crowds. So why aren’t we?

For one thing they are hellishly expensive. Experienced reef architect Andrew Pitt has closed down his Surfing Ramps business after years of trying to drum up interest and investment. “The costs to benefits ratio just isn’t there,” he says. “You’re looking at around 20 million to build a decent size reef and if you wanted something on the scale of G-land it’d be over 200 million.”

Pitt is more optimistic about surf break renovations – filling in dead sections, removing hazardous rocks – but even they aren’t cheap. The 30 metre extension of the Kirra groyne reportedly came in 300K over budget at 1.1million. Chump change in the scheme of things but it took years of dedicated campaigning from local surfers to wrangle that much coin to save one of the most iconic waves on the planet.

Wave pools are also proving problematic. Despite the endorsement of the most famous surfer alive and assurances the technology is ready produce an endless barrel no developer has brought a Kelly Slater Wave Pool to market since he signed on in 2010. Plans to get one up and running on the Gold Coast as part of a housing development tanked when the developer went bust in 2013.

Webber Wave Pools have had more success with a similar but independent circular creation. The design Greg Webber has been working on for over ten years is scheduled to produce its first chlorine barrels next year on the Sunshine Coast. The 160m x 90m looped wave pool is reported to be part of a bigger waterpark and holiday village development and if it lives up to expectation and proves financially successful it may just kick start a pool revolution. Webber says he is now close to signing a deal with a US developer.

Back at the beach we can expect more and more coastal engineering ramping up into the future. By one estimate projected sea level rise threatens 300 billion dollars’ worth of Australian property and infrastructure. You can bet we won’t walk away from that without radically reengineering the coastline first. It’s already happening. On the Goldie the council were considering building two artificial headlands to combat beach erosion at Palm Beach but have opted instead for a large artificial reef off 19th Avenue.

Goldie surfers have been dealing with similar projects for decades and while there’s interest in artificial reefs there’s also a fair amount of scepticism. “It’s fair to say there isn’t a lot of trust between surfers and the council engineers,” says Surfrider’s Dan Ware. “We feel we were oversold on the wave quality Narrowneck [artificial reef] would deliver and surfers are now concerned the Palm Beach development will have a negative impact on the surrounding beach breaks.”

At least council are consulting with local surfers on this project. The first thing Coolie surfers knew of plans to build the original groyne which (temporarily) ruined Kirra was when the cranes arrived at the beach. The idyll scenario for the future would be for any new structures built to add to the surf quality but that may depend on how much surfers are willing to engage with the bureaucratic process and how seriously the suits in charge take surfing. Otherwise 100 years from now who knows – the world’s best waves may be accessed by turnstile.