It’s the era of the wave pool, or at least the beginning of it. Wales has got one, Kelly’s got one, Texas now has one, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth all have plans to build one—but what are they actually like to surf? The general consensus among the online public is that Wales doesn’t look too hot, Kelly’s is the shit, and the recently opened NLand Surf Park in Austin Texas sits somewhere between the two. But really, what do we know? We’re all still waiting for our invites to Kelly’s ranch, and although we’ve watched the clips and formed some pretty strong opinions, nothing beats the insight of someone who’s actually been there and surfed these places for themselves. Or even better, two people, like Yadin Nichol and Mitch Crews.
‘They’re both pretty incredible,’ says Yades, who’s had the pleasure of sampling both Kelly’s Surf Ranch and the Austin Wave Pool. ‘I surfed the Austin one first and had such a fun time with Crewsy and Brandon Guilmette. We surfed it four hours straight for two days. It was so much fun. They were tweaking the wave speed while we were there, making adjustments and seeing what speeds work best.’
And in terms of power and quality, how do the waves compare?
‘The Austin one is slower than Kelly’s,’ says Yades. ‘It’s a little harder to surf because you have to generate your own speed a little more. Kelly’s had way more power at 100%. They both have different percentages for different kinds of waves. 65% at Kelly’s was full beginner Waikiki-style, 80% was for turns, and 85% and above you were getting barrelled.’
But whilst Kelly’s wins in that regard, there’s another factor which, compared to the Austin experience, is not so appealing.
‘Kelly’s pool is twelve minutes between waves, so if you messed up it was a real bummer,’ reveals Yades. ‘The Austin one is only two-and-a-half minutes, and after half an hour surfing the one side by myself, I couldn’t move because my legs were so sore.’
The other thing that makes the pools in Texas and Wales maybe not more appealing, but more relevant to average punters like the rest of us, is the fact that they’re open to the public, with plans for the Wave Garden technology they use to be implemented at the URBNSURF parks proclaimed to be opening in Australia in the near future. So until Kelly opens his doors to those outside his immediate circle, let’s focus in on the Wave Garden experience, as that’s what we’re more likely to be surfing first.
‘It’s nothing like surfing at the beach,’ says Mitch Crews, who’s had sessions at both Austin and Wales, but says the waves at the Austin park are bigger, longer and better overall. ‘It’s like you’re sitting in this massive pond alongside a long metal fence. Then all of a sudden a three-foot nugget just pops its head up. The anticipation is insane! You get so excited to try and rip the wave when you know it’s coming. We were laughing and yelling at each other. Watching each other rip these long rights and lefts, having a beer, then jumping back in for the next wave. It’s the sickest vibe.’
Speaking of waves, how do they measure up? Are they anything like the natural phenomena they’re trying to replicate?
‘If I could compare it to anything it’s like surfing a chest-high runner through Snapper or Greenmount,’ says Mitch. ‘The wave is quite fast and down the line, your turns always need to project you forward. You could never do a big roundhouse or anything because it would just outrun you.’
Because of this, Yadin says, the wave isn’t as easy to surf as it might appear on video. But that’s exactly why he believes the technology will help sharpen people’s skills.
‘All I was thinking when I was there was how good it is for people that want to improve and get reps up in a controlled environment,’ he says. ‘It was a pretty perfect place to test out grovelers and work on different things. I think they’re going to speed the learning process up so much.’
Mitch agrees. ‘You need to be in more of a flow and rhythm with the wave in between turns and when you’re selecting your turns, but once everything clicks it feels insane.’
So at an average price of around ninety bucks an hour, is it worth the money to be able to get your thrills in a place far removed from the coast?
‘100%,’ says Yades. ‘It’s so much fun and such a cool experience surfing something that’s man-made. Even if it’s just once to say you did it, the feeling is surreal.’
