THE official launch of the Boscombe surf reef is imminent and I can’t wait.

That’s not because I can carve a surfboard through the waves as did the late Patrick Swayze in Point Break, because I can’t.

In fact the last time I attempted surfing at Boscombe I was about as cool as someone breaking wind on a first date.

The waves were big, the sea was rough and I ended up washed up on the shore like a piece of driftwood.

Therefore it’s safe to say I won’t be first in the queue to try out the new surf reef, which, I understand, is for more advanced surfers.

So why am I so thrilled about its opening?

Well, although the reef has proven to be a controversial project, I honestly believe it’s great for the town.

Yes, it has caused a furore because it has gone over budget and yes, it is tardy by over a year.

However, we are told this is because of last summer’s awful weather which, to be fair, was so dismal that had God encountered such precipitation when he was creating the world, he’d have downed tools on Day Two.

On top of the budget and time issues, the reef generated more criticism last week when it transpired that the council had some reservations about its safety.

Personally, I’m glad their divers were questioning the structure even if their concerns were unfounded, because I want to know that it’s going to be safe.

The council had no choice but to go over the structure with a fine-tooth comb anyway – you need a certificate to climb a stepladder nowadays, let alone build a surf reef.

The fact is there are critics out there already writing off the project as the next Imax.

There are people pooh- poohing the reef every time Boscombe seafront doesn’t look like a cutaway shot from Baywatch. But they have completely forgotten what the reef was built for in the first place.

It was never going to turn gentle ripples into six-foot barrel waves – it promised to amplify existing swell and make Boscombe a better destination for surfers.

The reality is that if you want to surf in Britain you have to be tenacious because we aren’t blessed with consistent swell from Land’s End to John O’ Groats.

However, what the Boscombe Reef is designed to do is turn poor swell into something surfable and decent swell into a surfer’s dream and, from talking to local surfers, it seems to be succeeding.

I’m told it will be even more effective in autumn and winter, when the swell improves.

If it encourages a handful of kids every year to surf instead of sitting in front of a PlayStation, then surely that’s a good thing.

And if it attracts visitors to the town, particularly during the off-peak season, then that too is a success in my book.

If it doesn’t work as well as anticipated, then at least the council tried to do something innovative – if we never experimented with new ideas we’d be shivering, naked in a cave somewhere.

The council will choose the right moment to unveil what will hopefully be a jewel in the south coast’s crown.

But waiting for the right sea conditions might require patience – something surfers will be used to.