"Why we should give Boscombe surf reef time to prove itself" (From Bournemouth Echo)
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"Why we should give Boscombe surf reef time to prove itself"
12:37pm Monday 26th October 2009 in News By Dave Oliver from Jellyphish
Why we should give the surf reef time
Over the last few months there has been a good deal of critisism of the Boscombe surf reef and many local residents have expressed an opinion, most of which seem to be based on an incorrect understanding of the reef's capability and potential.
I have written these words in an effort to help the non-surfing community understand what the reef aims to do, and more importantly explain why we haven't seen the perfect barelling waves the local critics seem to be expecting.
Firstly, in response to those who suggested that we had excellent surfing conditions last week and that the reef was not working.
Well, frankly, we did not have anywhere near good conditions last week. Howling onshore winds did indeed produce large waves (reminiscent of a washing machine) but this practically never results in a good surfing wave.
The reef is designed to amplify an existing swell into a steep, fast wedged wave. This will not happen (assuming ASR's design is accurate) until a good solid ground swell appears at the same time as offshore winds. This is the key to the best conditions.
There is no point making accusations about bad design, or the reef being in the wrong place until we see clean, pealing waves breaking towards the end of Boscombe pier with an offshore wind.
I would urge all those suggesting otherwise to be patient and wait. The combination of ground swell with offshores is rare enough on the south coast but as we go into winter it should happen and then we can all make our judgements.
In response to the recent 'white elephant' article, to suggest that the reef is on the wrong side of the pier because the surfers go to the far side is frankly a little naive. An onshore windy wave like the last few days is normally accompanied by a strong current.
Depending on the exact wind direction the pier can act as a shelter and shield the waves from breaking quite so early and messily.
Most of the surfers will select either the right or left of the pier depending on the direction of the current, as no surfer wants to waste all their energy on paddling away from the pier which can get a tad hairy in big onshore waves.
So when you see surfers on the right of the pier more often than not this is due to a current flowing towards Bournemouth, and if they are on the left the current is normally flowing towards Southbourne.
That is not to say that sometimes (normally in calm weather with a good wave period) waves will break best on one particular side of the pier, but in recent weeks chosing a side was almost certainly due to current and tidal conditions.
I have purposely not gone into the science of surfing and forecasting but if you want to understand more I would suggest looking at ASR's website or surfing guidance such as Magicseaweed.
Whilst any local surfer reading this might think it patronising, I very much hope that some of the critical parties out there who have been so eager to dismiss the project might read this and give the reef another chance. Given the right conditions to perform as we all hope it will, it may prove a success for the local businesses and regeneration of Boscombe.
If you would like to follow up-to-date surf conditions please visit my website at www.jellyphish.co.uk.
Comments(33)
inpoole
says...
1:37pm Mon 26 Oct 09
Glashen
says...
2:30pm Mon 26 Oct 09
It is to be hoped the reef will produce the desired conditions since that should lead to the council keeping their promise that the cost will not fall on the council tax payer.
wonderway
says...
3:34pm Mon 26 Oct 09
sorry pre contract statement was
DOUBLE NUMBER OF SURFING DAYS PER YEAR PLUS CLASS 5 WAVE
NOW WE WAIT AND WAIT WHILE ASR COME UPWITH EXCUSES LIKE BETTER MARINE LIFE GOOD FOR FISHERMEN TO FISH ON SAFE OUR BEACH FROM ERROSION WHILE ASR SPEND SPEND SPEND THE 3.3 MILLION POUND THE COUNCIL HAVE GIVEN THEM AND OFF TO INDIAN TO BUILD THE NEXT ONE FROM 2005 BOXING DAY DISASTER FUNDS ....................
............JUST TELL US THE TRUTH WHEN WILL IT WORK
Peggy Babcock
says...
3:34pm Mon 26 Oct 09
I do however support the re-development of the area - it is much improved.
[Chris]
says...
3:51pm Mon 26 Oct 09
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With regards to the Boscombe improvements. Again this is farsical. The idea of the improvements was based around the Surf Reef to the value of over £12m. To date only three, (3) pods have been sold, out of some fifty odd pods. Supposedly to recouperate some of the mega pounds of taxpayers money wasted on yet another Leisure Department Flop.
.
One big Belly Flop.
Glashen
says...
4:04pm Mon 26 Oct 09
I would not defend the council's handling of the project which has at times been very poor, however one of the biggest potential gains should be the good publicity when the right conditions arrive and the reef is launched, so I still suggest we wait and see.
beachhut
says...
4:45pm Mon 26 Oct 09
rainbowkisses
says...
4:45pm Mon 26 Oct 09
davidowoah
says...
5:23pm Mon 26 Oct 09
The vast majority of funding, if not all, has come from the sale of a car park to Barratt Homes - Not the local taxpayers.
What we have is a regenerated and excellent sea front for the cost. We have a Pier restored, we have the Overstrand restored, we have evidence in local/private investment in the Harvester being externally refurbished and Urban Reef and Sorted Surf shops.
What did we have? Derelict closed pier and pier approach, derelict Overstrand building, run down Neptune bar no sign or reason to be invested in. What did we give up? A large sq meterage of tarmac. You can still see it on some images in Microsoft Earth and Google Earth. Lets face it, look back at the pictures, Honeycombe chine was a large chunck of tarmac, not some nature reserve. I for one salute the council officer that took the money from Baratt Homes. It has paid for most if not all of this. Not the local taxpayers of which I AM ONE! I dont live in nearby Boroughs I am here and paying.
Be proud that something has been achieved, it does not happen very often in Local Govt these days. If the reef is not a huge success the bigger picture certainly is. There were mistakes, but lets not all start crowing and making claims of wasting taxpayers money. Look at the big picture, the tarmac has gone yes, in return a pier and overstrand, toilets, showers, bars etc. The money was certainly not coming from anywhere else, ask the people of Hastings who is paying to restore their pier? NO ONE. Hopefully the regeneration will spread beyond the Christchurch Road, but lets face it the current economical climate has been nightmarish. For the record I have very little regard for ASR and have read their History, but I see the big picture. Be Proud of Boscombe Sea Front, It is now Bournemouth's Leading sea front for facilities and looks great. Love the pier!
R1200RT
says...
6:01pm Mon 26 Oct 09
rainbowkisses
says...
6:12pm Mon 26 Oct 09
[Chris]
says...
6:13pm Mon 26 Oct 09
davidowoah wrote:I think you will find that the Car Park only raised around half of the overall total cost (over spend). This is why there is emphasis on selling the pods. One needs to see the overall picture and not what they just want to see and with open eyes. £12.1m is a far cry from something like £6.3m which was around the initial costings. Rose tinted glasses, more like blinkered.
Can it be said any clearer?
The vast majority of funding, if not all, has come from the sale of a car park to Barratt Homes - Not the local taxpayers.
What we have is a regenerated and excellent sea front for the cost. We have a Pier restored, we have the Overstrand restored, we have evidence in local/private investment in the Harvester being externally refurbished and Urban Reef and Sorted Surf shops.
What did we have? Derelict closed pier and pier approach, derelict Overstrand building, run down Neptune bar no sign or reason to be invested in. What did we give up? A large sq meterage of tarmac. You can still see it on some images in Microsoft Earth and Google Earth. Lets face it, look back at the pictures, Honeycombe chine was a large chunck of tarmac, not some nature reserve. I for one salute the council officer that took the money from Baratt Homes. It has paid for most if not all of this. Not the local taxpayers of which I AM ONE! I dont live in nearby Boroughs I am here and paying.
Be proud that something has been achieved, it does not happen very often in Local Govt these days. If the reef is not a huge success the bigger picture certainly is. There were mistakes, but lets not all start crowing and making claims of wasting taxpayers money. Look at the big picture, the tarmac has gone yes, in return a pier and overstrand, toilets, showers, bars etc. The money was certainly not coming from anywhere else, ask the people of Hastings who is paying to restore their pier? NO ONE. Hopefully the regeneration will spread beyond the Christchurch Road, but lets face it the current economical climate has been nightmarish. For the record I have very little regard for ASR and have read their History, but I see the big picture. Be Proud of Boscombe Sea Front, It is now Bournemouth's Leading sea front for facilities and looks great. Love the pier!
leonabright
says...
7:20pm Mon 26 Oct 09
Those responsible owe a duty to this town, maybe we can demand it back from their gold plated pensions? Or make these guys buy up the overpriced and unsold beach huts/pods/sheds.
reefskeptic
says...
10:07pm Mon 26 Oct 09
The-Bleeding-Obvious
says...
7:25am Tue 27 Oct 09
PTBarnum
says...
8:59am Tue 27 Oct 09
time nor Tide
says...
9:54am Tue 27 Oct 09
This is a good suggestion and one that may well accomadate surfing on seawalls edges. marina design and construction is a milk run for the marina industry -adding surfing to its edges would be nothing new. It may yet be considered a "fall back' for selling the units and pods? Construction contracts for marinas are also well established for whats expected and whats paid for . (no experimentation required) no deliver -no pay. I'm thinking new designers and contractors though? Irrefutable sucessfull Track record essential for applicants. (isnt that part of law for government contracts with public money?)
upyourpipe
says...
11:24am Tue 27 Oct 09
open mind
says...
11:51am Tue 27 Oct 09
asj
says...
2:49pm Tue 27 Oct 09
jeebuscripes
says...
3:55pm Tue 27 Oct 09
PTBarnum
says...
8:40pm Wed 28 Oct 09
jeebuscripes wrote:can that be altered in time for sundays waves?
Whilst waiting for the perfect waves why not consider using the top of the IMAX as a viewing platform. The interior could be used as a 3d cinema.
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The second real chance for the "three ring circus' is then.
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I have applied to be the ringmister but i suspect Ms Swartz will be the dominant person on the day . (if the waves arrive)
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They (the waves) have been invited and are showing their prescence on magicseaweed , if you look they have initialed their rsvp in the shape of a wave on the animation for sunday.
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whoever started this clear point by point paragraph format -i like it ,They are hired!! Nose and Suit will be provided
time nor Tide
says...
11:31am Fri 30 Oct 09
Construction of the reef began in March 2006 with placement of bag anchors. It has been delayed by equipment problems and rough weather. the entire budget was spent in putting 10% of the bags in.
18 April 2008
The reef, which was the first to be finished in New Zealand, just needed a little fine-tuning, Reef Trust acting chairman Neil Walker said.
18/04/2008
"It is kind of experimental in the filling of the bags. This year because they knew what they are doing and they've got the right equipment the bags have just gone in."
The reef was already showing signs of its potential.
09/02/2009
Mr Lusk said: "ASR acknowledge they did get some things wrong which resulted in only four bags being filled in the first two years and that delay has cost us money. ASR were contracted to secure 28 bags to the seabed and fill them with sand. The end sections of those bags remain to be filled to create the shape that causes a wave. It's not certain when the work will be done at this stage but they have agreed to proceed.
15/04/2009
"Surf reef representatives say they will be back in Opunake this week to do an underwater inspection of what some locals are now calling the "surf grief".
But the Raglan-based designer and contractor, ASR Ltd, is keeping its options open about when the reef might be completed and operational."
.
04/07/2009
Containers, industrial equipment and piles of sand are ruining the view at the northern headland spot, frustrated locals say and they want it cleaned up.
The unsightly equipment is part of the town's artificial reef construction, which stalled more than a year ago.
The family say the lookout is just another example of the controversy and hold-ups Opunake has dealt with over the reef issue.
"David Lusk said they'll (ASR Ltd) will be coming back but there are half-finished reefs around the world from Wales to India. I don't think they'll be coming back to Opunake.
"We could be waiting forever," they said.
.
11/09/2009
Although ASR has "purchased" a floating pipeline and sand pumping gear from the trust, Dr Mead used the term "circus" when referring to the complex setting up and dismantling of that operation.
He says a tug-towed barge carrying a hydraulic excavator might be the best method to complete the job, instead of pumping sand out from shore. The digger could excavate from the seabed, fill the bags and lower them into place. But it would depend on whether a further consent to excavate was required.
"We did the survey using depth sounder, GPS, video cameras and tape measures. We have gaps to fill between the three sections of the reef and the height has to be raised to a uniform level to make the wave curl."
Yesterday Dr Mead said: "Boscombe will be our showpiece reef. People are surfing that reef now, but it will perform better in winter when the big swells come in.
"The Bournemouth Borough Council are partnering up with us to take the technology to the European Union. The more EU links they get, the bigger grants they can apply for, and for us it means more reef projects."
Although ASR has "purchased" a floating pipeline and sand pumping gear from the trust, Dr Mead used the term "circus" when referring to the complex setting up and dismantling of that operation.
www.stuff.co.nz search the site for opanake reef will find the reef grief story - now our surfing wreath?
freemasonwilly
says...
12:39pm Fri 30 Oct 09
. Next they will be trying to move the goalposts again by claiming it was all about making the area nicer or some such tosh.
time nor Tide
says...
1:09pm Fri 30 Oct 09
time nor Tide
says...
1:53pm Fri 30 Oct 09
Wimbourneflyer
says...
5:26pm Fri 30 Oct 09
time nor Tide
says...
11:18pm Fri 30 Oct 09
Funny enough everyone knows that most commonsense fact thing about the weather and the ocean is that it is lifes greatest uncertainty.
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Empires and kings ransoms have been lost due to its uncertainty and here we have an entire towns future attraction being gambled on ... the weather and its effect on the ocean.
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Thats not unique as so does tourism everywhere else in one or the other. But saying that the very small waves that bournemouth consistantly gets is totally at odds with the large offshore reef. (if it works when conditions are purfict)
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That seems to be obvious to anybody by where daily surfing is consistantly happening. We are past two months into the surfing season (magicseaweed.com)
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For fun waikiki type surfing learning experiences Bournemouth might be perfect. It would not be anywhere near the expense for many small gizmos nearer the shore to create those conditions when all the small waves are around. (1000 more times than when the reef might have the right sorted conditions?)
I think the wrong product has been purchased -but that seems to becoming clear to everybody in an overwhelming way.
If you tell a Bentley (sic) salesman you are thinking about buying a car - he will obviously sell you a optioned up Bentley.
"stung"
The options can double the price 'once you are on the hook?"
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So yes there is no option except wait (and prepare) , but the best that may happen is what others and I am saying (as above)
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I am getting the feeling that even a twice in a year ( unlikely) perfect reef wave may be an unacceptable outcome.
.
poolebabe
says...
9:53am Sat 31 Oct 09
time nor Tide
says...
10:58am Sat 31 Oct 09
If fact the need is there now more than ever to realistically improve the surfing without great expense. It has already cost to much for too little gain -but it has been a very expensive way to promote -if it fails as a usefull asset it must be replaced with something that
1. is not expensive
.
2. is close to shore
.
3.works well in small waves
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4.prevents erosion on a small scale
.
5 is easily mutiplied for extra capacity along the shore
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6. emulates the natural action of well formed sandbanks
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7. doesnt not need foreigners to do
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8. can be easily maintained without aliens from abroad getting involved
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9. is not a ben hur production putting the entire town on a rolla coaster ride of false expectations.
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10. has truth of product as a cornerstone of small scale trials without any fanfare but just small scale achievement as its goals
there must be some Barnes Wallaces left around still?
I dont think we need anyone from anywhere else to do that. If fact the less high cost commercial acedemics involved the the better -the lessons have been already been learnt at too great expense.
I think the alien docs have done their dash - they are not a pinch on B.Wallace!
WIGGINSv
says...
6:35pm Mon 2 Nov 09
davidowoah wrote:This whole area - beach chalets, pier, has been neglected by the council for decades. No doubt with grandiose plans such as this in the pipeline.
Can it be said any clearer? The vast majority of funding, if not all, has come from the sale of a car park to Barratt Homes - Not the local taxpayers. What we have is a regenerated and excellent sea front for the cost. We have a Pier restored, we have the Overstrand restored, we have evidence in local/private investment in the Harvester being externally refurbished and Urban Reef and Sorted Surf shops. What did we have? Derelict closed pier and pier approach, derelict Overstrand building, run down Neptune bar no sign or reason to be invested in. What did we give up? A large sq meterage of tarmac. You can still see it on some images in Microsoft Earth and Google Earth. Lets face it, look back at the pictures, Honeycombe chine was a large chunck of tarmac, not some nature reserve. I for one salute the council officer that took the money from Baratt Homes. It has paid for most if not all of this. Not the local taxpayers of which I AM ONE! I dont live in nearby Boroughs I am here and paying. Be proud that something has been achieved, it does not happen very often in Local Govt these days. If the reef is not a huge success the bigger picture certainly is. There were mistakes, but lets not all start crowing and making claims of wasting taxpayers money. Look at the big picture, the tarmac has gone yes, in return a pier and overstrand, toilets, showers, bars etc. The money was certainly not coming from anywhere else, ask the people of Hastings who is paying to restore their pier? NO ONE. Hopefully the regeneration will spread beyond the Christchurch Road, but lets face it the current economical climate has been nightmarish. For the record I have very little regard for ASR and have read their History, but I see the big picture. Be Proud of Boscombe Sea Front, It is now Bournemouth's Leading sea front for facilities and looks great. Love the pier!
Why couldn't they have have tarted up the area for the local beach users and holidaymakers years ago? It would have been less expensive. However when you are wasting other peoples money who gives a ****.
time nor Tide
says...
6:35am Wed 4 Nov 09
om/watch?v=I32YYoH2I
g0&feature=related
Can someone confirm that the bournemouth reef modelling as shown in the tank test is how the reef is breaking now?
I have some difficulty relating that video to what is actually happening?
http://www.youtube.c
om/watch?v=I32YYoH2I
g0&feature=related
the boogie boarders are having fun and thats good! But if the reef waves are not what are suppossed to be - when the reef be fixed?
Tripod says...
1:33pm Mon 26 Oct 09