Although you make a valid point about keeping things green, I just can’t help but think that artificial wave pools can help preventing guys like this from ever stepping on a real beach.
I know my beach is kook infested, usually they’re harmless except for this one guy wearing swimming goggles, full length steamer on a 7’ pintail gun in 2 -3’ mush. If you’re on the inside when this fella comes screaming through - it’s very scary, would be double scary in a wave pool.
Just thinking more about this stuff,
I remember 20 years ago up the coast (Forster NSW) where we lived - in Summer it would always rain after a hot day, and be really humid. Going for an early morning surf you didn’t need sunscreen.
Now it’s a whole lot drier in Summer more prone to bushfires and you need to slap on a whole lot of sunscreen even really early in the morning.
Have any of you guys noticed any changes in the climate/conditions where you live/surf?
Growing up in Florida, i remember some kids at my local break used to brag about going to Typhoon Lagoon in the summer. Price was something like $10 a wave. lame.
Well it wave pool surfing can become an olympic sport . … I think if this gets big (hey everyone thought concrete bowls for skating would last forever … . lots of skateparks closed down . . .), there will be this dichotomy in surfing.
One person that can do really well in wave pools. But they can’t surf an ocean wave as reading the ocean and waves takes alot of experience . . . in wave pools its mechanical . . .
however wave pools will allow much more finer technique to be developed since the wave is usually the same . . .
Well its fun nonetheless. But ocean surfing is the funnest and most challenging . . .
Hey Hey! My comment was definitely a joke and sarcasm is very hard to convey in text. That guy in the vid probably surfs better than me as I am a kook. If he drops in on me on any wave I’m on, I’ll gladly share the wave and cheer him on. I still think that GPS coordinates are going to be available for surf spots in the future. It’s just a matter of time. When people knock something new I can’t help but think that most of it is just an extension of the things we’ve been used to using. I’m sure you’ve used google maps or mapquest for searching addresses (or any map at least). Anyways, I don’t mind people busting my balls its all good. As I said sarcasm is hard to convey in text. So don’t take it too seriously…
I do alot of climbing and its the same argument that goes for gym climbing as well. While the dynamics of it all are very fun and good for working on certain technique, it still is no comparison to the real deal. I climb to get on top of stuff, to see eagles fly beneath my heels. I surf to enjoy the open ocean, to have that moment with dolphins or whatever… artificial whatever will never replace the real deal, it’ll just be different. Gym climbers arent even held next to outdoor climbers, but neither one looks down on the other, they’re just different.
When the same question “what are you after in surfing/climbing?” Fred Van Dyke and Yvon Chounard both gave the same answer.
“Im after the cleanest line on the steepest face.”
Nobody that enjoys any kind of lifestyle sport existence are that much different. Some just have no trouble paying for that lifestyle, where others take what is laid in front of them by nature and enjoy that.
I personally, am all about the unpredictable nature of surfing/climbing. Its what still gets me going, whether its a wave going REALLLLLY square, or lightning strikes hitting the peaks around you… yaaa, that was fun…
