The artificial surf park sector is fast-growing and set to boom over the coming years – predictions suggest that there will be around 100 surf parks operating around the world in the next decade. As Craig Stoddart, CEO of inland surf lake The Wave, tells me: “It’s a very blank canvas right now – there are only five operational surf parks in the world. We intend to be one of the leading multi-site operators internationally; there will always be a few significant players in the industry, and we want to be one of them.”
When I visit The Wave – just outside Bristol, UK – it’s been open for almost three years. The team has just announced an exclusivity agreement with Basque wavepool designer and manufacturer Wavegarden, and is pushing ahead with plans to open a second site in London in 2025, and a further five more sites across the UK and Ireland, while also looking at potential locations across Europe. It seems a good time to try the facility and to catch up with The Wave’s chief executive to find out more.
MAKING SURFING ACCESSIBLE
When The Wave founder Nick Hounsfield first had the idea of opening an artificial surf lake, wave generating technology was still in its infancy. An osteopath and lifelong surfer, Hounsfield was determined to harness the physical and mental benefits of surfing, and to open a safe, accessible place for people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities to try the sport.
When Hounsfield came across Basque wavemaking company Wavegarden (www.wavegarden.com) via a Youtube video, he was impressed, and went to meet the brothers behind the company. That meeting led to the creation of The Wave, which features a 180m-long cove-shaped lake, with a pier in the centre, and uses Wavegarden Cove technology to create up to 1,000 waves per hour. The waves are generated using 40 paddles which move backwards and forwards.
Importantly, the system is customisable and can be used to generate waves of different height, length, frequency, power and speed, so that a facility can be made suitable for everyone from complete beginners through to champion surfers.
The Wave opened in 2019; right from the start it was designed to be as inclusive as possible. The site has been designed with people with disabilities in mind – the whole place is fully accessible for wheelchairs, it has smooth ramps into the water, beach wheelchairs and specially trained surf coaches. There are also a number of initiatives in place to remove some of the barriers to surfing and encourage more diversity in the sport, including women-only surfing sessions, a partnership with outdoor clothing brand Finisterre (www.finisterre.com) to develop a wetsuit for Muslim women, and funded surfs for children from deprived inner city areas of Bristol.
Highlights from 2021 included the opening of 25 glamping-style accommodation units on the site, meaning visitors can stay for several nights, and the hosting of the English Adaptive Surf Championships for the second time.
MY EXPERIENCE
The day I arrived at The Wave for my beginner's lesson was a truly miserable one – cold, low mist, heavy rain. “Makes no difference once you’re in the water. Rip it and grip it,” advised my surf-mad brother, when I messaged him to say I was having second thoughts about the wisdom of taking my first lesson on a freezing winter day.
Things didn’t improve much when I pulled up at the waterlogged, pot-holed carpark, and realised it was a 1km walk to the Clubhouse and lake [this is due to planning laws, although surfers with mobility issues can drive right up to the venue]. There are signs along the way to encourage you to keep going, but it wasn’t a fun walk, with the rain really hammering down by this point.
As soon as I walked into the warm, bright, welcoming Clubhouse, my spirits lifted. I checked in, was kitted out in a wetsuit, boots and gloves, and directed to my group lesson – the whole process was very smooth and well organised.
Beginners lessons cost £60 and include wetsuit and board hire, as well as half an hour of coaching on land and an hour in the water.
Our instructor, Teigh, was excellent, explaining the safety aspects of surfing and how to paddle and pop up on our boards in a clear and easy to understand way.
In the water, we took it in turns to catch (or try to catch) the waves. Teigh gave us a helpful push-off onto the wave to start with, until we learned to paddle and catch the waves ourselves. He watched us and was extremely encouraging, giving each of us tips and things to try on our next go.
The experience has been designed really well, so the water didn’t feel at all crowded, and there was plenty of space to catch the waves without fear of colliding with anyone else. The waves come in sets, with a break in between to get back out and catch your breath. There were several ‘Wavemakers’ in the water watching us all, and we felt extremely safe.
I’d wanted to try The Wave for a while, but was worried about feeling intimidated or self conscious – once in the water, this wasn’t a worry at all. All in all, I was very impressed, and would definitely like to go back with my children.