Why we should give Boscombe surf reef time to prove itself

ORIGINAL LINK

By Dave Oliver

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.

Artificial surf reef is complete

ORIGINAL LINK

The Boscombe surf reef was first expected to open in October 2008

Europe's first artificial surf reef has been completed off Boscombe in Dorset.

However, the delayed £3m project cannot be officially launched until Bournemouth Borough Council has carried out tests with RNLI lifeguards on it.

Bad weather on Wednesday meant scheduled training had to be cancelled, the council said.

The surf reef, which has more than doubled in cost, is part of an £11m regeneration of the seafront. A launch date has not yet been set.

It was expected to open in October 2008, but construction was halted until April due to bad weather conditions.

Councillor Beverley Dunlop, cabinet member for leisure and tourism, said: "Understandably we are disappointed with today's delay, but this is such a crucial part of the completion process which must be executed properly.

'Not demanding enough'

"Though the underwater phase is now complete Bournemouth Borough Council still have to finalise all its safety aspects.

"This involves testing the reef's lifeguarding facility and so we have to wait for the perfect conditions for the RNLI.

"The lifeguards need to be prepared for every situation in order for us to officially open the surf reef to the public."

Barry Heathfield, RNLI divisional lifeguard manager for Dorset, said: "RNLI Lifeguards work and train in a variety of conditions, however, the new artificial surf reef brings its own challenges.

"Unfortunately today's weather conditions were not demanding enough to put the lifeguards through the specialist training they need in ski and swim rescue surf conditions."

The reef was built by New Zealand-based ASR to enhance waves and improve surfing conditions using 55 sand-filled "geotextile bags" which are 225m (740ft) out to sea.

ASR said it was enlisted to help Bournemouth improve its surfing conditions in order to increase tourism, but that the reef would provide a much more "substantial benefit" to the beachside community in terms of coastal protection.

ASR, LTD. Announces completion of Europe's First Multi-Purpose Reef

The New Reef is the First in the Northern Hemisphere to Revitalize a Seaside Community, Provide Coastal Protection and Foster Marine Habitat 

Venice Beach, Calif. and Raglan, New Zealand – October 21, 2009 – Amalgamate Solutions and Research (ASR), the world leader in the design and construction of multi-purpose artificial reefs, announced today that it has completed Europe’s first multi-purpose reef on the Boscombe shoreline, just outside of southern England’s coastal town of Bournemouth. The reef was engineered and constructed by ASR, who spearheads the movement towards environmentally sensitive coastal protection.  

ASR was enlisted to help Bournemouth improve its surfing conditions in order to increase tourism, which is part of the town’s 18 million dollar Boscombe Spa Village regeneration plan, but the new reef will provide a much more substantial benefit to the beachside community. Mimicking nature, the multi-purpose reef provides the same beach protection benefits of natural reefs – acting as a protective barrier to the coastline to help decrease sand erosion on beaches, as well as creating a new marine habitat. 

“At ASR we’re passionate about multi-purpose reefs as the sustainable future of coastal protection. Our beaches are facing increasing direct and in-direct threats from both humanity and the natural world, with issues like global warming and the rise of the sea level,” said Nick Behunin, managing partner, ASR. “While the initial investment to build a reef is often more than seawalls and rock jetties, the environmental and economic benefits of multi-purpose reefs far exceed those of the traditional methods – as beaches are protected without creating blight, marine habitat is enhanced and beach communities get socio-economic benefits from increased recreational use.” 

There are several unique benefits to the creation of multi-purpose reefs as it pertains to coastal protection:

• Reefs decrease the rate of erosion on beaches by dissipating wave energy before it has a chance to hit the beach
• Reefs create marine habitat and increase ecology
• Reefs can be designed to create a recreational amenity like surfing, diving and fishing
• Reefs are submerged offshore structures, supporting the natural beauty of the beach and ocean, unlike prominent seawalls or groin structures, which can be unsightly and create blight

“The Boscombe Spa Village project already produced a rise in tourism, even before the completion of the reef, re-establishing Boscombe to its rightful place as a leading destination beach resort. An affluent surfer market is attracted to the area, and as a result, jobs have been created, the seafront transformed, a new water sports facility built and a community revived. The reef is a perfect example of how an innovative free-to-use project can have such a positive ripple effect in an area,” said Roger Brown, Director of Leisure Services, Bournemouth Borough Council. “While the reef will improve wave quality for surfers, it’s exciting to know that there are underwater benefits too, as sea life, including cuttlefish and spidercrabs, have already been making the artificial surf reef at Boscombe their home.”  

What is a Multi-Purpose Reef?

Using cutting-edge biomimicry technology, multi-purpose reefs provide protection to shorelines in order to prevent sand erosion, while simultaneously enhancing the under-water ecology and creating a recreational amenity for fisherman, divers and in some cases, surfers.  

Multi-purpose reefs are constructed under water outside the shoreline, in order to protect the beach from wave action. The construction of reefs is highly specialized and uses geo-textile bags, weighing upwards of 2,500 tons that are secured to a base that is anchored to the ocean floor. Sand is then pumped into the bags, as divers monitor the process from the sea floor to ensure design requirements are met. Construction must be conducted during perfect weather conditions and while the ocean is flat and calm.   

The reef does not create waves, but instead acts as a ramp that changes the way the waves break – it harnesses existing wave energy that used to break on the sand, causing erosion, and channels it to break on the offshore reef instead. As a result, the beach is protected, ecology is enhanced, and improved conditions are created for surfers, divers and fishermen.  

Upcoming Projects – India’s First Coastal Protection Reef

ASR has done design and feasibility study work for over 40 reefs around the world, with the level of interest from governments, developers and local communities growing at a rapid pace.  

ASR is currently constructing India’s first coastal protection reef in Kovalam, Kerala, India. Kovalam a popular tourist destination in southern India, but its shoreline is at risk of coastal erosion during the monsoon season. ASR was contacted by the Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala through the Department of Harbour Engineering to design and construct an offshore multi-purpose reef to protect the beach, while improving ecology and enhancing tourism through the introduction of a recreational water activities, such as surfing. Pending good weather, the reef is expected to be completed in Q1 2010. 

ASR also has plans to start several other reef projects in Europe, South Africa and the United States.  

About ASR, LTD.

Amalgamate Solutions and Research (ASR) is the global leader in both the design and construction of multi-purpose reefs with more than 30 years of experience, numerous awards and patents. ASR also provides a range of consulting services, including numerical modeling, sustainable marine farm studies, wave energy projects, biological monitoring, research-based technical investigations, baseline surveys, larval dispersal, ecological surveys and assessment, and has worked with the largest desalination plant in the southern hemisphere. 

The ASR philosophy is to Understand, Innovate, Sustain. Before undertaking a new project, the company’s first priority is to understand the natural processes governing a specific project site. This knowledge is then used to develop an innovative and sustainable solution to the problem – this approach is always the same whether the problem is erosion, sediment transport, effluent dispersion, ecological impacts, environmental impacts or poor surf.To learn more visit www.asrltd.com and http://blog.asrltd.com.

Why the Bournemouth Reef Will Make Fish, Beach Bums, and Surfers Happy

ORIGINAL LINK

BY Ariel Schwartz 

Mon Oct 19, 2009 at 2:15 PM

We first wrote about the Bournemouth reef, Europe's first artificial reef, this past summer. Our focus--and the focus of other media sources--was on the structure's potential to turn the coast of Bournemouth, U.K. into a surfer's paradise by doubling the size of waves coming onto shore. But the local environment will benefit from the $5-million, two-and-a-half-acre reef just as much as the surfing industry.

According to Nick Behunin, the managing director of multi-purpose reef company ASR Ltd., the Bournemouth reef can decrease beach erosion and create new marine ecosystems. "This is mimicking the way nature has protected coastlines for thousands of years," he explained. "If you put a submerged reef offshore, it dissipates the wave *** energy that causes coastal erosion, and does a better job of protecting a beach than rocks or concrete seawalls." And that kind of protection is worth untold amounts of cash for seaside communities, which spend millions each year pumping sand onto eroding beaches.

Of course, the reef, scheduled to be officially unveiled later this week, will be a boon to the local tourism industry as well, with shops, restaurants and beach huts all opening on the coast in anticipation. And U.K surfers will be clamoring for the opportunity to ride Bournemouth's giant waves.

The Bournemouth coast won't be the only place to benefit from ASR's reef expertise. The company is working on a reef project in India. And unlike with the tourism-driven Bournemouth project, this reef will have the primary objective of protecting the coast.

*** In original article ASR was misquotes as sayin "Wind Energy" and it is "Wave Energy"