[slackline]

Lone surfer enjoying a break off of Croyde/Saunton Beach, North Devon.


A Long Way Out by slack---line, on Flickr

[SA Chris]

Granticus? (unlikely I know).

[Lopez]

On googling the photographer found an eye-watering selection of spots http://www.chrisburkard.com/

He has a great instagram account too, worth following!

Yes, i've been following him (not on instagram though, i never got round getting an account)

He also has a great video channel where he put a mini-docu about the trip where some of the pics above come from. I thought it was excellent.

[granticus]

Granticus? (unlikely I know).

It was not I! Has been some lovely warm and punchy  surf first half of the week though, managed 3 days in a row at 3 different spots.    
Can't work out from the photo where this is... Downend point, Ralph's, Oysters, the reef?

[SA Chris]

Not that I would travel for it, but even at half power it looks fun. Thought rides might be a bit longer though.

[gme]

I was pretty exited about this but must admit to my dissapointment if thats it. They promised this.

A two-metre-high barrelling wave that starts at the centre of the lagoon, peels perfectly for more than 150 metres

Yet the video shows a 2 ft wave peeling perfectly for 20 m before backing off. I know they say its at 50% capacity but i am now worried its all over hyped. Looks perfect for learning but cant see me travelling to surf that.

[SA Chris]

Yeah,  think double capacity won't produce double the wave height?

[gme]

I agree. My understanding is they can only increase the speed of the "plough" not its size and therefore i cant see how they will make it 2m as promised. There will come a point where an increase in speed will mess it all up and also make it too fast to surf.

I can see how it will get a bit steeper and faster and maybe even barrel but not double in size.

Very disappointed. Being relatively cash rich and time poor i was quite happy to drive an hour and a half and spunk £80 for a few hours surf, but not for that.

[Duma]

I don't think it looks bad at all? (but I'm shit). However maybe this is why the Bristol wavegarden changed technologies at what seemed a pretty late stage?

[Johnny Brown]

Hawaii 2m or Brighton 2m?

[SA Chris]

I agree. My understanding is they can only increase the speed of the "plough" not its size and therefore i cant see how they will make it 2m as promised. There will come a point where an increase in speed will mess it all up and also make it too fast to surf.

I can see how it will get a bit steeper and faster and maybe even barrel but not double in size.

Maybe full capacity means they will add a bit more water too and also increase speed? Still hard to see it reaching promised height.

[Duma]

They take water from one of the lakes at the hydro station in dolgarrog that I trade for, will ask if its full yet and see if they know.

[gme]

I hadnt thought of that, i assumed they meant running it at 50%.

JB- Hawaii flat, NE 1-2 ft, Brighton 3-4ft and MSW 6ft*****. Never heard anyone ever say wave heights in meters.

[Falling Down]

I just can't see how any artificial wave technology can possibly recreate surfing real waves.  The energy systems involved are just too weak in comparison to that created by solar activity and storm systems that create several hydrogen bomb levels of kilojoules over a longer time period.

A medium-long period swell that produces a decent wave even at small sizes moves a huge volume of water with a lot of energy behind the breaking face.  Even at size, these artificial waves might look right but are going to be weak as a kitten in terms of the energy transfer involved.  The pro-surfers engaged as part of the marketing are good enough to make a shitty beach break windslop look surfable (and I'm sure they're thinking "this is interesting but ultimately shit and I'm getting paid so I'll say whatever they want me too")

I'm happy to be proved wrong, but even at scale, the only thing I can see it being useful for is beginners learning to get to their feet and ride a short unbroken medium sized wave thus overcoming the steep learning curve required to actually ride a wave in the ocean.  Think: massive jugs in a ladder on a gently overhanging indoor wall compared to trad climbing on Cloggy or classic 6as in France & Spain; doling out the miles on a turbo trainer in your garage vs riding in the hills; dry ski slopes.  They're all total shit compared to the real thing.

I'm not holding my breath and the news reports so far confirm my low expectations.

[SA Chris]

My only experience of artificial waves is the wave pool at Sun City, which releases a large volume of water from behind a sluice, and gives a surprisingly powerful wave, easily surfable (or body surfable). This is very different technology though.

[SA Chris]

Insect Overlord makes brief appearance on Pro Surf Circuit

http://metro.co.uk/2015/07/19/surfer-mick-fanning-fights-off-shark-attack-during-world-surf-league-event-in-south-africa-5303184/

[Falling Down]

Some speculation it may have been a Manta Ray flapping about and getting tangled up. 

Either way, a remarkable thing to happen.  I watched the interview with Fanning and Jules afterwards and both were clearly shaken and emotional.  There's not many professional sports I can think of where the risk of being killed or maimed by a wild animal whilst competing &  being watched by millions (or hundreds of thousands probably) is a possibility.  Something to bear in mind as the football season kicks off.

[SA Chris]

His leash was in two? Not sure a manta ray could do that?

[gme]

 And unless rays have fucking big fins on there back as can clearly be seen in the footage I guess the speculators are wrong.
Looks terrifying.

[SA Chris]

Yeah, you can see the characteristic step in the tail fin in the stills. Experts are reckoning it was a baby, only about 2.5 m long.

Apparently J Bay was getting a bit crowded, should thin them out a bit. Visions of

[Lopez]

If you thought longboarders hogging waves were bad...

[hongkongstuey]

If anyone ever plans a Fiji trip then i strongly recommend this place: http://surfingfiji.com

Not particularly cheap but is full board so not as pricey as you might first think and has quick (15 mins) access to tons of uncrowded quality waves on the Coral Coast and Frigates (about an hour away and [almost] as good as Cloudbreak) that will pretty much just be you and the guys sharing a boat with you.







oh yeah - and the boat guy will normally pull out a camera so you get some pretty sweet holiday shots too :-)

[SA Chris]

Dick.

[hongkongstuey]

 

[hongkongstuey]

a bunch more photos here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/96354628@N00/albums/72157658645356596