Man-made surf reef base ordered

Last Modified: 02 Apr 2008
Source: PA News

Europe's first artificial surf reef is a step closer after orders were placed for enough specialist bags and webbing base to cover a football pitch.

The webbing base and 55 geo-textile bags, from 50 to 230 feet long, will be submerged 750ft out to sea, east of Boscombe Pier, Dorset, to create the reef.

Bournemouth Borough Council has placed the £500,000 order and is expecting the first of three deliveries, which will include the webbing base and first section of the bottom layer of bags, to arrive in the UK at the end of May, having travelled 12,000 miles by sea.

Australian firm ELCO is creating the geo-textile bags while the webbing is produced by New Zealand firm Unique.

New Zealand-based Dr Kerry Black designed the reef and his company ASR Ltd will build it during the summer when the sea is calmer.

He has travelled the entire Pacific Rim and measured 44 of the world's best surf breaks to find out what makes a world-class wave and how to replicate it artificially.

The sand for the reef has already been harvested from beach replenishment programmes in 2007 and 2008 and it is being stored on Boscombe beach.

Stephen Macloughlin, leader of Bournemouth Borough Council, said: "The construction timetable is on track to allow the reef to be completed, providing there are favourable weather conditions, by the end of October this year."

The reef will be one of four artificial reefs worldwide including Narrowneck, Queensland, Cables, Western Australia and Mt Maunganui, New Zealand.

It will not generate waves but is expected to double the size of the existing surf and provide a ride of up to 250ft to the right, with two shorter left-hand rides.

These news feeds are provided by an independent third party and Channel 4 is not responsible or liable to you for the same.