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April 7, 2001 The southwest coast of England is known primarily for its scones, constant rain and temperamental closeout beachbreak. But if the holiday towns of Newquay and Bournemouth have their way, it could soon become famous for the first artificial surfing reefs in Europe. Local environmental group Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) is in full support of both reefs. "We're not campaigning for it, because it's not really pollution oriented, but the whole SAS campaign has always been supportive of surfers' rights," says SAS spokesperson James Hendy. Surfers' rights? Could you imagine what THAT saltwater constitution might look like? "We the people, in order to form a more perfect peak . . ." In the States or Australia, the whole concept of "surfers' rights" is an oxymoron -- remember the summertime fun called "blackball"? But in Great Britain -- the country that brought us the ultra-corny surf flick Blue Juice and the world's only surfing degree at Plymouth University -- surfing enjoys a degree of mainstream respectability that it's never quite achieved in other places. Newquay, despite its fickle (and chilly) beachbreaks, has long been known as the center of British surfing -- 40 years after surfing was introduced to its beaches, it's now home to approximately 30 surf shops as well as Russell Winter, Europe's only WCTer. In summertime, the cobblestoned streets are closer to a 4th of July parade in Huntington than something out of a Dickens book. Local surfers are understandably stoked to see a reef go in to give some shape to one of the many closeouts in the area, according to South African expat Craig Jarvis. "[Great Western] is a beach that gets enough swells in the 3- to 6-foot range, but there's often the problem of plenty of swell but nowhere to surf," Jarvis says. But according to a local website A1surf.com, the reef could be in trouble: "Inside politics and the lack of current understanding with a few influential members within the Newquay area and its community are putting the project in danger by either refusing to support the project, or by actively opposing it by rejecting the project without a full and open debate with all the facts." But with world-renown coastal engineer Kerry Black designing the sand-bag-built reef with the same concepts that he used in designing Queensland's fairly successful Narrowneck reef and the financial backing of some key local businesses like Gul International, Bond Pearce, and Prosper, the battle seems to be swaying in favor. Perhaps this is because reef proponents are not only touting the enhanced surfing conditions; they're also emphasizing the economic merits. Hendy raises an interesting point: "The reef will add to the money coming into the area by the surfers showing up and spending money. Plus, there'll be tourists coming in and wanting to learn to surf, and they'll spend money, too" he says. Apparently, England doesn't have the anti-surfer "no shirt, no shoes, no dice" mentality that Southern California seems to have. In fact, both in Newquay and in Bournemouth, reef proponents are betting their geotextile bags on the fact that surfers will not only come in droves, but also lay down some serious cash. In Bournemouth, the Wessex Surf Club has even done a cost-analysis: "The number of surfing tourists should increase to from 84 to 2,025 a year, which, if spending an average of 20 pounds per visit, totals 40,500 pounds per year. The combination of tourism, surf equipment, and spin-off non-surf equipment should equal about 377,000 pounds per year. When evaluated over 25 years, this equated to a present value of 5.9 million pounds." Newquay has come up with similar numbers. And to a small, English holiday seaside town, that's definitely not chump change. And while it's easy to chuckle -- just a little -- at the idea that surfers could actually contribute to a town (how far we've come!), Hendy makes perhaps the most convincing argument about artificial reefs in England (or anywhere else in the world for that matter): "If there's a need for coastal protection in a certain area, then we should look at both options. Instead of just putting in a scheme that might have a derogatory effect on waves in the area, why not somehow add to the waves? Especially if it's gonna spread the pack out a bit." And -- unlike a cost-benefit analysis of surf shop spending -- it doesn't take an economist to figure out that more rideable waves equals a much happier surf community. --Marcus Sanders For a full-length, fancy-flash feature on artificial reefs, check out What Lies Beneath.  |
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