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WET N WILD
Ron Jon Surfpark gets funding, but what if it works?
By now, most of you have been exposed to the idea of waves in a pool and been disappointed with all manifestations thereof. Typhoon Lagoon is sweet jewel if you’ve never surfed outside of Michigan and that Malaysian monstrosity requires a jet ski to get airborne.
Over the better part of twenty years, surfing has grown to dangerous proportions, especially if you're at a Rincon or New Smyrna Beach Inlet -- overhead and glassy (fist fights, et al). This leads to the conclusion that the supply-demand curve heavily leans toward demand. Surfparks' vision doesn't end on the coast though. Inevitably, towns like Wichita and St. Louis may provide surf-rich neophytes the opportunity to throw some spray and grab a rail or two.
Earlier this week, Jamie Meiselman, the folks at Surfparks LLC, Ron Jon Surf Shop, B.T. Orlando LP, and Belz Enterprises announced the securing of over $9 million in funding to complete construction and open the Ron Jon Surfpark to be built this summer in Orlando, Florida.
There will be three pools; the pro surf pool, according to the press release, "utilizes patented technology to create perfect, salt-water waves up to 8 feet high. As large as a football field, the Pro Surf Pool can generate up to 6 waves per minute, with ride lengths from 60-100 yards. A computer-adjustable Versareef pool floor allows nearly infinite variety of left and right-breaking wave shapes and includes pre-programmed bottom contours that mimic some of the best natural surf breaks in the world."
Sounds great. Sign me up. But what does it mean for surfing?
First, a brief history of the park: MBA grad Jamie Meiselman conceived the idea (what surfer hasn't?) and began working on it evenings after days spent managing the Burton snowboard boots line. He initially searched for existing wave manufacturing equipment as well as other wave related technology (of which there were very few) and researched the viability of recording patents to protect any technology on which he and others would conclude.
In the process, he found his partners/co-founders for the project and the companies with the most extensive experience and market share in and around the water park industry. Over the last four years, the Aquatic Development Group and ASR have collaborated with Surfparks' vision. The former has built over 350 wave pools around the world and other water parks in a turnkey fashion (i.e. they take care of everything and hand you the keys), and the latter employs the knowledge of Drs. Kerry Black and Shaw Mead, hardcore Aussie/Kiwi surfers and holders of PhDs in Marine Sciences, specifically surfing wave dynamics (aka, the reef guys).
Baker Leisure Group, with over 65 years of Disney/Universal experience including water park openings and other industry-specific operating knowledge, has been engaged to hire and train a customer-friendly staff. Ron Jon Surf Shop has invested hard dollars and agreed to run the pro-shop, restaurant, and market the park in exchange for naming rights.
Will the wave break as it should? Let's assume it does; after all, we talk on tiny cell phones that send acoustic waves to bay station to satellite and eventually back to phone. And it could affect the economics of surfing. In ten years, will we see discretionary income spent less on Costa Rica and Indonesia and more on a membership to backyard perfection, or will the travel industry simply grow as the number of surfers multiplies inland?
Here's a deeper question, but I've got to ask it: Will those new surfers be able to handle a true ocean environment having learned and tuned their skills in a pool? Big difference indeed, but a question perhaps for the next few years. Overall, how will the assumed success of Surfparks around the globe affect surf travel?
Sean Murphy, President and Founder of Waterways Travel, said, "Surfparks may go and make it, sure. I'm not really interested in that type of surfing though. That's not what I think of when I want to surf." The last time I talked to Sean, he was going kayaking after work. He brings up a good point.
The person who is driven to surf the pool will be filtered by personality types. Sean has operated and succeeded based on a drive in surfers to explore beyond their own country, a drive that has landed me on two different trips to Indonesia. The surf travel industry keeps expanding, and with the growth of surfing, they will continue to post a larger head count on airplanes and in surf camps.
One way or another, surfers will find a way to travel. Jamie, who's traveled all over the world to surf, explains, "I think it will take the pressure off surf trips. It'll allow more experiences when they're on the road. Instead of desperately searching for waves, they might be more "wave satisfied" and enjoy the culture and interesting aspects that travel has to offer."
I asked about the possibility of growing surf travel after a few solid years of non-surfer exposure to a park, i.e. adding people to the surfing population via a pool in their town. "Nominal at first, but long term, there may be some impact," he said. "That's obviously painting a real pretty picture as far as Surfparks goes. We're looking at getting one park up and running, and we'll see how it goes from there."
Finally, can we assume a guy like Joe Public signs up and learns to surf in the small pool and graduates to the big one? It could happen. It's salt water in that pool after all. So the extent of his paddling experience extends from the base of the lazy river to the liquid lounge to wait for his next manufactured wave. Nothing wrong with that either. In fact, I had a friend in high school, who always bitterly protested in his hyper-insecure grommy voice, "I hate people who can paddle better than they can surf." This would be the opposite. So what would he say about a guy surfing ten times better than he can paddle?
However, he would have a legitimate complaint when it comes to an ocean environment. Most surfers will agree that the hardest part of the learning curve is paddling out, finding and fighting for a wave, and then actually catching it without ruining your credibility around a pack of blood-shot eyes fighting for waves. That's how we learned to surf. Throw in a foreign environment, the now-more-than-ever crowded destinations, and a little more size perhaps, and you've got a pretty dangerous line-up or pit, depending on whether or not the new guy makes it out.
I'm a little scared of the following scenario: a guy I know learns to surf at the pool, and bravely offers, "How 'bout we get down to Costa Rica this summer?" Not to be elitist, but if we're at a pointbreak, I'll probably be showing him where to paddle out a hundred yards down from where I am.
Meisleman agrees: "Don't let Surfparks fool you. It doesn't aim to replace the real thing." Surfparks only aims to enhance that thrill and your skills, pardon the silly rhyme. Perhaps the number of people traveling and searching for the full experience will grow as they are exposed through the pool side of surfing. We'll find out soon enough how Surfparks will change surf travel.
By the way, there's a reason why Jamie didn't need to go balls-out searching for investors. Most came to him -- 90 percent of them are surfers. We're constantly searching until we find something that looks good enough for a go. In this case, the investors found what looks to be a fine day -- glassy, head high, hollow, and friends taking turns at a hundred yards a clip. I don't care where I am. Indo-yacht or my VW sitting at bay, I'm pulling on the trunks with a smile on my face.
(The author would like to disclose that he is a biased SurfParks investor.)
RELATED STORIES:
Surfpark's website
WHAT LIES BENEATH: Artificial Reefs: are they good for the sport but bad for the soul? (Feature, Jan 2001)
Artificial Reef Surfing A-Z Entry
FOR
ECASTING AND METEOROLOGY: So, how do we get surf? Sean Collins explains.
SURFING: NOT JUST FOR KIDS ANYMORE? The first annual Surfing Arts, Science and Issues Conference wants us to grow up (Nov 2001)
IF YOU BUILD IT, WILL THEY COME? Two English coastal towns hope building artificial surfing reefs will bolster local tourist economy (Apr 2001)
A NEW FACE FOR NEWQUAY? Proposed development at England's Surf City causes a stir (Sep 2001)
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Kevin Miller
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