Links to good information about surfing reefs.

philosurphizingkerching, you inserted the URL in the incorrect place in the code when posting. There's a spot to place your URL, and then a spot where you put in the text that you want to display that people click on.

I've edited it for you and it looks to be working now.

Delft respoitory in the Netherlands has a dozen plus research papers related to surfing
http://repository.tudelft.nl/search/ir/

The Reef Journal - has several dozen research papers from previous symposium
www.thereefjournal.com

Shaw Mead has a website with several dozen papers
www.asrltd.com

And my website has several dozen papers, mine and other authors...
www.surfingramps.com.au

(apologies, for lack of click through on the links)

Good idea!

I actually just posted on the ASR fb page asking whether they'd like to join into the forums.

Also Steve's page obviously

http://www.offshoresurfreefs.com/

The DHI site has some good stuff too if you search for it.

http://www.dhigroup.com/

I've posted some photos that show the effect of real man made reefs on coastlines click on the link below to see.

CLICK FOR REEF SUCCESS EVIDENCE HERE

That doesnt mean that they are a panacea for all woes and (including us bored surfers)
It also doesn't mean that they are the only solution for every situation.
But they are worth learning about.

Important things to remember are that

1. the Egypt reef field is over a kilometre wide.

2. The entire Newcastle land mass between ocean and port from Signal hill to Nobbys Island is man made, harbour side park and ocean side sand beach . The ships contribution (over a few days) is obvious.

I and many others learnt to board ride on the natural reef - from 1963 onwards. ( Nobbys Reef) that the boat is stranded on

So if you are talking Beach protection or beach building that is man made -here it is again.

CLICK FOR REEF SUCCESS EVIDENCE HERE

Nothing beats good knowledge and that can lead people to good practical, attainable and sustainable paths.

Thank you for posting that link philosurphizingkerching, this is a topic I have been curious about for some time - and one that seems to create a fair bit of controversy. It was good to read a little more about the possible functions of ARs.

I hadn't considered the economic benefits to a small town of a quality break for example. My personal opinion was one of caution due to the unknown consequences we may produce by altering the shape of the sea floor or bathymetry as I have now learned.

However I guess the reality is we have been doing this for many years in different ways with dredging, construction of marinas and reclaiming land etc. I also hadn't considered the alteration of the sea floor as a way to preserve surfing breaks or desirable beaches.

I have no official qualifications as to this subject and would class my self more as an interested surfer who cares about the surfing environment and would like to learn more about this topic.

Are there any ARs in action in Australia ? I am from NZ originally and mates have told me there is one at Mount Maunganui which is an area I used to surf..
Does anyone have more info or opinion as to how the existing ARs function from a surfers perspective as well as from an environmental perspective ?

Please forgive my ignorance if I am asking obvious questions but I would like to hear more on this subject.

@whetunui, I think that the economic benefits to small towns can be very misleading. For example , I have been going to Crescent Head since the early sixties. The major change I have seen is only in the number of Hotels (an extra one) and bottle shops (an extra one) and the very expensive real estate prices. Yet it is one of the most known good surfing places in the country. Yes it has a small sustainable economy based on its surfing but certainly nothing that one would spend millions to try and duplicate. (if one could in a certain way) .
If one were to look at all AR projects tried everywhere the result would speak for itself and my opinion is that a lack of certainty for money spent will rule the day.

You are certainly correct in your caution -but caution is the right way to assess anything new. (if it sounds too good to be true.. ?)

Yes we have altered the coastline for thousands of years and the ocean always wins. There are many ancient cities and ports under the water and silted up. Altering the ocean floor for surfing sounds like the holy grail to surfers but the reality seems that it hasn't been that possible to produce what was intended.. Carefully engineered coastal projects always have unintended consequences and sometimes these are a surfing break. When billions are spent on coastal works it seems to me that amenity should always be considered as a part of it. That is the way I think that extra surfing breaks will be made. Other newer types of ocean structures may be a way forward as well.

I am sure you do not need any official qualifications -just wish to learn more as we are all on that path -some just a few pages further along. There is plenty on the web. A really good place to start is to learn a little wave theory physics as I have been doing.

CLICK HERE FOR WAVE SET OR BEATS DEMONSTRATION

You can change the frequency (thus period) by resetting and then change one wave frequency and start again to see the two waves added together -that's how we get our groundswell. A number of different period wave patterns adding to form a new set of waves.

is a good example how different wave patterns in sound and on water combine to form beats or "sets" as we surfers know them.
I found it fascinating to learn that even tuning a guitar uses this when a note is compared to a tuning fork. When the string tension approaches correct the beats get faster then disappear and the string is "tuned".

There are four AR's that I know of. The first an unintended one in Newcastle harbour, the second a intended one at Bargara, the third another intended one at Cables Perth and the fourth a intended reef that has surfing added at Narrowneck. There are probably other unintended ones that I don't know of.

How they work? The locals are the best to comment on that . Maybe they work just fine and they are not telling? :))

Forgive you for asking? why ? Its a pleasure to share the little I know.

oh I was mistaken about tuning the guitar - the "beats" slow down as the string gets closer to being in tune.

But I hope you find it interesting and a start to learning about waves and the ocean.

Hi Bob,
Don't worry - being a bass player I got your analogy as to the beats anyway :) Thanks for taking the time to share a bit of knowledge with me.

I have read further on this site and the links you have provided and answered a few of my own questions but what I have seen has raised many more. The Boscombe reef in Bournemouth was particularly interesting, having lived by that seaside for a short time and seen the swell (or lack of) it seemed a strange thing to do. I was also surprised at the cost, I guess there are many more factors to consider other than making a shallow bit in a deep bit and hoping peeling A frames will result.

It also seems that it is not so easy to get the right bottom shape as first thought, it just makes me more aware of how lucky we are when nature forms a perfect setup and how many factors have to line up for good waves.

Would it be possible, do you think to "enhance" an area that already has a natural nearly good bottom profile rather than trying to start from scratch. This might mean less interferance with natural systems and less effort on our part. I will most likely read on and find someone has already done this !

I will keep reading and I am enjoying learning more about waves and the ocean.

Cheers

@whetunui, That has been done in the most successful (considering cost effective) reef project of all time ( IMO). The Bargara reef.. This must be the most sensible way forward as its costs can be minimal. If some things almost right it doesn't take much to make it right?
It took Greg R. years to get done though - credit to him for perseverance. I think you hit the nail right on the head with that observation.

No money in it though -just improved surfing. so it will take a long time by committed volunteers who love the ocean and surfing.

(corrected last post)
I have this posted on the main story but it is also relevent here for there are two artificial surf breaks indentified .

At the base of the Newcastle harbour break wall is a component that changes direction. (dogleg)
got to Google earth and search for the Placemark Stockton Wedge its East 151 4'7 38.4" South 32 54' 38".

I've got some video and pix i will try and locate. Each larger wave causes that much refection that 1m width of the 2m high sand dune onshore carved off by the resulting sideways water flow. It cost $100,000 of sand nourishment to replace one days erosion.

It was a little bit of magic seeing these perfect swell sets coming along the breakwater and then encountering the "dogleg" and reflecting to cause a shifting wedge peak. The lids just had to be at the right place and kick once to take off.

Across the harbour I have bookmarked the Harbour surf Break. Its on youtube by others as the Newcastle harbour surfing.
http://www.google.com.au/search?aq=1&oq=newcastle+harbour+surf&sourceid=...

There has a report for this location written and presented to the Port Authority for cooperation in researching the depth measurements (bathymetry) but they declined to cooperate . Its hardly a extreme thing to surf there when super boats race on the harbour each year (i think one fatality so far). We live in hope of ways to engage well with the authorities?

thanks psk . it is a good link.

have you watched Burleigh on the cam last few days.

I wonder if anyone's thought of counting heads in the water. waves coming in and rides achieved over a long enough time , a number of times and then tried to work out a "wave ride index" for the variables involved?

That would also be meaningful ( but perhaps controversial) if individual riders could be id'd by some way for figuring how many are doing the most riding.

hey Phil,
you lucky devil getting one. Well lets guess for the day 8 hours of 10s period swell is 6 waves per minute , 360 per hour and 2880 for the day.
So if all peeled 400m, that's 400x 2880 m or 1.15 million metres or 1150 kilometres of rideable wave face.

now if a 30% loss rate applies that's still 800km of wave face. Or about the distance fro Sydney to Tweed heads by car?

If everyone was taking turns (utopia) 150 surfers would get 2880/150 = 19 waves each. But 5 good waves is an ideal session?

the time between waves (period ) gives us the waves per hour for Pumping sessions. Sets are another matter but waves in a set x 10s is the waves , then time between sets is zero waves .

Gotta go to the gym now had a nice session at Catherine hill bay 2day and need to be fitter for the SB.

There is a good graph from USACES Coastal Geology that puts a lot into perspective. The position of reefs might have to be revised?

s1237.photobucket.com/albums/ff467/Robert_Sirasch/?action=view&current=uSCEtimechart.jpg&newest=1

Well this information regarding the surfing reef designs is very good , as for the beginner who want to start surfing/surfing reef give them help. This is really a fantastic job.
Thanks dear