So here is Trident’s caveat to the Top Five reasons wavepools are better than ocean waves article. Read ‘em both, and draw your own conclusions. For us? Well, as long as we have some waves to surf, we’re golden.
Number 1: Wavepools are expensive. Like, kak expensive.
And we don’t just mean in the “paying ten grand per hour” sense of expensive (although that’s a big factor). No, wavepools are also ludicrously pricey also in terms of initial investment, additional infrastructure before you even begin building the darn thing. Then we’re looking at maintenance, employees’ salaries, upgrades, running costs and all those fun things you don’t really consider when it comes heading down to the beach for a surf. Sure, a well kept beach does require municipal funds (we’re trying to guilt you here, the entirety of South Africa’s coastal municipalities), but it’s a pittance compared to running a wavepool.
Number 2: Wavepools require power. Like, a kak load of power.
In a country where running a toaster efficiently is considered a luxury, perhaps the very concept of a wavepool in South Africa is as pie-in-the-sky as us actually having capable political leaders. We’re pretty sure it varies from wavepool to wavepool, but we reckon a day of surfing at a wavepool can eat as much juice as a medium sized hospital or school. And guess where our developing country’s funds should go to then? That’s right, some politician’s back pocket.
Also, wavepools break down and/or shut down. “Ah nooit bru, someone just dropped a bag of koeksisters from the snack stall in the pumping mechanism. I told you we should enforce all these no eating/drinking/fighting signs all around the wavepool!” Shut down for a week for emergency maintenance. Change of management? Shut down for a month while they figure out the legalese. The ocean may have flat spells, but thanks to forecasting, we kinda have some idea what to expect within a reasonable time period. There’s no accounting for sudden shutdowns at man made facilities.
Number 3: The ocean waves offer variety.
This is both a blessing and a curse. Trident previously discussed the usefulness of a mechanical wavepool offering consistency, but the unpredictably of the ocean wins hands down here. In our opinion at least. In one surf session on an actual coast, just by moving up and down a point or walking to the surf spot next door, you can have tons of wave variety. The little nooks and crannies of a coast all get affected differently by the same wind, tides and swells. Lekker. You can also waste so much time trying to decide on which spot to surf that it all gets blown out before you’ve even applied sunblock, but that’s on you bru.
Number 4: Anybody can just paddle out and surf at any given break.
Once again – this is both a blessing and a curse. However, at the coast, there’s nobody awaiting your credit card payment or a ticket or a QR code for the 3 hours surf you’ve booked. But in a way, there should be – if only to prevent crowds of utter incompetents invading your local break while you’re just trying to have a few fun waves. Yes, Trident is bitter here, but even the most hardened local can’t deny the freedom and ease of not needing to book a surf like a restaurant. So yes. Trident is only too aware of the problems this particular bonus of ocean waves can cause, but it still beats all levels of heck outta buying wavepool time like it’s airtime at a spaza shop.
Number 5: You actually need to have a wavepool near you.
Well, duh. So yes, Kelly’s pool admittedly does look epic, but it’s… In California. And driving home Point Number One, it is utterly beyond obscene how expensive it is. Rather fly to Indo or drive anywhere up and down our own coast. Until we have our own Trident sponsored wavepool. Watch this space.
