Surfing has been increasing in popularity since the first Gidget surf movie (US) hit the big screen in 1959. Two more Gidget movies followed and with the introduction of surf music and surf wear in the 60s, surfing become popular with the masses. People were inspired to take up surfing and the boom had begun.
Today surfing has huge commercial backing and is promoted on mainstream media.
Generations of surfing families and new starters processed through Surf Schools now use our limited natural wave resources. Few new surf breaks have been discovered on our coastline since the early 70s to meet the increasing demand.
Surfers are now looking at man-made options, like waves pools and artificial reefs to partially resolve the overcrowding.
In 1989 Yallingup surfer Nancy Burrow (mother of former Pro Surfer Taj Burrow) had an article on man-made reefs published in Australian Surfing Life Magazine (now Surfing Life mag). Nancy advocated an alliance with water users to make artificial reefs a reality. See her article below.
1989 Man-made reef article by Nancy Burrow. Extract Australia’s Surfing Life Mag2010 Nancy surfing Yallingup. Bruce King pic.
Surfers have been trying to avoid crowded surf spots by travelling to remote coastal regions. However, lots of surfers have similar ideas and these regions can get busy during peak periods.
2013 Nancy surfing in the North West. Jim King pic.
It is now 32 years since Nancy wrote her article. Overcrowding is still an issue and not much progress has been made with man-made surfing reefs.
A veteran South West surfer is on the lookout for a retirement home with a wave pool. If it happens, he will have lots of friends visiting him. 😊
Surfing has been increasing in popularity since the first Gidget surf movie (US) hit the big screen in 1959. Two more Gidget movies followed and with the introduction of surf music and surf wear in the 60s, surfing become popular with the masses. People were inspired to take up surfing and the boom had begun.
Today surfing has huge commercial backing and is promoted on mainstream media.
Generations of surfing families and new starters processed through Surf Schools now use our limited natural wave resources. Few new surf breaks have been discovered on our coastline since the early 70s to meet the increasing demand.
Surfers are now looking at man-made options, like waves pools and artificial reefs to partially resolve the overcrowding.
In 1989 Yallingup surfer Nancy Burrow (mother of former Pro Surfer Taj Burrow) had an article on man-made reefs published in Australian Surfing Life Magazine (now Surfing Life mag). Nancy advocated an alliance with water users to make artificial reefs a reality. See her article below.
Surfers have been trying to avoid crowded surf spots by travelling to remote coastal regions. However, lots of surfers have similar ideas and these regions can get busy during peak periods.
It is now 32 years since Nancy wrote her article. Overcrowding is still an issue and not much progress has been made with man-made surfing reefs.
A veteran South West surfer is on the lookout for a retirement home with a wave pool. If it happens, he will have lots of friends visiting him. 😊
Thanks Nancy, for sharing your article.
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