(Login surferinohio) from IP address 64.12.116.132
We need to get all the great lakes surfers and the Great Lakes Surfing Association and band together and put pressure on http://www.surfparks.com/ like the one being built in Orlando or do some fundraising and invite investors to help and open up our own surf park somewhere near the lakes every lake surfer should be on this we can't wait for the surf parks to come here and build this for us they will continue to build near the oceans and play it safe and hide under there desks instead of building here where they do not want to go so lets band together for the surfers of the lakes and the future surfers of the lakes and lets get people involved lets do something to preserve that stoke and bring it to others lets make surfing real in middle America.
Surf parks are for kooks. It takes the best parts of surfing away from the sport. Anyone can go to a surf park and call themselves a surfer. In reality it takes dedication, years of experiance and many miles of exploration to be a surfer. Not many people will go into a lake in the middle of a winter storm to catch some waves. The ones that do, whether they are beginners or pros, have much more respect in my eyes than someone who pays hundreds of dollars to go surf in a corporatly run indoor arena. It's free to surf in the lakes and ocean, and not to mention the pollution and energy one of these places creates. More energy means more pollution in our natural surf areas. Thats just my opinion, I'm proud to be a lake surfer. I don't need a surfpark.
The main reason it would be huge to have a surf park is when the lakes are frozen.
October 18 2005, 1:36 AM
Two reasons that I believe that a surf park would help. In the dead of winter during the insanity time it would be so much better if at least there was a close by place to surf and keep surfing skills exercised and our ESA-Great Lakes District surfers wouldn't be so disadvantaged going into the Northeast Regional surf competition after having had little to almost surf on a regular basis.
This would be an improvement when the water turns to ice but for the rest of the time all our energy needs to stay focused on saving surf breaks like The Bridge from being turned into boat parking lots and from pollution issues that are always of concern.
I've ever heard Kelly Slater being referred to as a kook. "Surf parks are for kooks." - Justin.
Every winter during the surf expo there is a contest held at typhoon lagoon in Orlando and ALL the pro's ride the wave. The big companies even rent the lagoon for an hour at around $1000.00. There is nothing "kook" about a 4 - 6ft glassy fresh water wave. I would LOVE to have a wave during Jan and Feb when the lakes are frozen over.
Pro surfers are paid to do events like that, especially when its their sponsors who have huge amounts of money invested in the surfparks. How else would they advertise and creat publicity. I'm sure if it were Kelly's choice he would be in indo surfing 10 foot glassy waves, not in some indoor sterile man made park that has no connection with nature. I've heard lots of protest from Florida surfers against theses surf parks. If I can find it again I will post it. And don't worry, they will come here, and soon. This is where the money is. How many kids do you see everyday who wear the threads, but have never touched a board. Thats going to be the people who will use them most. Upper class kids and adults who don't want to bother with the hassles of real surfing and who can afford to go on a regular basis.
Its something i dream about everyday, a couple of my friends are engineers I've been talking to them about the feasabiltiy of it, the technical aspects the costs etc....I think if someone was willing to put up the cash and it was done right i think it would go off in southern ontario, look at how many people show up for ankle high lake o waves in cold water!!! I think the big expense would be the land cost anywayhere in the gta and being able to offer it at an affordable cost yet still meet expenses....On that note has anybody seen the wave pool at confederation park??? I was going to call them ask to have a look at it and see if a two or three foot wave could be made ....just a thought...I've never heard any pros complain about wave pools...i know koby abberton and a few other australian pros spent buckets of their own cash to surf the wave pool in kuala lampur last year.
It's a neat and novel idea but looking at the prices for membership in the states and in american dollars, doing the conversions in Canadian and then doubling the price for tourist...I'll surf the lake, and use the membership money for trips to the ocean! I think I remember DanP saying something about trying the wave pool at confederation, I'll have to ask him if it was talk or an actual try.....
What is the difference between a surf park and a snowboarding hill?
October 18 2005, 1:38 PM
To me there is no difference between a surf park and a snow boarding park. Who cares about the classism aspect. It's how you ride that seperates us from all that. On the wave in an ocean, lake, or even a surf park there is no thought of nationalism, class rank, or politics when one is riding with a pure heart and tuned into the wave. The water is still natural. The wave was produced by other means than wind or earthquakes, land slides. But there is similarity.
Pro surfers have to ride all sorts of waves every day. It is training. A surf park like the one planned for New York or the one in Orlando would give competitive Great Lakes surfers a better chance in ocean contests. It would also give the Great Lakes non competitive surf community a lot of joy during the insanity period. That's when there are no waves and only ice nearby where we live.
Worry more about people who see surf breaks as having no value except as marina's. Be concerned about governments and business that look at pollution of the water, land, and air like breaking eggs to make omeletts.
Yes a surf park cannot be better than a natural beach with surf.
We need our natural surf breaks to be first and foremost protected. If there was an artificial surf break it wouldn't be the same riding to us as what Mother Nature provides but we would welcome it when there was no surf at all. I'd be the biggest kook during frozen lake lock down and at the surf park riding waves instead of just shovling snow or going snowboarding. I enjoy surfing the most.
many sports have artificial means of training. batting cages, driving ranges, foam pits for gymnastics, skateboarding, freestyle mx & bmx, and artificial surfaces for skiing and snowboarding. it is because of these methods of practice that these corresponding sports have been pushed to new levels. if a person is such a traditionalist that these artificial means are unacceptable, simply don't participate. some may see a park as an efficient means of practicing. each is entitiled to pursue their gig.
I have a right to my opinion and I won't participate. It probably won't be our generation that this really affects anyways. I in no way am trying to force my opinion on others, if thats how it appears. I am just merely stating what I beleive. It is a discussion forum after all.
even if you are wrong. Next time don't make a statement that surf parks are for kooks - ESPECIALLY - when you talk about the Orlando park that does get frequent visits from pros ALL the time not just during the surf expo. What makes you a kook expert? When was the last time you surfed in a wave pool? When was the last time you surfed? Where was it? Who were you out with? I was out today with Bill and Ben. We had BIG waves but speaking for myself I would have traded those waves and the paddle out for an easy session at Typhoon Lagoon. The other guys might have too. I wouldn't trade a trip to Costa for a surf session in the lagoon but I have that luxury. Maybe some kid or family in middle America or Canada can't afford a trip to Costa Rica or even the Coast to try surfing. Your saying that they are kooks for trying to surf in a man made wave! The statement that surfing in a park is for kooks is like saying surfing on the lakes is for kooks.
A wave pool is a great training tool. It's the same thing as pro snowboarders and skiers using pools to hone their jump skills. Plus, pools are fun. If they want to put one up in the middle of Canada or the U.S. then GREAT!!! I love to share the stoke of surfing. I wish more people surfed then they would understand why I get so grumpy when I can't paddle out in the middle of winter because there are cliffs of ice 15ft high all around the lake. I hope some land locked farm folk could enjoy the sport of surfing with out having to spend a lot of money traveling to the nearest ocean.
You do have one fact correct this is a discussion forum and I am discussing the matter.
Sorry if the kook comment offended you. I admit to being a pretty big kook myself, so I use it more freely than I should. Also if you looked in my first post you would see that I stated that I have alot of respect for beginners that try and surf in the lakes and I by all means do. I think its great that more an more people are doing it and I love meeting them every time I go out. I'm even open to lending them one of my boards. I just feel there is alot more to surfing than just going to a man made wave park. To me it has alot more to do with the adventure and nature part of it. I feel that if all you have to do is go to a pool down the street to surf, there will be a lot of surfers that have no form of respect for the ocean or other surfers. In my mind thats what a kook is. By the way have you seen the prices they are charging for these pools. People who don't have enough money to go to an ocean won't be able to afford to go to one of these. I could and did go live in Costa Rica for three months on just a bit more than it would cost for a full memership. I could of probably lived there for 6 months if I went totally feral. Costa Rica is also the most expensive Central American Country. By the way, I was out on Sunday evening at Bayfield, surfing 5-6 foot blown out waves. They were all over the place and there was alot of current off the peir but it was still fun. I surf alot down near Grand bend and Port Stanley, probably why I have not met you. If i'm not out its because I am working and trying to make money for my next surf trip.
PS I wouldn't trade my session on Sunday for a better wave in any wave pool, no matter how bad the waves are. I saw a beautful sunset sitting in an empty lineup off bayfield peir. I've never seen the sky turn so red. I have some of the best memories of my life from experiances like that and I wouldn't give up one to stare at fake palm trees and a concrete wall in a wave pool. That pretty much sums up what I want to say about them. Thanks and sorry if I offended you. Cheers and good waves.
"The statement that surfing in a park is for kooks is like saying surfing on the lakes is for kooks."
WE ARE KOOKS FOR SURFING ON A LAKE, at least in the eyes of the rest of the surfing world... not that I care.
"I wish more people surfed then they would understand why I get so grumpy when I can't paddle out in the middle of winter because there are cliffs of ice 15ft high all around the lake."
Rob you are getting grumpy.
Anyone ever see those Wave Pools the Japanese have come up with?
- Real discussion involves listening to others that have a different view
- I know plenty of good surfers that only surf one spot, many are kids that have been surfing for less than two years
- A very good California surfer told me that he likes to go to the San Diego flow rider as a change of pace. He doesn't think it is at all like surfing. He told me if anything it might be like snowboarding.
There are two general ways that I see people respond in a discussion. The first is to react to another's opinion and tell them they are wrong. The second is to respond to the subject with your own view.
Hey, I guess I'm not crazy after all...........I've had this surf park project on hold till my eatly retirement, if that ever happens. This surf park ,even if it has to be a smaller scale is possible. Now thats a project that would be great to see happen outside of Toronto. I volunteer my time on this one if some of you ever decide to find a way to get this started. My two cents on this,is that if some how some cost figures were put together with some pictures of the surf park that is being built in Orlando,it is possible to find investors. In Vaughan there are consruction companies that own endless land parcels that could be interested in new business opportunities. These companies are known to deversify their investments in areas such as commercial/retail plazas, and entertainment ventures. If this project is presented in a proper way. Don't be surprised if this project could be closer than we all think. As I said I will join in selling the idea, but, we need some educated help in the areas of Engineering design, etc. Just a thought.......................Surferj
as fun as a surf park sounds, it just isnt feasible. even once its built, the operating costs will be thru the roof. that means lots of people will have to use it to stay in business, leading to a lineup thatll make malibu look uncrowded. I dont think your technique will improve much when you trip over 5 inner tubes on the takeoff. only if you reserved it for yourself or a small crew would you see some significant impovement, which would not be cheap!
We have one back in my home town of Durban called the "WaveHouse" (This break which is the first in the world to break left and right is called T-Rex) design by some guy in the USA. Works well and pull the numbers. Durban is smaller than Toronto, which I guess is the biggest city this part of the world.
Guys that handle best or get the hang of it first are skate boarders and snowboarders. Surfers take a little longer.
Something to be aware of it the ease one can break bones on this. I have a number of friends who will not use it as they have broken ankles from it.
I couldnt get that link to work but r u talking about a flowrider? those i can see being a liitle dangerous...i thnk something along the line of the sunway lagoon in malaysia might be able to work financially, theres a fair bit of footage of it in the taj burrow fair bits movie if anyones seen it its a pretty simple concept...
I think the major problem getting funding is the same thing on this board peoples perceptions that the demand wouldnt be there or the money for that matter...snowboarding, wakeboarding both sports cater to the middle upper class due to the expense, and are extremly popular in southern ontario, surfing if it was available indoors year round would attract a fair amount of these people with the money to pay for it 60 bucks for a lift pass, 100 bucks for gas for the weekend, 80 bucks to ride a wavepool its all relative...i was in sumbawa in the middle of a jungle and 40 guys were out between the three breaks last janurary=more surfers, very few uncrowded spots sooner or later were going to need to create more waves especially here were we dont get many
I'm in between on this one. I've been to surf contests at Typhoon Lagoon to see Slater and crew rip, and it's a damn good, fun wave. If we had a wave tank here I'd ride it 'occasionally' just for the novelty of it and to get some stand up time. At the same time I think the best part of surfing is the search, trying new spots, being out in the water and nature. Lets just say that if I didn't surf I'd still be combing the shoreline, but wouldn't be at a wave pool. As a surfer, though, the attraction of a consistent good wave in clean water is pretty hard to pass up...
Dan
But what are you going to do when Winter comes and liquid is solid?
October 22 2005, 10:50 AM
Are you going to go inside and surf or walk on a frozen beach dreaming about surfing? There is no choice right now. There is no surf park here and the whole idea is just some fantasy until I hit the 649 tonight and build a surf park with a flying motorcycle ride, a Mayor Masiello pie target range, built on property that was once a marina.
Come howling into the wind with us today and win black beans, rice, and a chance to live a wild dream.
