Boscombe Spa Village Surfing

Surf's up!

Boscombe's artificial surf reef will be a first for Europe and one of only five in the world. It has been designed to create bigger waves - and better surfing.

How does it work?

The planned surf reef is not at all like an artificial wave generating machine which you might encounter in an indoor swimming pool. The Boscombe reef will consist of a series of 55 giant geo-textile sand bags carefully placed on the seabed approximately 240 metres to the east of Boscombe Pier and 225 metres out from the beach.

By acting as a giant ramp, the sand bags will push the natural incoming waves upwards as they crest over the reef, shaping them into good quality surfing waves. This should greatly improve surfing conditions and the number of quality surfing days at Boscombe, in swells of 0.5 metres and larger. In calm weather, during the summer, the reef should create a lagoon-effect along the shoreline making for a safer swimming.

View a demonstration model of the Boscombe Surf Reef in action. This is a Quicktime file and may take a few moments to download.

What about the environment?

The reef is designed for surfing, using only the sustainable power of nature to make it work. Research suggests the reef will also protect the coast from erosion and form a habitat for marine wildlife. The impact of the reef will be closely monitored by Bournemouth University.

What will the reef be made from?

55 giant geo-textile bags, filled with specially procured beach sand, carefully placed on the seabed. The reef will cover an area the size of a football pitch, some of the bags being up to 70 metres long and weighing 2,500 tonnes.

How will it be built?

As part of the recent beach replenishment programme at Portman Ravine, extra sand was placed on the beach here for later use for the surf reef. Starting 5th May for a period of approximately 2 weeks, sand is being transferred overnight to a location between groynes 23 to 26 opposite the surf reef location by Barratt's Honeycombe Chine apartment development. This transfer of sand is taking place overnight to avoid disruption to day time beach users.

Over the summer, the empty sand bags will arrive from Australia and be lowered onto the seabed by divers from a barge boat.

A small section of beach in front of Honeycombe Beach development will be fenced off, from which sand will be pumped down a flexible pipeline leading out to sea, filling each of the sand bags in turn.

The beach will remain open to visitors throughout the construction period.

When will it be finished?

Construction of the surf reef is scheduled for completion at the end of October 2008, subject to calm weather conditions necessary for its installation.

How will the reef be safely managed once completed?

The Council will regularly inspect and maintain the reef and provide year round life-guard cover in conjunction with the RNLI. The reef area will be marked out by buoys to help control motorised watercraft. Clear safety signage including surf etiquette will be placed at all the entrances onto the beach within the surf reef area east of Boscombe Pier.

A licenced surf school will be on hand to advise and train those insufficiently expierenced enough to use the reef on quieter stretches of beach elsewhere.

How will the reef benefit surfing locally?
Boscombe Pier and its land-based facilities are currently very tired and in need of resurrection. A recent study has revealed that there are currently 77 good surfing days per annum, with a total of over 5,000 surf visits to Boscombe annually. With the reef in place, the height of the waves along this part of the coast and the number of good surfing days will be doubled and will be more than capable of hosting around 10,000 surf visits per annum.

A recent Council Economic Impact Assessment has suggested that the reef will create an image value of £10million per annum resulting from a variety of publications and media interest on a national scale. It would generate a huge stimulus for equipment retailing, surf training schools, accommodation, drink and food and would create an estimated 60 full-time and 30 part-time jobs.

Do surfers actually spend any money?
Yes, rather a lot! It costs around £500 just to get kitted out for surfing in the first place. Then there are the numerous positive knock-on effects – tuition costs, accommodation and entertainment, which an economic assessment suggests will mean growth in small businesses in the area to support surfers and spectators. A recent survey in Cornwall revealed that surfers actually spend 8% more than other holidaymakers.

Useful links

Bournemouth Tourism - The Surf Reef

RNLI Beach Safety