Thursday, June 7, 2007

consumers revolt on artificial surfing reefs

world wide there seems to be a phenomena of a mass debate of support for artificial surfing reefs. Fuelled by the promise of all the good things that one can think of for good surfing conditions the mass debate has resulted in a few being commenced but with a lack of good technical goverance on coastal engineering and construction management by the promoters .

One at Mt Manganui is generally played down as a dysmal failure but is recognised as being "very far from a sucess" by the local surfers. In fact the surfing community in the Mount feel extremely betrayed the the lack of progress and the lack of sucess as promised throughout the "marketing" of the concept. the mass debate continues with some others in other areas adopting the "springfield phenomena" of "it will good" as springield mooted the monorail. The chanting of cartman in "southpark" and then the town following in his "vie mussen der juden oussraten" and his subsequent "grounding" for wanting to exterminate the jews in the next episode almost show the mass debate that takes place and how people can follow blindless in a dream of one for his own self gratification.

The following story published as shown explains what the mass debating has produced.

A description of the initial construction day reads like a scene of spielberg directing "apocalyps now" and the beach scene - except substitute the words "i luuuve the smell of greenbacks" as the chopper (yes chopper flys by at $1000/hr or so) the chief mass debater is quoted many times of being able to produce a product for a price but many people are being " coverted" from the cult status that some in the coastal engineering world call the mass-debating wave reef phenomena.

The conversion factor - the slow unravelling of the truth in what the difference is between what we dream, what we wish, what can be and what will be becomes painfull reality as the euphoria of "it will be good" rubs off. Meanwhile the "sideshow Bob" of the episode is his usual comedy role self with a patented novelty gadget as his main claim to fame. Built it and the children will pay like a scene from one building a basball stadium in the middle of nowhere.

traditional "blind freddy " spoke minutes after commencment of the opanake reefand said where is the supervising engineer"? he had seen a documentary called Seven wonders of the engineering world and the particular episode was "the bell rock lighthouse". Or how engineers in the very early 19th century had constructed a lighthouse on the "bell rock" off the scottish coast. Working for a few hours in a very small amount of time within a year it was and still is highly sucessfull.

The key word "engineers", just as when a fortress was in danger of falling a competant and experienced engineer was asked "will the fortress stand" and the answer determining what action a commander took for his role.

Where are the competant. experienced and diligent engineers for the Opanake reef - where it not so sad for the opanake residents they are no doubt saying little as for example "no comment"

Would it have been a sucess by now if coastal engineers where the providers - who knows , but the construction method of the narrowneck reef ( ocean going split hopper barge) would have been far more reliable for producing results. Maybe not as precise for "the perfect wave" but at least not spent all the money without producing anything. A local; well adjusted surfer and business person has stated that "at the current progress and success rate the reef will cost $10m". oops the mass debate ends as the reality bites

\ On the rocks?;Surf reef: Nearly $1.1 million spent and still no SURFING;BEACHES;BUILDING INDUSTRY : NEWS : NATIONALCaption(s): Jody Hunn (left) and his twin Reece: We've given up.;Photo: Mike Scott;Kerry Black of ASR, which undertook to build the reef.;Graphic: The vision fades - an artist's impression of the reef in actionEdition: 1 Words: 597 Source: WAVES of discontent are breaking over Opunake's long awaited artificial surf reef.Oceanographer Kerry Black, of Artificial Surf Reefs Ltd, first promised in 1999 to build the reef which would put the small coastal Taranaki town on the map.Eight years later the problem- plagued project continues to flounder, frustrating and angering both supporters and opponents.The South Taranaki District Council allocated $1.1 million to the project.The Opunake Surf Reef Trust has spent most of the cash but has had a promise of more money from another source, chairman David Lusk says.Back in 2005, Dr Black told Opunake and Mt Maunganui residents he hoped the reefs would be completed in about two months depending on the weather.This week ASR reef construction manager David Neilson says building the reefs involves an element of trial and error.Mr Neilson listed a number of reasons, including bad weather and equipment failure, to explain why work had not progressed.Dr Black could not be contacted yesterday as he is overseas.Supporter and reef committee member Craig Dingle, of Opunake, believes the reef can be finished but wants a cut-off point."If they have trouble this time (next summer) then they could just have to say enough is enough," Mr Dingle says.Local surfing twins Jody and Reece Hunn (32) did not want the reef built but once it gained approval they adopted a wait-and-see attitude."Now we have got to the stage where we have given up on it ever being finished."They believe the reef's potential was exaggerated from the start by ASR, which showed video footage of powerful waves breaking in Bali to help sell the idea.The town had been used as guinea pig by ASR selling something that was yet to be proven, the Hunn twins say."You are never going to get the swell, it will never get world class."James Hoare, who runs the New Zealand Surf School from dunes overlooking Mt Maunganui's incomplete reef, says artificial reefs like natural reefs do not make waves.He says ASR hypes things up, making the reef sound like it is going to produce big waves like Hawaii.He believes Mt Maunganui's reef was a waste of money."It has created a good wave, but only for two hours in the last five months."Mr Hoare says Opunake should have waited to see working proof before getting involved.The Mount's reef had created rips and holes along the beach making it hazardous for swimmers.Mr Neilson was quick to explain the company did not build reefs, it only designed them.ASR is the project manager for Opunake's reef and the rest of the work is contracted out."Unless something has been done 100 times or more and there is a big production line, it is trial and error."Everything was now in place to complete the reef and contractors were just waiting for the right weather conditions."It will be completed, there is no doubt. It is a case of we've got to get on with it. I know people are wondering why it has taken a hell of a lot of time, it has done."Mr Neilson says the reef should be completed next summer.Mr Lusk says there is an indemnity clause in the contact which guarantees the reef will work when finished.However, that could take years."I think it is a matter of timing and weather conditions. It may take another year, it may take another two".Supporters were unable to agree if ASR told them building the reef was experimental.