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.
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This was in Taranaki Daily News today, Friday, 18 April 2008:
quote:
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Key step forward for artificial surf reef
The bags are all in but they are not breaking-out the champagne at Opunake's artificial surf reef just yet.
Contractors placed the last of the reef's 27 geo-textile bags in position this week.
The reef, which was the first to be finished in New Zealand, just needed a little fine-tuning, Reef Trust acting chairman Neil Walker said.
The total cost of the project is not yet known but so far more than $1.7 million has been spent.
The trust has made an application to the NZ Community Trust for $400,000 but it has not been approved.
Mr Walker said the entire structure was in place but some bags needed to be completely filled and there was other filling that needed to be done around the bags. "It is sort of fine-tuning things that still has to be done."
Mr Walker said he was pleased with the result after the problems which have plagued construction in previous years. "It is kind of experimental in the filling of the bags. This year because they knew what they are doing and they've got the right equipment the bags have just gone in."
The reef was already showing signs of its potential.
"We have already got it breaking on a couple of points, at this stage."
Mr Walker said the filling should take seven days. "After that you have to look at it again and decide if that is adequate. If you are not satisfied or you feel that it could be better then there may have to be some further slight adjustments."
Mr Walker said he was taking a cautious approach and didn't want to celebrate prematurely.
"I'm not cracking open the champagne cork until I'm really satisfied we have got really what we want."
Mr Walker could not say how much it was going to cost to finish the reef.
The project was first mooted by oceanographer Kerry Black of ASR Ltd (Amalgamates Solutions and Research) in 1999.
Yesterday Mr Black did not return telephone calls from the Taranaki Daily News and ASR project manager David Neilson would not answer questions about how much it would cost to complete the reef or when it would be completed.
By LEIGHTON KEITH leighton.keith@tnl.co.nz
© Fairfax New Zealand Limited 2007
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Surfers await swell after latest reef work
Bay of plenty times
15.06.2008
By Alison King
Bay surfing personality Josh Guinness has thrown down the gauntlet to builders of Mount Maunganui's artificial reef.
Project designer Amalgamates Solutions and Research Ltd (ASR) has completed four days of work on the reef and says it's better than ever.
But Mr Guinness said he would wait until the next swell - predicted for next week - to try it out and experience the "noticeable difference" ASR promises.
Mr Guinness said he would happily eat humble pie if proven wrong.
ASR project manager Shaw Mead told the Bay of Plenty Times he was excited about the work on the Tay St reef and that it would produce noticeable breaks, especially on the right-hand side.
"The Port and our divers have done an amazing job," Mr Mead said. "We're very excited."
Split sandbags have been replaced and new sandbags have been added.
Mr Mead said three 50m sandbags on the right-hand side and the two parts of the reef had been filled in to complete the delta shape. Two 25m sandbags have also been put down on the offshore part of the reef. The split sandbags were covered by insurance payouts but an extra $45,000 has been spent on new containers.
"There are still a few things to do - we want to put in a few small bags where there are gaps from previous work," Mr Mead said.
Mr Guinness said he was still waiting to experience the world-class waves promised at the start of the project.
"We've heard the same thing over and over. I don't mind eating humble pie if it does work."
He reminded the Bay of Plenty Times of last year's New Zealand Pro national competition held at Tay St when competitors avoided the reef. The next swell was due in about 10 days.
The Mount Reef project has cost $1.5 million including $300,000 from Tauranga City Council.
Plans for the reef were proposed in the late 1990s and work started in November 2005.
Keen surfer Dan Baigent, who lives close to the reef site, said he was still holding out for the world-class waves. "It will be good to see once it's up and running. At the beginning of last year I saw a good wave breaking off it but I've not seen any since.
"I've seen a few body boarders but no one surfing - people tend to surf either side of it."
Like other surfers, he had been waiting for a "very long time" for the reef to be finished.
"I think the reef will be condition dependent - great waves will depend on the direction of the swell."
This article featured on the front page of the Taranaki Daily News, Thursday June 7, 2007.
quote:
‘More cash’ would help speed up reef work
More money would speed up completion of Opunake’s problem plagued artificial surf reef, its designer says.
Yesterday, oceanographer Kerry Black, of ASR Ltd (Amalgamates Solutions and Research), said a bigger budget would reduce the amount of time it took to build the reef.
“We would get out in shorter weather windows and push through the winter and that would make it happen faster,” Mr Black said.
He did not think that would be a good use of public money though.
Opunake’s coastline was a very difficult environment to work in and required extreme caution with costs, Mr Black said.
“Those costs can blow out very quickly, because every time you mobilise a crew there are costs involved. So we need long weather windows.”
Mr Black says ASR was given a strong message from the Opunake Surf Reef Trust that quality and budget were the primary concerns and time was never of the essence.
Crews were only mobilised when they knew there was a substantial weather window and, unfortunately, there were a lot of waves this year, he said.
“I’ve always said that it is two months of actual construction time, but that could spread over one or two years, if the waves happen to be large during that period.”
Mr Black admitted there had been delays but that didn’t mean failure.
“I think it is always possible to have delays when you have got uncertainty in the ocean. It is a very difficult environment to work in and the construction budget is limited.”
He remained confident the reef would be completed despite concern from the public about its viability.
“The reef can, and will, be finished. Absolutely it will work.”
Mr Black says the technology is not experimental but there is a learning curve. “There are aspects of the engineering that are novel.”
“No one has ever built a reef like this in open ocean conditions, like Opunake, which is a very difficult location.” Construction costs increase when reefs are built in places with a good swell, he says.
The finished reef will not guarantee waves though, Mr Black says.
“Reefs don’t produce waves, the swell is produced naturally - reefs break waves. You can go to the best surf break in the world and it could be flat or not breaking perfectly.
“It is never designed to be perfect every day.”
It has been eight years since Mr Black first promised, in 1999, to build the reef which would produce world class waves and put the small coastal town on the map.
The South Taranaki District Council gave $1.1 million to the project, which has almost all been spent.
But the reef remains incomplete.
Mr Black says the reef is highly likely to be finished by May 2008, but conceded that if the weather did not play its part, there could be further delays.
Opunake Reef Trust chairman David Lusk said he could not comment on spending more money.
“That is something I think we need to discuss with Kerry, it is news to me,” he said.
Mr Lusk says there are other avenues the trust could look at to find the funding.
South Taranaki District Council Mayor Mary Bourke said she could not say if the council would come up with more money to quickly complete the reef.
“That is a pretty disappointing comment to be hearing at this stage of the game, because there has been no feedback along those lines up until now, that I’ve heard of,” Miss Bourke said.
By LEIGHTON KEITH
leighton.keith@tnl.co.nz
Taranaki Daily News
Underwater check on 'surf grief'
By RICHARD WOODD - Taranaki Daily News Last updated 05:00 15/04/2009 Share Print Text Size Relevant offers
Surf reef representatives say they will be back in Opunake this week to do an underwater inspection of what some locals are now calling the "surf grief".
But the Raglan-based designer and contractor, ASR Ltd, is keeping its options open about when the reef might be completed and operational.
ASR director Shaw Mead says divers and engineers expect to be on site for a day by the end of this week when expected northeasterlies should provide calm and clear water.
"We are preparing now to come down for a full underwater inspection and measurement and decide what is required to complete the reef so it makes a wave. It won't require an overnight stay, as we'll be on the road by 4am."
Doing a detailed dive survey while the water is warm and then preparing bags and equipment meant the actual reef work could be done when there is a calm weather window of several days, which could be as late as July.
The water would then be too cold for divers, but they would not be required for that phase anyway.
"We will have three divers on the survey, using video and various measuring devices to see what gaps need to be filled and to even out the top level. We will then work out the most efficient way of doing this.
"Currently we favour having 6.5 cubic metre geotextile bags made to measure, filled with sand onshore and placed by 15-tonne long-neck digger from a work barge. The bags will weigh up to 10 tonnes each. The exact locations will be marked by GPS and buoys.
"The ends of the existing bags also need to be filled because the sand and gravel mix we used did not work well enough and this will probably require slurry pumping through the 100mm pipeline."
Dr Mead estimates the cost of the completion work at $60,000-$70,000 and payment is the responsibility of the Opunake Surf Reef Trust, which is underwritten by the South Taranaki District Council.
The trust, ASR and an engineering consultant contracted to the STDC agreed at a meeting in New Plymouth in February to proceed with the completion work when conditions are favourable, rather than wait until the trust has raised the money.
"They have assured us they can," Dr Mead said.
"We're doing what we can to help, we're happy to be billed later.
"We will then see if the reef meets the contracted performance specifications. ASR will meet the costs of any additional work required after that."
Surf reef trust chairman David Lusk hasn't heard the cynical local label "surf grief" but says it doesn't surprise him. "It's typical of what some people have been saying about this project all along. It doesn't bother me, I'm thick-skinned. I just shrug them off and say wait until it's finished.
"We've been hoping the reef would be finished this summer and although we're running out of summer, it's good news that ASR are preparing the completion work.
"We do need more money and I'm confident we'll get there without having to go back to the council."
Underwater check on 'surf grief'
By RICHARD WOODD - Taranaki Daily News Last updated 05:00 15/04/2009 Share Print Text Size Relevant offers
Surf reef representatives say they will be back in Opunake this week to do an underwater inspection of what some locals are now calling the "surf grief".
But the Raglan-based designer and contractor, ASR Ltd, is keeping its options open about when the reef might be completed and operational.
ASR director Shaw Mead says divers and engineers expect to be on site for a day by the end of this week when expected northeasterlies should provide calm and clear water.
"We are preparing now to come down for a full underwater inspection and measurement and decide what is required to complete the reef so it makes a wave. It won't require an overnight stay, as we'll be on the road by 4am."
Doing a detailed dive survey while the water is warm and then preparing bags and equipment meant the actual reef work could be done when there is a calm weather window of several days, which could be as late as July.
The water would then be too cold for divers, but they would not be required for that phase anyway.
"We will have three divers on the survey, using video and various measuring devices to see what gaps need to be filled and to even out the top level. We will then work out the most efficient way of doing this.
"Currently we favour having 6.5 cubic metre geotextile bags made to measure, filled with sand onshore and placed by 15-tonne long-neck digger from a work barge. The bags will weigh up to 10 tonnes each. The exact locations will be marked by GPS and buoys.
"The ends of the existing bags also need to be filled because the sand and gravel mix we used did not work well enough and this will probably require slurry pumping through the 100mm pipeline."
Dr Mead estimates the cost of the completion work at $60,000-$70,000 and payment is the responsibility of the Opunake Surf Reef Trust, which is underwritten by the South Taranaki District Council.
The trust, ASR and an engineering consultant contracted to the STDC agreed at a meeting in New Plymouth in February to proceed with the completion work when conditions are favourable, rather than wait until the trust has raised the money.
"They have assured us they can," Dr Mead said.
"We're doing what we can to help, we're happy to be billed later.
"We will then see if the reef meets the contracted performance specifications. ASR will meet the costs of any additional work required after that."
Surf reef trust chairman David Lusk hasn't heard the cynical local label "surf grief" but says it doesn't surprise him. "It's typical of what some people have been saying about this project all along. It doesn't bother me, I'm thick-skinned. I just shrug them off and say wait until it's finished.
"We've been hoping the reef would be finished this summer and although we're running out of summer, it's good news that ASR are preparing the completion work.
"We do need more money and I'm confident we'll get there without having to go back to the council."
time nor Tide, bournemouth says...
4:39am Sun 19 Apr 09
ok
mack and myer are back in town.
lets do this checklist again
mackintossers yep
oops read macintoshes
rain -still wet
wet rain -still 1gm/c
reefbag 'waterproof" sheafs yep
check shoelaces done up at front door before leaving rented flat. yes
(special care each shoe has a lace that only ties to itself -definetly not the other)
everyone have his correct things to say like " we will work so hard no to "trip" on our shoelaces again and the opanke reef is a really good sucess -its all lies that they call it the surf grief reef.
free wax in pockets to pass out o the kiddies as they wait for the reef to be finished -yes
too bad they forot that water as rain has weight and that means that wet things are heavierrrrrrrrrrr//
For ocean-based artificial surfing reefs, the enthused scientists and staff of ASR are not only designing the reefs, but they offer a turnkey, “cradle to grave” organization, which means they also design the construction and deployment methods that put the reefs in the water, and then prefer to do the dirty work themselves.
You definitely know these guys are surfers by the name of the method they invented to get those monstrous sand bags into the water – R.A.D. AKA, Rapid Accurate Deployment – a patented, efficient, and sophisticated system of barges, cranes, and nylon webbing that is designed to lay hundreds of yards and thousands of tons of geotextile bags ever-so-gingerly onto the sea floor.
“Being extremely precise in physically deploying the bags so that they are true to the measurements and models developed for each reef is absolutely essential,” Black explains. “Once the bags are laid and filled, there’s not much you can do to easily move them, so getting them positioned right the first time is fundamental.”
fickle
Adjective
1. changeable in purpose, affections, etc.: notoriously fickle voters
2. (of the weather) changing often and suddenly [Old English ficol deceitful]
fickleness n
is what blacks own partner says the mount reef is .
it stand to reason that black defendin g the reef is also ..... fickle? or ficol?
Troubled reef job to continue
By RICHARD WOODD richard.woodd@tnl.co.nz - Taranaki Daily News Last updated 23:40 09/02/2009SharePrint Text Size Relevant offers
The Opunake surf reef contractor will complete the reef to contract specification, despite the reef trust having run out of money.
ASR Ltd of Raglan, has agreed to wait for payment.
The trust chairman David Lusk said this was the main outcome of yesterday's meeting in New Plymouth. "We agreed the cost of completion, estimated at $60,000-70,000, would not be a barrier.
"They have agreed to keep their costs to a minimum and wait for payment. We've assured them they will be paid," he said.
He said the trust-owned slurry pipeline and some associated gear would be given to ASR as part payment.
South Taranaki Mayor Ross Dunlop says the council paid the last $400,000 worth of bills and is reluctant to pay any more.
ASR director Shaw Mead says there is also an ASR management fee outstanding, but he declined to say how much. And the Taranaki Daily News understands two local contractors are owed $5000 each for sand supply and transport.
Dr Mead said after the meeting:
"We have agreed to complete the reef and wait for payment and there will be an agreement to that effect. The job has to be finished this summer, we don't want it dragging on any longer. We've agreed this is important."
ASR completed a survey of the reef at the weekend in clear underwater conditions, using a depth-sounder and diver with video.
"We're very happy there has been no movement of the bags since we pulled out last summer. About 15 per cent of the bags remain to be filled up to get the shape. We know it will make a wave when this is done."
Mr Lusk said: "ASR acknowledge they did get some things wrong which resulted in only four bags being filled in the first two years and that delay has cost us money. ASR were contracted to secure 28 bags to the seabed and fill them with sand. The end sections of those bags remain to be filled to create the shape that causes a wave. It's not certain when the work will be done at this stage but they have agreed to proceed.
"We have plenty of expert people capable of judging whether the reef meets the contract specifications. At that point any further work required to produce the wave will be at ASR's cost."
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