The following should help adjust to the way reefs have been performing elsewhere and whilst not wanting to "knock" sucess by promotion the expectations should also be in line with what has happened in other instances. History is the experience that we need to judge the possibilities of the future.
Artificial surfing reefs have been created for surfing, coastal protection, habitat enhancement and coastal research. The world's first attempt was made in [[El Segundo]], near Los Angeles, in California. The next attempt was at Cables Stations Beach, Perth, Western [[Australia]]. This reef was constructed of large granite rocks placed in a pyramidal shape to form an appropriate breaking wave form that would suit surfers. An artificial reef constructed of over 400 massive, [[geotextile]] bags (each one larger than a bus) filled with sand was constructed in 2000 at Narrowneck on the [[Gold Coast, Queensland|Gold Coast]] of [[Queensland]], [[Australia]]. This artificial reef had two objectives: stabilizing [[beach nourishment]] and improving surfing conditions. Initially the structure produced some exceptional surfing conditions, however settlement of the geotexile sandbags, as well as huge differences between the design and final reef shape means that the surfing has only been moderately improved.
None of these have really been able to supply surfing amenity in a form that has any cost/benefit justification by any way of scrutiny
Artificial surfing reefs typically resemble a "submerged breakwater", and proponents have suggested additional benefits beyond improving surfing conditions. In Hawaii and California, long stretches of coast are subject to powerful waves that crash directly onshore. An artificial reef situated 150-300 yards offshore might not only create surfing opportunities but, by dissipating wave energy before it strikes the shore, create safer swimming areas and reduce coastal erosion.
The theory was attempted to put to practice at the ASR (artificial surfing reef) in Mount Manganui in New Zealand . Under the Stewardship of Kerry Black and Shaw Meade and their ocean consultancy ASR LTD a protracted and drawn out construction program has been far less than spectacular in its results for the community. Various reasons are to blame for this with nothing less than a Royal Commission needed to really learn what happened. But the result now is that one half of the reef is fully complete and the success can be individually judged on a daily basis at
www.mountreef.co.nz . The site needs to be visited often to appreciate for oneself what is occuring and one can be sure that any sucessfull set of circumstances will be widely reported to justify the great deal of effort and expenditure that has taken place.
There is a part of the approval that means it should be removed if necessary as it was only
ever approved for research by the University of Waikato. They have done follow up research and there is for some reason an embargo on their findings.
Another attempt by the same people was the OPanake reef, this time promises going back for many years for which a small town spend ten or twenty years of its community chest money to make happen.
Despite a great deal of knowledge on the ocean adjacent to ASR's headquarters, the methods used in the construction (based purportedly on the lessons learn from Managaui) failed spectacularly with over a Million dollars spent and only 10% of the reef being placed in the water. The community there is dismayed at the result and devastated at the lack of outcome for money spent. One local surfer has noted that there are 5 world class reef breaks with bicycle riding distance of the stalled reef and that it seems to have been a "funny " choice to have attempted to build a "faux" reef in such circumstances.
The supposed capabilities of the promoter, supplier and builder (turnkey) ASR Ltd are being questioned and various enquirys under way including an increased amount of "due diligence" in any new projects and the claims that they make in new promotions for the actual capability they have to provide an outcome for a stated cost -whether it be for recreation or for coastal protection.
One recording that is circulating has a presentation being universally soundly "laughed at" by a group of coastal and port engineers at a international conference because of its "outlandish" form of presentation. The presenter having to sincerley apologise to the audience for the way it was presented in an "over the top way" -it was more a form of entertainment rather than a scientific finding and the young presenters peers should have known better than to place him in such a circumstance. Their own behaviour and actions seen to be isolating them selves from a credible place amongst practicioners as people who can solve problems rather than create more than there was when they became involved. Even if it was a lot of money spend for nothing gained or neutral result.
The overall result seems to be that a commercial enterprise based on multifunction reefs is not sustainable because the cost benefit is proving negative. This is not to say that reefs do not have a place in coastal engineering and its application but they must be part of an overall assement that takes place rigidly and over time to be able to defend any application that is chosen on merit within that process. Selling a "product" on the basis of commerce alone is a risky business when it comes to amenity and coastal protection.
Amenity is more sustainably addressed by wave pools that can supply it 24/7 reliably and coastal protection is best based on thousands of years of coastal engineering design and practice with the occasional time that amenity happens not neglected. (waves, wind,weather,tide and day or night allowing). These circumstances being the main threat to "overwhelming reasons for artificial surfing reefs" ASR's for cost benefit perhaps being a "flawed product" on the basis of money spent and results gained.
Surfing and amenity will in the long run benefit long term and consistantly by well designed and implemented "wave pools" of which there is great promise being shown by the success of various projects. The "perfect wave" in any circumstance is still a fantasy that alludes us all in reality except with the usual travelling involved. It may take some time for that to be either appreciated by all or a great deal of money spent with little result.