Wave pools have long been heralded as the solution to flat spell doldrums. And they might be – if you have access to them. Recently, Aritz Aranburu scored an invite to Wavegarden’s Basque research and development facility, despite a lack of swell across southwestern Europe, and was able to thread some tubes and put his boards on rail to stay in QS fighting shape.
Meanwhile, over in Florida, surfers are lamenting Kelly Slater Wave Company recently shelving plans to develop a second facility in Palm Beach County, especially given a flat spell that’s seemingly lasted for months in the Atlantic.
The proliferation of wave pools to the point where there’s a functioning one in striking distance of every surfer in North America may be what developers are selling to investors. And when Mother Nature ain’t producing, it can be an attractive idea to surf communities everywhere. But, for now there are only three options available to the wave starved surfer – score an invite to a private facility like Wavegarden or Surf Ranch (must be nice), book a ticket to Waco or Wales, or grit and bear it.
