Wavepools are taking to the sky!

Words by Morgan Williamson 

The wavepool scene’s a sizzling reality, it’s strange as imagination. But before we dive in allow for a bit of speculation based upon information presented to me on a seemingly weekly basis.

Wavepools are an unstoppable force; a juggernaut. Soon enough we will have a wavepool in every major city, every rural area, beach and roof top. The ocean will become obsolete, lineups will thin and wind and swell will drown in irrelevance. We will surf at night beneath stadium lights while rolling hills of water generate in chlorinated boxes. Hair will turn green, and by 2020 there will be a World Wavepool League. Surfers will no longer be differentiated by what kind of board they ride, or their ‘hipster-ness’ for whatever that means. It’ll be chlorine v salt. This new bipartisan surf scene will get along as long as neither impedes upon the others domain, there will be peace at last!

Now, acquaint yourself with The Sky Surf Park at SKYPLEX in Orlando, Florida. How suiting, why should the ‘theme park capitol of the world’ miss out on the artificial wave venture? The cool cats over at American Wave Machines thought about this and said, “fuck boys, let’s stick one of these puppies on a rooftop.” Well, actually if we are clueing in on some factual half-assed journalism, according to a press release something a bit more professional came from their mouths: “With surfing as one of the most aspirational of all sports and recreations, and with Orlando being one of the most visited cities in the world, Sky Surf Park will become a leading out-of-ocean surf destination,” Bruce McFarland the founder and president of American Wave Machines said. “The iconic concept put forth by SkyPlex Orlando owners aligns with our vision for premium surf destinations in urban environments.”

Rob Kelly in a SurfSteam tunnel wearing a steamer. Photo: SurfSteam

In 2018 a new rooftop wave pool with be born, 10 stories high. The surf park will be complete with a beach atmosphere, a beachside cafe with large patio seating, food, a full bar, signature cocktails and craft beers. The wave will break right, it’ll break left. It’s going to pitch six foot barrels with 35 feet of face for the experienced chlorine guys to exhibit their rail prowess. The park will also include ‘broad’ faced waves, training and intermediate settings. It’s called SurfSteam technology, so versatile, so hot!