Machine vs. Mother Nature?

Why It’s Not a Competition

Wave pools are a luxury. Let’s just get that out of the way. Like snow sports, there is a barrier to entry but if you can afford it, wave pools are fun! Wave pools are also an opportunity. There are so many possibilities when you can control the wave and virtually guarantee a specific number of waves per hour. From learning as a beginner to training as a pro, wave pools are a unique aspect of the growth of surfing into the inland empire, as well as our coastlines. The idea of the local break really does take on a new meaning and who knows, maybe Rick Kane dreams from the movie the North Shore can come true.

From surf culture to performance surfing, there are a host of new opportunities for locals in places where surfing never existed. There are also longtime industry vets finding new opportunities to grow new and existing businesses. Now that surfing is an Olympic sport, and pool technology and innovation are on fire, it would seem that surfing’s limitations of the coastlines are starting to be a thing of the past.

Wave pools don’t compare to the ocean, period. Nature immersion, the sea life, the smell of salt air, and the pure, natural, endless energy flowing into waves we are so blessed to ride, are some of the amazing elements the ocean provides. You can learn a lot more beyond surfing in Mother Nature than man-made, but you can really hone your skills in wave pools in ways that are hard to replicate in nature. I’d say too many people want to say one is better than the other whereas I think wave pools and ocean surfing are complimentary to each other. Palm Springs Surf Club with its SurfLoch technology has a certain feel to the energy in the water that feels a little more like the ocean than some of the other systems but it’s still different. Similar to venturing out beyond your local break, you have to get to know these different wave pools and the nuances of how each one breaks. Sometimes it takes a few waves to get into the flow. It’s a machine, but are you? ;)

One thing I love about the ocean is the price, but you have to want it to get your wave count and reps in. Similarly you gotta want it to surf these killer new wave pools and will need some funds to get into those man-made beauties. There are lots of killer waves out there now and you can get barreled. It’s totally worth it in my opinion. Keep in mind that this ain’t Rick Kane’s pool. These are legit wave making marvels that will likely humble you but once you lock in, they can also deliver the glory we surfers yearn for!