The PaddlerUK magazine September 2015 issue 4 | Page 54

PADDLERUK 54

Eager to get into the water,
we quickly checked in to our onsite pod,
changed and headed for the lagoon for our four
hour slot.
The time had finally come, we were sat in the
lagoon, which was completely flat at this point,
wondering where the wave was going to appear
from, and if we would be given any indication of
when the wave would start.There was no siren or
any other alert. We saw the top of the plough
slowly move backwards away from us, then all of a
sudden, at an increased pace, it changed its
direction and started moving forwards towards us.
This jacked up a wave right in front of us which we
paddled for and took off on.The emergence of the
wave from nowhere was such an impressive sight.

Left high and dry

Now heading towards the outside of the lagoon
which is fenced, I was keen to get off the wave
so threw myself into a roll to pull off but found
myself in ten to twelve inches of water. Minus
some skin from my knuckles, I was still on the
wave making a beeline for the fence, with fins
dragging over the mesh bottom of the sides of
the lagoon. I ended up hitting the fence, and was
left high and dry with the water disappearing
back down into the lagoon. Looking over to the
other side of the lagoon, I saw that Jack was high
and dry on the other side. Chris, however, was
grinning from ear to ear on the advanced peak.
With only one surfer per peak we continued to
take turns on the advanced and intermediate
peaks. After several sets of fins being worn out

The emergence of the wave from
nowhere was such an

impressive sight

the beginner bay. At this point we decided that
we would be unhappy for our demo boats to be
used on the intermediate wave, as the boats
were being were taking a battering.

Inexperienced surfer

We also considered that the more
inexperienced surfer would be potentially using
the intermediate wave and could cause
themselves some serious pain and damage in the
boats due to the dangers of the shallow water
and possible lack of control.
Surfing the advanced peak was a whole different
experience. Whilst it wasn’t the two-metre
barrelling wave that we expected, it was a fast fun
wave. Due to the nature of the wave, pulling you to
the side of the lagoon, you constantly try and stay
in position and in front of the white water. Anything
but the fastest of boats would struggle to get out
of the white water and back into the green.
Like many static and consistent features, the wave
has its sweet spots and the more you surf it, the
sweeter the spot becomes.The usual bottom
turns, cut backs and top turns are all achievable on
the waves. It gives you the ideal platform to analyse
your own and others’ surfing techniques and styles,
and the opportunity to practice and improve the
same moves in the same spot on the same wave
until you get it dialled. Whilst the Wavegarden is
not a substitute for an ocean wave, it is
nevertheless, a fantastic and consistent facility that
can only improve your surfing.

Like many static and consistent features, the wave has its sweet spots and the more
you surf it, the sweeter the spot becomes.

Chris was on the main peak near the pontoon,
Jack was in the middle of the lagoon where he
thought the intermediate wave would appear
and I was the other side of the lagoon looking
for the other intermediate wave, with the guys
from Wavegarden on the main peak. It became
apparent quite quickly that I was too far over,
cruising around the white water, looking for
intermediate wave. Unfortunately, the wave was
very similar to that created by a river bore,
where the white water pushes you out towards
the sides. I quickly realised that this was not the
place to be in a surf kayak.

by the mesh at the sides of the lagoon, we soon
realised that you could surf the intermediate
peak as long as you stayed out of the white
water. However, the wave didn’t take shape until
three quarters of the way down the lagoon,
where it got fast and hollow and rolled over into