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| Nathan reckons enough power for full wrap cutties. We agree! |
Nathan Banks is a New Zealand surfer that works up in the desert in Dubai. We found out that he has been sesisoning that crazy wave park that Globe's Dion Aguis has been surfing. Nathan has some amazing insights into the pool, who is behind the development and what else they have planned with none other than Kelly Slater. I am sure you wouldn't mind a quick pool session too after you have read what he has to say.
SNZ: Where is the wave
park located and how far away from your base?
NB: The wave pool is in Al Ain which is a region of Abu Dhabi -
the Capital of the United Arab Emirates.
I'm based in Dubai and it's about 2 hours all up from leaving
home to paddling out.
SNZ: How many time have you been there?
NB: Lost count really.
Since about start of March - roughly once or twice a week, usually for at least
a two hour session or sometimes get a couple of sessions in a day.
SNZ: Describe the different waves and sizes it can produce.
Any comparisons to 'real' waves here in NZ?
NB: I'd say it's a lot
like Ngarunui beach in Rags or the Mount main beach at 2 - 3 foot. Maybe with a
bit more punch to it. Yeah seriously.
There are 4 main types
of waves - left, right, peak and a close out. I mostly surf the closeout
which is pretty much a left and right coming together. There's a decent inside
section to hit. Same wave Dion surfs in Globe's Electric Blue Heaven clip.
Although, they stopped the pool for about 4 or 5 min to get that quality. Usually
its set on 90 secs a wave so it's not as smooth as that wave but definitely fun
as.
The size varies mostly
from setting 2 - 6. Around 4 - 5 setting size is best (just over head high). 2
for learners and 6 just too much water movement in the pool and can't settle
quick enough.
Even when on one setting each wave is different - and from one
day to the next there's real variation depending on the wind and get this, the
amount/level of water in the pool!
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| End seciton of the close out take one |
End section of the close out take two |
SNZ: Do you know any background to the wave park, who
owns it and how much it cost?
NB: Tamouh a
development arm of the Abu Dhabi Government (Royal Family) built the complex -
Select Contracts where the head Contractor for the park (they have an exclusive
tie up with Slater to build his concept wave park). The pool is part of a
larger complex which has a full white water rafting circuit up to Grade 4 and
an Air Park. Rumor has it the pool was around USD75m and the whole park
USD220m. The pool alone holds 22 million gallons of water (13 in the pool and 9
in the overflow/dissipation system). There are 10 chambers that hold the water
and discharge in sequence depending on what style of wave you are after.
It seems to be a pretty basic system which is being refined (i.e. it's
meant to be able to pump out surf able waves every 45 seconds so they are
working on being able to dissipate the chop/backwash quicker. There's already
talk of building one 4 or 5 times the size of this one and using hydraulic
plates to change the contour of the pool floor to create different waves.
It could get pretty crazy this wave pool thing…..
SNZ: What is the damage on the pocket?
NB: AED100 per person
(about 35 bucks NZ) for an hour. But that's with another 5 guys in the
pool which doesn't work to well at 90 sec a wave and you've gotta wait your
turn in line. I usually try and hit it up with a mate or 2 at the most and book
out the whole pool. 2 guys at around NZ100 and you get 20 waves each (at 90 sec
a wave it pumps out around 40 per hour).
SNZ: Do you intend on heading back there?
NB: For sure. Even if
I wasn't stuck in the desert, it's definitely fun and I’d be hitting it. It'll
obviously never replace real surfing, but it's a real trip to be stuck in the
middle of the desert surfing a man-made wave…. Just check out Globe's
Electric Blue Heaven http://vimeo.com/44253174.
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