User:MarkDhawaii

MarkDhawaii

MarkD 06:13, 9 February 2006 (UTC)

I live in Honolulu and am interested in a variety of disparate subjects, including propaganda & warfare, forestry, and urban planning along seashores, specifically, the development of the "coastal commons" by building greenbelts along the seashore for public use.

A particular interest at this point is using modern technology to build artificial surfing reefs and swimming lagoons, which, though not integral to coastal commons, definitely improves them.

Naturally occurring coastal conditions suitable for surfing and swimming are far less common than one would think; in Hawaii, for example, long sections of our coastline are inhospitable to surfers, swimmers and coastal walkers because of rocky cliffs or very shallow conditions (e.g., "reef flats").

Coastal modifications such as artificial surfing reefs, swimming lagoons and walking trails can remedy this situation. Artificial reefs may also help reduce coastal erosion by causing wave energy to dissipate some distance from shore.

Artificial surfing reefs are a relatively new development; man-made reefs historically have been built to enhance marine habitat, and this is usually done in deep water (more than 10 meters) some distance from shore. Scuttling old ships is a common method.

Nations including Australia, New Zealand, and England have built or are discussing building artificial surfing reefs (with considerable enthusiasm!), but thus far little interest has been shown in the U. S. outside the surfing community. Moreover, in many nations, environmental opposition and extensive coastal development restrictions pose a major obstacle to such projects, especially the U.S.

Updated information and research about the pros and cons of building artificial surfing reefs is needed so coastal communities can intelligently discuss the merits of building these reefs.

resnubde@verizon.net
Mark Dougherty

MarkD 06:17, 9 February 2006 (UTC)

The following is also a extract from Surfermag

http://surfermag.com/features/onlineexclusives/stfrancisrejuvenate/

"If Dr. Mead’s other projects are anything to go by, the surfers in St. Francis Bay are in for a real treat. “In good conditions the right will be a very good barreling wave,” he says, adding that, “If you look at the Mt. Reef project in New Zealand, once it was completed we’ve seen 50 meter long barrel rides on that wave. And we are looking at probably a 100 meter long wave in St. Francis, so there will be a section in that which will be a high quality wave for competent to expert surfers.” "