First Look at New Artificial Wave Tech That’s So Glassy It Doesn’t Seem Real

Let’s rewind all the way back to 2019 when an exhaustive, groundbreaking, and absolutely real study confirmed that there will be more waves in pools than in the ocean by 2050. While (shocker) the headline was a joke (authored by a contributing writer named Johnny Utah, remember), the sentiment is still very much real.

At the time there were reportedly 45 wave pools under construction or open to the public. We were really just a few years into surfing’s wave pool era. But already well on our way to losing track of how many manmade waves were being cranked out at any given time in any given corner of the world. Parks open and close with regularity now. New developments are announced weekly. And new technologies are introduced just as often.

Ironically, not too long after that satire piece was published back in 2019, a company called Endless Surf was laying the groundwork to develop and launch its own wave-making tech. This week, the company finally revealed footage of one of its breaking waves for the first time. That goes to show how long these things take to become a reality. The short clip focuses mostly on a single wave breaking through a lagoon so glassy that the whole thing looks like a painting or an AI-generated image.

While a pool full of people and a machine cranking out wave after wave won’t maintain such pristine conditions, the clip is still pretty awe-inspiring. As for the wave itself, Endless Surf claims its tech pumps out “high-quality surf up to 2.1 meters high for rides of up to 18 seconds (single peak) or 9 seconds (split peak).” Of course, without a surfer on the wave, it’s not clear what size this particular face is.

When and where can you find one of these Endless Surf lagoons? According to Wave Pool Mag, a site called Surftown MUC is set to open later this summer in Munich. Presale vouchers for a session in that pool start at EUR 59 for beginner waves and EUR 79 for A-Frame.

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