Josh Kirkman’s Post

New: DSRT Surf is one of four surf parks that had been planned in recent years for the Coachella Valley, a water-stressed stretch of the Sonoran Desert southeast of Los Angeles. Land-locked aspiring surfers can already pay upwards of $125 an hour to ride waves in the Swiss Alps, on former farmland in the UK, and next year, in Virginia Beach, Virginia, just blocks from an actual surf break. Some wealthy surfers are even building eight-figure wave pools on their estates. Generating tens of millions of freshwater waves around the world requires enormous amounts of water, electricity and carbon-intensive concrete, and as surf parks proliferate, so has scrutiny of their climate footprint. Minimizing energy and water impacts is not only an economic necessity to make projects profitable but a cultural one as wave pool operators seek to attract customers to a sport defined by its environmental ethos, even as they transform the joyful randomness of riding waves in the ocean into a more regimented and transactional experience. Free link. https://lnkd.in/gZzwQpBG

These Women Are Reshaping the Surfboard Industry In a male-dominated arena, these five female shapers have firmly cemented their places in the shaping bay In a male-dominated arena, these five female shapers have firmly cemented their places in the shaping bay Rebecca ParsonsJun 21, 2024 For decades, surfing – and the industry supporting it – has been largely male dominated. But with each rotation of the earth, more and more women are gravitating towards surfing. In fact, according to Surf Industry Members Association, 40% of surfers are women. And with the growing population of female surfers, comes a rise in female surfboard shapers. We caught up with five incredible female shapers and learned how they got their start in shaping, what makes their boards unique, and what it’s like working in a male dominated industry. https://lnkd.in/eFrtypHS

Wade In The Water: A Journey Into Black Surfing And Aquatic Culture Set To Make Waves On Black Experience On Xfinity: Watch the Trailer Here Launched in 2021, Black Experience on Xfinity features the ultimate in Black storytelling from Black programming partners and film studios and has released a variety of original documentaries, like Wade in the Water, showcasing diverse talent and content creators. “We are thrilled to collaborate with award-winning director David Mesfin and his team, to bring this compelling documentary to the Black Experience on Xfinity channel," said Loren Hudson, SVP & Chief Diversity Officer, Connectivity and Platforms, Comcast. “Our goal with this channel is to facilitate the discovery of impactful films like Wade in the Water while providing a platform for emerging content creators and talent to reach wider audiences.” Directed by David Mesfin, an award-winning creative director and multidisciplinary designer, the film dives into the 1,000-year-old tradition of Black surfing. Through a blend of historical accounts and modern-day testimonials, Wade in the Water explores the rich, often overlooked, legacy of Black surfing and pays tribute to its current movement, inspiring a new generation of Black surfers. The documentary's journey across the globe has not only garnered critical acclaim but has also sparked conversations about diversity and inclusion within aquatic sports. Mesfin's directorial debut shines a light on the vibrant yet underrepresented world of Black surfing, offering viewers an insightful and moving narrative that challenges the status quo. "Wade in the Water is more than a film; it's a movement.” shared Director David Mesfin, “Our objective is not just to tell a story but to inspire change. We aim to ignite a passion for surfing within the Black community, challenge preconceived notions about who can be a surfer, and celebrate the rich history and culture of Black surfing." The film's release represents a pioneering step towards a community-based and disruptive independent film distribution model. By making Wade in the Water accessible to a global audience, Mesfin’s team hopes to continue the dialogue on Black aquatic culture, provide opportunities for surf and outdoor Black communities, and pave the way for a more inclusive future. For more information about the film, please visit https://lnkd.in/eQCSed8a. Black Experience on Xfinity is a first-of-its-kind destination of Black entertainment, movies, TV shows, news and more. Available at home on Xfinity X1 and Flex, and on-the-go with the Xfinity Stream app, the Black Experience on Xfinity features original and high-quality content from Comcast NBCUniversal and other major studios, in addition to content from many of Xfinity’s existing network partners, at no additional cost to Xfinity customers. Xfinity customers can access the Black Experience on channel…

I just got back from our summer beach trip to Playa Guiones area of Costa Rica. While my focus was to squeeze in several days of surfing once a year, of note was the Nosara Skate Park at the turn off entrance down into Playa Guiones. A relatively new park, the community did an amazing job of realizing the value of such progression recreation infrastructure, advocating and fundraising for it, and then implementing and installing it (and using it)! Their materials and programing show they "get it" when it comes not only to recreation infrastructure, but progression recreation infrastructure (https://lnkd.in/gr2HbX86). This park has a skate park focus (it is a surfing community after all), but also has a basketball court, some other play spaces and features, and a nice climbing wall installation, plus public art (sculpture and murals throughout). What really drew me, was the progression infrastructure aspect, particularly as to the skate park and the climbing wall. I live in a heavily climbing focused community in Colorado and we have some top notch climbing gyms and public outdoor climbing locations in the mountains, but we don't have any sort of free publicly/park accessible real progression climbing wall facility to introduce people to the activity, provide cost effective practice, and provide challenges to develop skills. If a small community in Costa Rica can realize the value and need for such kind of infrastructure and make it happen, surely more communities in the USA should be able to. I also believe that the climbing part of the OREC industry should look at more opportunities for such engagement and support to increase user numbers and, therein, consumer numbers.

 How Surf Lakes' Revolutionary #WaveTechnology Works 🌊 Surf Lakes has reimagined #wave generation with a unique and efficient technology that produces perfect, real-time sets of waves at multiple points, providing consistent, quality surf for riders at all levels. Their innovative approach is rooted in clever engineering, making wave generation accessible, low-maintenance, and eco-friendly. Here’s a quick breakdown of how it all comes together: 🔹 The Power of Air Compressors At the core of Surf Lakes' technology is a set of off-the-shelf air compressors. These machines, located conveniently on the shore, pump air into a caisson, which sends it through a specialized U-Tube under the lakebed. This process drives the machine’s primary mechanics, with compressed air propelling water into the U-Tube, effectively launching the machine upwards to create waves. 🔹 Gravity Meets Buoyancy Once the air pressure releases, gravity takes over. The air's force pushes water inside the U-Tube, setting in motion a concentric gravity wave that interacts with #Surf #Lakes’ custom-designed bathymetry, or artificial reefs, spread across the lake. As the main device descends, the buoyancy of the water “catches” it, positioning it for the next wave. 🔹 Multi-Wave Efficiency 🌊🌊🌊 Each time this process resets, a set of five waves is produced, breaking in various locations thanks to the lake’s strategic bathymetry. This setup not only allows multiple surfers to catch waves simultaneously but also offers different wave types to accommodate skill levels, from beginner-friendly waves to more challenging surf. Check out Surf Lakes’ demo video on Vimeo https://lnkd.in/gDHZAq4a for an in-action view of this #tech marvel! With sustainable design and thoughtful engineering, Surf Lakes is making surfing more accessible to communities worldwide without sacrificing the authentic feel of natural surf. 🏄♂️🏄♀️ Aaron Trevis founder and CEO has plans for #California. Stay tuned! #SurfLakes #WavePoolTechnology #SustainableSurf #SurfInnovation

How’s the surf? Opinions I heard yesterday were small, fun, big, washy, horrible, massive, terrifying, epic, busy, too busy, great, and, fun, again! Different opinions, from different surfers, about the same day. All true for them, but none of them right, for everyone! Small in the morning, chest high and clean. Some loved it, some were disappointed. Some waited, for more, the big swell due in, which arrived, and step laddered, rapidly. The big wave spots lighting up, the legends grabbing their big wave boards and heading out on boats and on skis, the mere mortals persisting at their normal spots, the groms were pushed to the inside reefs. Each clan, each group of similar surfers within the community, held more aligned opinions. The big wave boys - good but terrifying, the mortals - horrible, and the groms - they were just stoked, as always! Different opinions, based on different times, waves, moments, from different people with different levels of skills, experience, different challenges, all seeing things differently, thinking about them differently, and feeling differently about them. Good, bad, lovely, horrible, easy, difficult, exciting, terrifying, all just opinions, what’s right for one, may not be for another. None of us are the same but, some of us are similar, And it’s those people, similar people, with similar experiences, values, outlooks and dreams. that we should ask and listen to. The less like you someone is, the less relevant their answers will be, for you! Before you ask, How’s the surf? How’s that job, how’s going it alone, how’s living there, is it good, is it difficult, enjoyable? Ask yourself who you are asking, and who you should be asking, and listening to, To find answers More relevant to you! NB - If you are a business owner who surfs and wants to surf more, and you need some more relevant answers, apply to join the free, private FB community of surfers, just like you, by clicking on the link in the first comment! #surf #surfinglife #findyourtribe #surfing

Tahara, a small city in Aichi Prefecture, is promoting a coastal lifestyle to attract new residents, particularly surfers, to counter its declining population of nearly 59,000. The housing development is located a five-minute walk from Taiheiyo Long Beach and aims to establish a "surf town" appealing to surfers of all skill levels. Initial marketing, featuring attractive designs and buyer subsidies, has led to quick sales of the first three homes. Challenges have emerged, including local resistance due to past incidents of surfers damaging crops. However, community efforts led by local surf shop owner Masataka Kato, who organized events to improve relations, have bolstered support for the initiative. Expert Takashi Matsuhashi highlights the need for a cohesive community to welcome newcomers. The partnership between city officials and residents has elevated Tahara's profile, exemplified by hosting the International Surfing Association's World Surfing Games in 2018. Looking ahead, Tahara plans to hold surfing events during the 2026 Asian Games and aims to enhance its reputation as a top surf destination. Ongoing development includes plans for 25 residential lots, with a goal to increase the population to 60,000 by 2040. #AsiaOperations #Demographics #Japan Get a full accounting of the security situation in Asia by subscribing to Security Asia. Subscribe now--free of charge--at Substack https://lnkd.in/gPtAUrsX https://lnkd.in/gBMp4pte

The surf park industry continues to grow, and that means we’re seeing a change in the habits of customers. Surf Park Central CEO Jess Ponting took a look at this with data from our latest consumer trends survey: “As the number of surf parks continues to grow globally, it is expected that average travel times will decrease over time. In fact, in 2024, 17% fewer surf park visitors reported traveling more than five hours by road or taking a flight compared to 2023.” Read the article to look at the trends for URBNSURF, The Wave, Surf Ranch, Waco Surf, Alaïa and The Palm Springs Surf Club, and see how to use these numbers to drive more visitors. https://lnkd.in/ezwUvU7k Want to stay up to date on the surf-anchored real estate industry? Sign up for our newsletter today: https://lnkd.in/evv5aASB #surfparks #surfing #wavetechnology #realestate #development 

What is science saying about the benefits of surfing and the ocean to people's wellbeing, as well as their motivation to care for the environment? I was curious after the NADIOC week event 'Spirit in Surfing' (see my last post), and because a big interest of mine is the overlap between Traditional Knowledge and modern science. Here’s an interesting recent article: Sensing Water: Uncovering Health and Well-Being in the Sea and Surf (Britton & Foley, 2021) Not surprisingly for anyone who surfs, the researchers found that surfing and being in the ocean can lead to mental (e.g. attention restoration and stress reduction), social (e.g. a sense of belonging and identity through shared experiences) and physiological (e.g. from physical exercise) benefits, not to mention the opportunity for peak or ‘flow’ experiences (which could be considered spiritual). Some of these benefits (e.g. attention restoration and stress reduction) are common in nature experiences, however the article proposes that they are enhanced through surfing due to the participant being directly immersed in the ocean, and the heightened sensory experience this fosters. Like the First Nations people at the NAIDOC event, the article talks about how surfing can foster a deep connection to place, and that this connection can be intergenerational, which is another important factor in First Nations people’s connection with Country. It’s great to read that surfing can lead to an increased recognition of the interconnection between a healthy environment and human health, and a desire to look after the environment, which is also consistent with First Nations people’s reciprocal relationship with Country and the science around Nature Connectedness. However, I’ve often wondered why surfers aren’t more environmentally active, to be honest. Sure, they will speak up pretty strongly if their local or favourite surf spot is at risk, but otherwise it’s not obvious to me that the average surfer does more than the average person to care for the natural environment. Which is surprising to me when the ocean provides so much joy in their lives, and as the article says, surfing is an extra strong way to connect with nature (i.e. by being directly immersed in it). It has certainly played a big part in my interest (and work) in helping the environment, and especially the coast. I’ve spoken to other surfers who’ve tended to agree on this. But I’m sure there’s some other opinions out there? Or even some research around it?

We had an incredible conversation with Kris Primacio, CEO of the International Surf Therapy Organization (ISTO) to learn about her journey, the mission of ISTO, and how groundbreaking technologies like EpicSurf are transforming the accessibility of surf therapy. Read the full article here: https://hubs.la/Q02GKk_q0