While wave pools might not have the natural beauty of a beach, there's definitely something to be said for guaranteed top-notch waves. Several have been built in the past few years, and still more are under construction. However, none of them compare to the project currently underway in South Korea. Daewon Plus Construction and Wavegarden are going all in on the man-made-paradise thing, building a $2.3 billion artificial island off the coast of the Korean Peninsula. Turtle Island will feature hotels, convention centers, marinas, and of course a massive wave pool.
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Located about an hour from Seoul, Turtle Island's developers are certain that it will become a popular vacation destination. “With consistent waves of different sizes and shapes, Turtle Island is going to be the new beach of Seoul and the place to surf for families, professional surfers, and everyone in between,” said Fernando Odriozola, Chief Commerical Officer at Wavegarden. This strikes a stark contrast with Kelly Slater's Surf Ranch, recently purchased by the WSL. You can pay top dollar to attend a surf-festival of sorts, but unless you're a professional surfer there's no chance of riding the waves. So, the move towards democracy in high-level artificial surfing is heartening, even if you have to go to Korea to experience it.
Jay Salyer
February 8th, 2019
Concerning Surf Ranch, though it costs a bit to spend a day surfing in Lemoore, the folks at the Ranch are incredibly generous to charities and organizations around the San Joaquin Valley offering them surf time, instruction, and incredible support. And you don’t have to be a professional surfer to ride the wave. The wave can been tailored for the blind, the paraplegic, the developmentally disabled, and those living through poverty or PTSD. Please don’t assume that only the pro or the well-healed can access Surf Ranch. It does them a huge disservice.
About The Author
stash member Zack Skovron
Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, now living in Jackson, WY. I’m an avid skier, biker, hiker, climber, and fisherman. Outside of sports, my major interests focus on public policy surrounding land use and energy systems.
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