WA
248 posts
Has anyone registered what the propose new 350 hectares mega -marina housing island at port beach would do to one of Perths most treasured winter surfing locations [as detailed in last weeks West Australian]?
http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=77&ContentID=75806
The deal has been sweetened for surfers with promises of another artificial reef....yeah right. Sandtracks will soon be a memory. Ironically some real estate guy will probably call some street 'Sandtracks Street' so nice does it sound, and it will soon be filled with penthouses for the mega-rich and mooring for their gin palaces[that dont surf, but hey its nice to look at the ocean].
Port and Leighton Beach could also suffer for loss on sand drift to form banks. It
Apparently the sea now has a FOR SALE sign on it at least the state government believes it has that right and the GREEDY developers have just discovered real estate gold...... 'Free land' in the Western Suburbs. So watch out for 'mega rich property developers', coming soon to a break near you.
It time now to voice your horror at the proposals, as some big players are already involved and their saccharined 'green washing' of this stinking pile of **** is convincing lots of people who should know better taht it a good idea
WA
458 posts
My immediate thoughts on viewing the designs in the paper was the possibility of Sandtracks being longer and better. With the increase in the length of the seawall and no barrier stopping the larger swells getting in, it could just be a plus? Surely with all the developments screwing waves there has to be one somewhere that causes improvements. Maybe it's just hopeful thinking?
WA
7608 posts
I thought the same. Fingers crossed this could possible be a really good down the line break?
WA
598 posts
Yeah, rich doctors already have Cottesloe.
Don't want any more housing opportunities for yuppies.
WA
248 posts
If you look at the proposed map sandtracks would be streets and housing. The seawall would start about 50m out from just south of port beach surfclub but unlike sandtracks the wall would have a boat access channel between wall and beach so far from enhancing port beach I suspect it wil kill that too.
On the subject of seawalls and their ability to reflect waves at an angle to a beach break:
It is true that it can be an amazingly effective means of creating a quality wave with the reflected waves wedging up the original swell lines. Tullen strand in NW ireland [which is actually a natural cliff line and not a sea wall demonstrates this to good effect and the resulting wedgy peaks break all down the beach. The smoother and more vertical the seawall the better and it needs to be at just the right angle [about 25 degrees off perpendicular to the swell line. This effect already works at sand tracks except that the sea wall is too short and absorbs rather than reflects the wave energy, because it is large limestone boulders. Definitely this is a fact worth considering should any new marinas of seawalls be planned for Perth's wave starved shore.
Whether the proposal should happen or not I am dissappointed that surfers cannot voice their concerns at the loss of an existing metropolitan break and choose to believe instead that the developers will be benevolent and create a reef break. It bodes poorly for the future of Metro surf if the only people who value it cannot see they are been hoodwinked.
WA
20 posts
Sandtracks is already dead, has been for years now.
45 knot onshores and a 5m swell and its a half decent froth fest for a wave starved perth surfer at best
Thumbs up for a new artificial reef and better boating facilities !
WA
814 posts
Where will they get the swell from to make an artifical reef work in this location?
That end of the metro coast is already well protected by Garden Island from a typical SW running swell. It is usually only local storm related wind swell that makes Sand Tracks work isn't it?
WA
248 posts
Sandtracks regulars wouldnt want me to tell people how good it can get. Lets just say that it is not just a 5m swell kind of place. Wait a few more weeks for the bank to build against the rock wall and surf it before it goes
What it offers better than just about anywhere in Perth is protection from Southerly winds, a nice gradually shelving beach where you can bring the kids to teach them how to surf, with a good vibe in the water and a really interesting wedge up wave caused by the bounce from the seawall crossing the swell lines. On the gold coast they would call it a joke but by Perth standards its not half bad and some days its the best spot in Perth. Some days youll see 50m people spread across it, mainly groms and Dads with their Kidz and Freo locals. Thats 50 people that aren't crowding breaks elsewhere. We need more breaks not less.
A bit like Oakagee it's low profile doesn't help when some one wants to destroy it. Unfortunately generally the Surfers have less power and influence than those seeking Berth's for their super yachts/
