DreamTeamDownloads1, FTP Help, Movies, Bollywood, Applications, etc. & Mature Sex Forum, Rapidshare, Filefactory, Freakshare, Rapidgator, Turbobit, & More MULTI Filehosts - North Devon Wins UK's First World Surfing Award

North Devon Wins UK's First World Surfing Award

North Devon has a wide variety of wave types packed into a relatively small stretch of coast, say Dr Kit Stokes and Dr Tim Scott from the University’s Coastal Processes Research Group (CPRG).

BBC News 4 APR 2022.

https://d39ner1f41xyl1.cloudfront.ne...0aeceff39.jpeg

The University of Plymouth’s world-leading marine and coastal research has helped North Devon secure World Surfing Reserve status.

The designation, awarded by the Save the Waves Coalition, covers approximately 30km of coastline including iconic surfing locations such as Croyde, Saunton, Woolacombe and Lynmouth.

It recognises the high quality and diversity of surf breaks but also the unique natural beauty of North Devon's surroundings, its deep-rooted and historic surf culture, and its importance to the wider community.

It also aims to protect waves and the surfing experience from threats such as harmful coastal development, water quality and pollution, limited coastal access, the impacts of climate change, and a host of other factors that directly or indirectly impact the delicate ecosystems on which waves of quality depend.

North Devon is the first region in the UK to gain the status, joining globally-renowned surfing locations in Australia, California, Portugal and South America.

It is a well-established hub of surf culture, home to the Museum of British Surfing, the sport’s national governing body Surfing England, and to brands such as Dry Robe and Tiki, all located in Braunton within easy access of the best beaches.

The bid to become a World Surfing Reserve has been led by a Local Stewardship Council including researchers from the University alongside organisations such as the North Devon UNESCO Biosphere and Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, environmental groups like Surfers Against Sewage, local community groups, surf clubs, beach businesses and landowners.

Within the bid process, academics from the University demonstrated the benefits of gaining status and the opportunities it could potentially unlock for businesses, residents and the local environment.

They also assessed the quality of the waves across North Devon’s surf hotspots and the factors that made them some of the highest quality beach breaks in the UK.

Dr Kit Stokes, from the University’s Coastal Processes Research Group, was part of the project team. He said:

“The whole team at the University of Plymouth are extremely proud to be part of the UK’s first World Surfing Reserve. It represents a real opportunity to celebrate the unique waves and surfing environment in North Devon. Importantly, it will also enable us to introduce measures that will protect our precious surf breaks using scientific research to help us identify threats to wave and water quality and enhance the abundant natural capital of the region.”

The benefits of World Surfing Reserve status

As part of the bid process Dr Sian Rees and Dr Matthew Ashley, from the University’s Marine Conservation Research Group, assessed what impact the status could have on the communities of North Devon.

Through the South West Partnership for Environment and Economic Prosperity (SWEEP) programme, they conducted a survey in 2018 to identify the key needs of the community.

It resulted in surfing being placed as the region’s key water sport, and revealed the importance of the connection between participants, the environment, health and well-being.

As a result, the researchers believe WSR status provides a unique opportunity to showcase the region’s surfing hotspots, a forum to discuss the challenges of preserving them, and a means of establishing how those challenges might be overcome.

Their hope is that stakeholders with an array of rights and responsibilities – from landowners to town and marine planners, regulators, the water industry and farming – can be united towards a common goal.

No such forum – with a remit to protect the waves and the economy – has ever existed in the UK, making North Devon a model for protecting wave breaks across the whole country.

https://d39ner1f41xyl1.cloudfront.ne...7ebdf36d33.jpg

Waves roll onto the beach in Woolacombe (Credit: Gordon Dryburgh)

“A World Surfing Reserve offers opportunity to boost the North Devon economy. Surfing is increasingly a year-round sport and this designation will serve as a driver for local councils and service providers to commit to the sustainable and respectful growth of the surfing economy. The North Devon WSR will provide the forum to pioneer a place-based approach to the Climate Emergency through supporting a ‘net-zero’ model of economic growth and development with social and environmental gain.”

The mechanics of North Devon’s surfing waves

There are gently peeling beach breaks at Saunton Sands, powerful barrelling beach breaks at Croyde, reef breaks at Downend Point, and long point breaks at Lynmouth.

The waves arriving on the North Devon coastline are created by non-tropical low-pressure systems in the Atlantic Ocean, with the most powerful, long-period swells originating from storms off the east coast of America or the north coast of Canada.

Croyde Beach is renowned for A-frame peaks and heavy barrelling waves at low tide, shaped by the sand bars the waves break over and the unique offshore bathymetry of Oyster Reef, a 6m high seabed feature that focusses wave energy towards the beach.

Meet Lucy Campbell

https://www.surfgirlmag.com/wp-conte...4/lucy13-1.jpg

These A-frames break with increased power due to the fact the wave crests have been focussed onto a single part of the beach, somewhat like using a magnifying glass to focus the sun’s rays.

This structural control of wave shape creates well-defined sand bars at low tide, as the waves breaking and currents created by the interacting wave crests mould the seabed. This is a special natural phenomenon leading to the creation of world-class waves.

http://www.inmotionkitesurfing.com/w...ng-Image-3.jpg

Natural seabed formations on other parts of the coastline lead to high-performance waves over 500m in length.