English seaside resort to get Europe’s first artificial surf reef

A project has started to create Europe’s first artificial surf reef on the south coast of England.

Sand-filled geotextile bags will be submerged east of the Boscombe pier, intended to create waves up to 13 ft. high and double the number of good surfing days to more than 150 each year.

The £1.4 million ($2.75 million) reef is scheduled for construction this summer along the Boscombe seafront in Dorset County on the south-central shoreline of England. The project is part of a bid to attract up to 10,000 surfers each year to the seaside community.