Bodysurfing IN Melbourne?
Surf trips always evoke a unique sense of excitement.
Once committed to a location the crew goes researching all the local waves, learn the tide times, favourable winds etc. The days before you fly out, you’re constantly refreshing the weather forecast, checking buoys...fingers, toes and whatever else needs to be crossed to make sure the elements line up.
This time was...different
We’re off to URBNSURF Melbourne.
Located in Tullamarine (not known for a raging surf scene), a stone's throw from Melbourne Airport, lies Australia’s first surf park - URBNSURF.
When word came in from WAW’s top dog, Rikki, that we’re heading down for a couple sessions, the crew was buzzing.
WhatsApp lit up, flights were booked and we all wondered what it’s going to be like to bodysurf man-made guaranteed “perfect, ocean-like” waves as their website promises.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
After the crew rendezvoused at the WAW Airbnb HQ, scoffed down some pizza delight, discussed GoPro mounting techniques and camera angles, it was time for the 3 minute Uber ride to the facility.
We pull into a car park full of roof racks, dozens of people carrying or waxing boards...it’s a familiar sight for Sydney waveriders! We’re at the beach! (except not quite).
Walking to the ticket booth, we get our first look at the pool.
First thoughts of a classic pessimist:
Wow, that’s a lot of people in the water
Tight take off section
Bloody hell - the wind does matter! It’s onshore!
Is this going to live up to the hype?
Then the set rolls in….
DID YOU SEE THAT?!
LEFTS AND RIGHTS!
THAT IS SO BODYSURFABLE!
YEEEWWW
SO MANY WAVES IN THE SET!
(still … the wind could be better...they should have faced the pool the other way blah blah..)
We dot all the i’s and cross the t’s on the elaborate, take all my data, electronic check in, get given our check in/out wrist bands and begin a quick orientation of the venue.
After much peacocking by the crew (we’re going to slay it) and horror story sharing from our POC (heads bouncing off the bottom - it’s concrete), we learn how the session works.
HOW IT WORKS
The public wave sessions are categorised as; beginner, intermediate and advanced. (see more on the waves here)
Each session is 60 minutes long
There is a maximum of 18 people per session (on each side)
Sessions are broken down into 3 phases, with the wave escalating in intensity every 20 minutes.
Session 1 - 6pm | Advanced Lefts
WOOOOOOPP
The wave machine beast
Tip: wear a wetty unless you’re Brbot
A siren signals 10 minutes remaining of the session preceding ours. Time to suit up!
Frothing, we head over to the mandatory check in, tap our wristbands and cautiously shuffle towards the water in our fins, trying not to kook it and slip on the hard surface.
Once in the water - all aboard the rip train! What??? Yes - this pool has a rip, sucking you out to the line up. Nuts.
Out back we all line up in single file waiting for the waves to start. The anticipation is killing us!
Suddenly, the water starts sucking and we get pulled into the guts of the wave machine beast, only to be saved by some chain link fencing...
The initial energy pulse comes through, unridden, immediately followed by a continuous run of maybe 12-14 waves. Any doubt about the quantity of waves we’d ride is immediately dispelled.
The wind we were previously worried about was a non-issue.
One by one, the crew move into the spotlight and paddle into perfect waves.
The advanced left begins with a cruisy take off before moving into a steeper drop section designed for turns by surfers.
The crew were throwing spins, dolphins and whatever else they could at the waves, riding all the way back into the rip and lining up for some more.
No barrels however for the first 20 mins.
When phase 2 kicked in, the inside section started to become steeper and a faster ride, throwing occasional small barrels.
We were scratching our heads slightly, wondering where the perfect barrels were and if the wind was really affecting the wave worse than we originally thought.
You should know that there is no notice between phases and when the intensity moves up. So when Phase 3 kicked in - we weren’t prepared. And this time the inner section was a slab!
Paddling in, cruisy take off - nailed. Bodysurfing along the wave...when suddenly the bottom of the wave drops and you find yourself deeeeepp in a slabbing pit (great view) but losing speed.
Damn - this wave has a bit of punch! The wipeout is a proper wipeout.
We quickly realised the wave design has been shaped specifically with surfing in mind, so to make the tube bodysurfing you need some serious speed.
It required a special technique called “just GO GO GO!”. No stalling.
After learning our lesson from the first “beast mode” set we spent the remainder of the session just gunning it for the barrel.
For the most part even if you made some serious barrel sections there was a chandelier section right at the very end that caught the crew out.
Nonetheless, some waves were perfectly ridden barrels. Slotted...DEEP...beautiful.
REST
As we’re on break, one of the lifeguards runs up to us, exclaiming that bodysurfing the pool looked awesome!
Next thing we know, he’s gone into Lagoon Supply, the on-site surf shop, purchased a WAW BadFish and joins the next session.
“I didn’t realise the handplane made such a difference!”
Funnily enough, we also learnt that you aren’t allowed to enter the wavepool without any form of surfcraft - so if you’re intending to bodysurf, you’ll need to bring a handplane or buy one on site.
Session 2 - 9pm | Advanced Rights
After a nice, reflective break (and more pizza) - we’re on for the rights.
The sun’s now set (no need to worry about 🦈 feeding time) and we jump in.
We’re barely halfway up the pool when the waves start rolling in. The pace is going!
Spins, dolphins, long rides aplenty went down.
When we got to Phase 3, this time, the wave operator put on a special “experimental” setting for us.
AKA we got pumped!
We pull into super slabby rights that were bowling around, pushing you super deep into the barrel. A little rebound backwash made it near impossible to get spat out of a barrel bodysurfing although some extremely valiant efforts were made!
This was a true, bodysurfing style whomp sesh! Pull into a slabbing “closeouts” (not really closeouts, but let’s call them that to protect the bruised egos of the crew), ride the barrel as far as possible and get nailed.
WAS IT WORTH IT?
Coming back to the WAW house, stoke levels were high.
Consensus was - that was way better than expected. To get quasi-perfect waves, consistently, is a luxury that is worth paying for (at least once or twice).
The crew reviewed all footage well into the early hours of the morning, yewing and hooting at the screen. You can watch some of the highlights below.
As experienced by Paul Khodor