DSRT Surf Opens, Maui Wins Fiji, and Boogie Board Memories
It's been a wild week in the surf world, and we've got stories that range from the middle of the California desert to the reef breaks of Fiji. Whether you're chasing perfect waves in a wave pool or reminiscing about your first time on a boogie board, there's something here for every surfer and photographer in the Surf Snaps community.
Surfing in the Desert? DSRT Surf Opens in California
California just added a new surf spot, and it's about 100 miles from the ocean. Wavegarden celebrated the opening of DSRT Surf in Coachella Valley, marking the company's second U.S. wave pool after Virginia Beach's Atlantic Park. The pool can pump out 1,000 waves per hour and offers more than 60 wave variations, including a setting called the 'Twister' that delivers powerful, barreling sections. Jacob 'Zeke' Szekely called it the best wave pool in the world, and John Luff from Beach Street Holdings said the barrels actually give you time to take a conscious breath inside them. Sessions are expected to start as low as $60 per hour, which is a notable difference from other California wave pools. For photographers, a controlled environment with consistent waves means endless opportunities to nail the perfect shot without waiting for the right swell. You can read the full breakdown over at The Inertia.
Maui Windsurfers Shine at Fiji Surf Pro
Maui's Bernd Roediger and Morgan Noireaux brought home hardware from the Fiji Surf Pro at Cloudbreak reef. Roediger took first place despite competing with a strained ACL and not windsurfing for over a month, while Noireaux scored the highest single wave of the event with a 9.5-point ride before finishing third. The conditions were described as some of the most demanding in professional windsurfing, with rigs destroyed and a broken foot suffered by Australian Jaeger Stone. Roediger's final score of 18.07 edged out France's Antoine Martin and Noireaux's 14.46. It's a reminder that island athletes can compete with the world's best, even when they're nursing injuries. Get the full story from Maui News.
Remembering First Waves on Boogie Boards and Surf Mats
Before most of us stood up on a surfboard, many of us rode waves on a boogie board or a surf mat. Dave Dalkiewicz, owner of Ocean Atlantic Surf Shop in Ocean City, recently reflected on those early days. Surf mats were heavy canvas and rubber vehicles, roughly four feet long, that you'd pump up and ride prone. Boogie boards, invented by Tom Morey in the mid-1970s, eventually took over, but those first wave memories stick with you. Whether it was a surf mat, a bodyboard, or just fins on your feet, those early experiences shaped our love for the ocean. Check out the full column on OC Today-Dispatch.
From desert wave pools to Fiji reefs and nostalgic beach memories, the surf community keeps evolving while holding onto what matters: the stoke of catching a wave. What's your first wave memory? Drop it in the comments, and keep your cameras ready—you never know when the next perfect shot will roll in.
