RECREATIONAL SURFING ON HAWAIIAN REEFS

Abstract

Recreational surfing has been studied in Hawaii to develop criteria for the preservation, enhancement and design of surf sites. The criteria will aid in planning compatible uses of the coastal zone. Surfing characteristics and wave transformations were studied in the field and related to ocean bottom features at prime surf sites. A small scale, three dimensional, hydraulic model study was conducted to determine the effect that a given bottom feature had upon the surfing wave. A concept of a multiple-purpose surfing shoal to be compatible with several varied interests in the coastal zone was hypothesized from field, analytic, and model studies.