A wave that would break to the shore but protect the coast at the same time? “The concept may seem paradoxical, admits Brett Gradel, surfer in Menton for more than twenty years. And yet, when a wave breaks, the closer it gets to the edge, the more it fades. The problem with the existing submarine dikes is that they run parallel to the coast. The waves break but then re-inflate behind and that does not protect well from submersions ”.
Artist designer by profession, he launched a petition to create an artificial reef in Menton and Roquebrune-Cap-Martin which has collected almost 700 signatures since March. According to him, it is the “lasting solution to protect the coast”.
Changing the angle of the dikes
The starting point ? Rehabilitation work on the underwater dykes built in the 1990s which “were damaged because of the seas”, specifies the Community of the French Riviera (Carf).
“When we saw the excavators arrive, we really believed that surfing was going to disappear forever in Menton, tells the nostalgic surfer of the time when the structures in the sea did not exist and that they did not break them. waves. With several volunteers, we did some research to see what was possible ”.
With two oceanologists, one from the Alpes-Maritimes, one who lives in Montpellier, they found a way to save their spot: the creation of an artificial reef. “The idea is to change the angle of the dikes so that the wave continues to unwind. We could create triangular or oblique modules that would reproduce the natural reef, in the form of concrete but with a pH similar to that of the sea. Thus, bacteria could implant themselves there since it would be a porous surface, and that would also allow time the development of species while avoiding erosion and flooding. “
Not in Menton but maybe elsewhere?
An ambitious project but which faces a major problem. “The surfers contacted us once the rehabilitations were done,” says Carf. In addition, if we proceeded in this way, it is because there are species of Posidonia and Cymodocea protected in this place. There are enormous environmental constraints to protect our coastline from marine submersion. But we took their idea into consideration. “
For their part, the athletes have not said their last word. “With the oceanologist, we are studying all the possibilities for implanting the artificial reef elsewhere in the Alpes-Maritimes,” the designer develops. The project is believed to be worth it on several scales. With such a concept, there could be real fish nurseries and at the same time it will develop trade thanks to the deployment of water sports. “
“Surfing has a huge future with the arrival at the Olympic Games”
Between local surfers, around a hundred, they then establish the conditions (height and periods of the swells with the orientation) of the sessions and send the data to the oceanologist so that he can visualize the possibilities.
Brett Gradel adds: “It has to be known and it can be done in the Mediterranean, it has already been done in Italy, Dubai and Australia. It’s great for the practice of surfing, which has a huge future with the arrival at the Olympic Games, but it has interests for everyone, in addition to the environment. We do not intend to let our project go down the drain. “