What are wave pools?
Wave pools are swimming pools that contain artificially-created waves. There are many interesting facts concerning wave pools. For example, there are two ways to create a wave pool: the first is by blowing pressurized air across the surface of a body of water. The second by using what is known as an “accordion mechanism” that sucks water in and then pushes it out to make the waves.
Wave pools can consist of saltwater or freshwater. The very first wave pool was created way back in 1927. It can be found in the city of Budapest in Hungary and is named the Gellert Baths. It remains a top tourist attraction to this day.
Wave pools provide swimmers with more productive exercise than regular pools. They are also beneficial to some people with disabilities. Computer-automated drowning detection systems used in normal pools will not properly function in wave pools.
The largest outdoor wave pool can be found in Orlando, Florida in Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida is home to the world’s largest outdoor wave pool. The city of Tempe in Arizona has one of the first American wave pool. It was built in 1969. The Aquatic Center in Decatur, Alabama’s Point Mallard Park also claims to have the first American wave pool. Both date back to the same approximate time.
The first wave pool to appear in a film is the aforementioned Gellért Baths. They were included in a 1938 documentary by MGM, “Traveltalks”.
(Images courtesy of Waves/SurfParkCentral and CoolerMpora)