When Cowabunga Bay opened in 2014, it was one of two in Henderson, Nevada, to debut after a decade without a public waterpark in the region. After just one season in operation, it was clear the 1950s surf themed facility was a hit. When the park kicked off its second season this past May, it had a new surprise for patrons: the world's first Surf Safari attraction.
Named Wild Surf, the slide by Polin features the largest man-made 'wave,' a fact that has impressed waterpark enthusiasts and management alike.
"The Surf Safari is unlike any other waterslide we'd ever seen," explained the facility's general manager, Shane Huish. "Not only does the Surf Safari give guests a longer ride than other slides I've seen with similar features, but it has supercreative extras," he explains. "And it all starts from the moment guests reach the top of the slide tower. Up there, the adrenaline really gets pumping, because they get a bird's-eye view of what's ahead of them. They can look down into the funnel and see the dizzying ride below. And when they hit splash down? All we hear are, 'Wow! I've gotta do that again!'"
Check out the slideshow for some closeups of the slide, along with more details.
Polin's Family Rafting Slide, which the park named "Beach Blanket Banzai," joined for 2015. Here we see the slide, which sites just adjacent to Wild Surf, in action.