CRUISE TERMINAL DEVELOPER WANTS SURF CHAMPION TO HELP 'PRESERVE' THE WAVES

TWICE world champion surfer Mick Fanning has been invited to work with the developer behind the Wavebreak Island cruise ship terminal proposal to ensure local surf breaks and the environment are protected.

Fanning, who is currently competing in California, used his website yesterday to urge his supporters to join the Save our Spit organisation, which is campaigning against the development of a cruise ship terminal in the Broadwater.

Sembawang Singapore has proposed to build a terminal based around Wavebreak Island, which is adjacent to the seaway between the Southport Spit and South Stradbroke Island.

The company’s CEO, Ric Grosvenor (pictured), today reacted to Fanning’s criticism of the project by offering to work with the champion surfer to ensure the world class break at South Stradbroke is preserved by any development around Wavebreak Island or dredging of the seaway.

“I have got the highest respect for Mick Fanning and I would say to him, ‘I am no clubby’,” Grosvenor told Gold Coast Business News from Jakarta.

“We don’t want to remove any attractions from the Gold Coast, we want to see as many as possible and we will be working to ensure we preserve South Stradbroke by doing modeling of our own.”

Gary Lucas, from OVE Arup Engineers, who was the chief engineer on construction of the Gold Coast Seaway, Wavebreak Island and the sand-bypass system more than 20 years ago, is on board with the Sembawang proposal.

Grosvenor says Sembawang, with Lucas in charge, would study the South Stradbroke Island wave, examine what makes it break so perfectly and work to maintain it.

“I would welcome Mick [Fanning] to come down and work with us as we examine why it breaks the way it does and work out how Sembawang can preserve it,” says Grosvenor.