Plans For New Surf Park On LI Sail Forward

SHIRLEY, NY — Plans are sailing forward for a new surf pool planned for Shirley.

Long Island Surf Park, a new business planned for 91 Precision Drive, is the vision of father and son Brett and Chris Portera. Their dream is to create a "world-class surf pool, not a wave pool," Brett Portera said.

According to Brett Portera, the site plan was approved on Wednesday by the Brookhaven Planning Commission after being approved by the planning board back in December.

"We are very excited as it’s been a long road but this was a major hurdle and there is light at the end of the tunnel. Our focus is now shifting to working with the town to get our permits approved as quickly as possible," he said.

The pandemic, Portera added, "slowed things down for sure! However, it’s given us the opportunity to get all our ducks in a row for what’s to come so it’s been a blessing and a curse."

The pool will be just for surfers, as well as for bodyboarding enthusiasts and stand-up paddle boarders. "Basically, these are world-class waves, bigger and more consistent, with longer of a ride than anything on Long Island," Portera said.

As it stands on Long Island now, currently, when there's a hurricane, conditions might be perfect, "but it's rare," Portera said. At Long Island Surf Park, conditions will be controlled, with the pool operating year-round and a green energy system utilized to heat and cool the pool.
The pool will be open to all ages and ability levels, from those just starting out, taking lessons, to Olympic-level athletes.

The business, which will encompass two stories, will also include a surf shop, locker rooms and offices on the first floor, with a cafe, lounge and outdoor deck on the second floor, all overlooking the pool, Portera said.

For both father and son, the business is a dream realized. Portera, 23, said he's surfed since he was about 6 or 7. "I love it," he said. "It's by far my favorite thing to do." His father, Portera added, has surfed since he was about 13. "We've surfed our whole lives."

But living on Long Island, they share a frustration experienced by other surfers. "Although we are surrounded by the ocean, it's very rare that we get a consistent, good day that we can surf," he said. "There are probably only a handful a year and then, in the winter, when we do get waves it gets very cold. When we do get waves, everyone and their brother comes out of the woodwork to surf — it's crazy."

His father, Portera said, has owned a business for 30 years while he has studied business and is pursuing an MBA. "We both have a passion for surfing and business," Portera said, adding that he's worked for his father for years. "We have a good relationship, and we balance each other out," he said.

Shirley, he added, is the perfect location for the new business. The Town of Brookhaven has been "awesome," he said.

"We're just so happy this piece of property came on our radar," Portera said. "It's pretty much in the middle from Montauk to Manhattan in terms of travel time." The location, he added, is also very accessible from the Long Island Expressway; there are airports and train stations nearby.

And, Portera said, new businesses are flourishing nearby, with retail, apartments and even a hotel on the horizon. "It seems like the area is prime and ready to explode," he said.

The goal is to move ahead with the review process; no opening date has been set yet, he said.

Surfing, Portera said, is in his blood, and in his father's, too. "I love to surf. Most, if not all, of our vacations —much to my mother's dismay — revolve around surfing." Portera laughed. "We always go somewhere where we can surf. Now, to not have to travel anymore to do it, and to be able to get into a pool whenever we want, to have that control — at this point, I live, breathe, and sleep the surf park industry." Down the line, Portera said he hopes to expand across the country. "I don't see myself doing anything else," he said.