Keith, I think I've read just about every piece published about this. From what I've read, such a wave 'farm' could be up to 5 miles from the coast. So, the 'visual pollution' can be dealt with, with distance.
Also, I've read that this system can survive at Cat 5 hurricane, by virtue of bobbing about in the ocean, and not anywhere where it can be smashed on the ground. This is a bit of a stretch for me to believe but then again, for a boat, it is safer to go out to sea during a storm, rather than stay on a dock.
I've read that the cost is comparable to conventional power station construction and set-up, and certainly not more expensive. In my opinion, this is a method that simply must be investigated for the DR.