Surfing Finland

I dont think i have ever associated these two words together before..

But yes its true, the myths have been proved correct, there are waves in finland.

According to My surf guide marko, the season has begun, and it all depends on the wind variations which involve howling onshores, bringing a few feet of wind swell. Similar to surfing the great lakes i guess. Wind swell is totally different than ground swell, in the fact it has no push, which most normal surfers are used to. Wind swell is an aquired style, the finnish surfing community have locked down. After a 300km drive, during the rush hour on a friday, we caught our first glimps of the coast, and totally to my suprise i saw what resmebled a rough looking right hand point.

Before paddling out to this secret spot, marko warned me of the dangers; dark water means you cant see the bottom. Its really rocky and shallow with rocks popping up all over the place. Also glass, and the heavy localism of these spots. The line up was like a frenzy of thrashing seals.

I didnt listen or actually, i went into auto drive as i caught my first wave, and cruised into shore, and upon jumping off the wave was met by a big boulder to the ankle inches below the water, and the howling onshores sending the board rocketing at my face.

Apart from this i witnessed some of the most wave hungry commited surfers, who were getting stoked on some nice peaks, that without the search for the glide would probably just roll through unridden as the mythical water mountains of the baltic sea.

This was truly an exotic experience for a kiwi, and one of the random greatest things i have experienced in finland, laying my head down to sleep arriving back home in helsinki at 2:30am with the satisfied feeling you only get from a good session.

Hers some shots to get you frothing about your next arctic surf adventures....


My first glimps of the point..


A very strange sight, driving through the streets of helsinki..