The Baltic Sea has an average depth of 180 ft, and reaches 1506 ft at its deepest. The entire sea has been known to freeze over during record cold winters. With a surface area of over 145,000 square miles, the Baltic has enough fetch to send waves to the cobbled pointbreaks of Gotland.

The swedish island has a colorful surf community hardy enough to weather the bleakest winter ice breaks. Gotland is comprised of limestone and shale. The smooth coastal curves are often stagnant. They look as if they’re waiting to shape a solid groundswell into perfection. And occasionally the conditions come together just right.

These three photos belong to Jakob Wallin. His collection of images document the Baltic’s rare gems. It is difficult to judge how many pointbreaks are waiting to be discovered along Gotland’s castle-studded shores.

Iceland is home to countless reefs and point breaks. In the example above, a spit of land creates a rare a-frame point break wave.

This photograph shows a fjord and beach landscape characteristic of northern Iceland. Waves usually do not break along these mountainous headlands because the topography drastically transitions into deep water. Swells travel past them and break along the transitional sand banks of the beach instead.

The map shows a clearer image of the steep mountain landscapes bordering the sea.

Surtsey, a volcanic island approximately 32 km from the south coast of Iceland, is a new island formed by volcanic eruptions that took place from 1963 to 1967. It is all the more outstanding for having been protected since its birth, providing the world with a pristine natural laboratory.

– UNESCO World Heritage

Also fascinating about this island are the perfect sandbars formed along the North Spit. The young volcano spews granular particles into the sea. Boulders and sand collect along the rocky ridge of the underwater mountain and settle into banks. Generally, surf breaks on the south side and deposits material on the northern lee side of Surtsey. However, depending on the swell direction, waves can also break as a point break. Each eruption drastically changes the shape of the island and the surrounding sand. Scientists cannot predict what kind of beach break, point break, or reef break might appear next.

Small volcanic islands with recent eruptions create the perfect laboratory to observe the formation of new waves. This is because new sand flows directly into the sea and is quickly shaped. Sand and small rocks create smooth ocean floor bathymetry, well-suited for point break formation. Consistent and even transitions from deep water to shallow water along a spit of sand allow waves to break in mechanical fashion at a variety of swell angles and sizes. There are a small number of islands around the world that currently exhibit these characteristics.

This coastline is still new in the eyes of history. Winter waves crack on slabby undersea formations. Icebergs drift the lineup, and whales too. A thick wetsuit is recommended year-round.

The beaches, reefs, and points are exposed to a wide range of swells and wild winds from all directions. Surfing is done mostly alone here, although the region boasts around 50 surfers.

Occasionally, the wind blows in a direction that is well-suited for surfing. The slab/point wave in the photo above breaks on a variety of sizes, and is accessible by a narrow farm road.

As long as winds are favorable, the coldest days can be some of the best.

Jan Mayen is long in shape. The main mass of the island is a mountain, and a pinched spit of land extends outward from it toward the south west. It peaks out at the fringe of the Norwegian Sea, located between Iceland, Norway, Faroe Islands, and Greenland.

Jan Mayen is south of the Svalbard islands, which have previously been surfed. It features rocky headlands and long sandy beaches, and interacts with the same swells as its neighbors. There are no permanent citizens or exploitable natural resources, although now there is a radio station.

At long last, Arctic surf camps are open for business in Iceland, possibly fizzling the fire that fuels underground arctic surf exploration. The first surfer on the island dates back to around 1973. Early Icelandic surfers were aided in discovering their own surf breaks by easy access. A coastal road circumvents most of the island. Their surf break inheritance was at their fingertips.

Since then, a small community has sprung up around the chilly ocean excursion, and numerous magazine articles have documented destination surf trips. So, its no surprise that a camp now offers custom surf tours. But what does this mean for arctic surf exploration? The flame hasn’t fizzled yet. Perhaps its a prod to look deeper into the unknown.

The photo below shows a different angle on a different day. Look at waves peeling further in to the inlet. Pretty interesting. With some bigger swells there would be some nice waves coming through these parts.

top photo cred: sanda, bottom photo cred: christensen

Photo: Rielly

This man below is not threading a pipeline wave, but threading a miniature bagpipe.

Bagpipes come in many shapes and sizes:

In these instances it is not uncommon for the man to not only dread his unfeeling foe, but to formulate an obsession concerning it. Perhaps the obsession with the Monstrosity originated from the fact that it is actually a reflective picture of the monstrous potential within the human soul. Fortunately for surfers in the arctic, the ‘Greenland Shark’ is a docile version of the more territorial Great White Shark of warmer waters.