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There are only a few coastal areas left in Europe where the possibility of finding perfect, empty waves still exists.
The coastlines of the North Sea are seeing a remarkable growth
in surf culture: the seafaring Dutch are going back to their roots,
Norway is unmasking
its potential while Germany
despite its tiny coast is producing the biggest volume of aficionados.
The Swedes and Danes are joining in enthusiastically bracing the
frigid waters of the Baltic and Kattegat. In testimony to the
sport's pull, where there are waves someone will end up riding
them. Not surprisingly travel is high on a North Sea surfer's
agenda in winter although this time is also when the dedication
are rewarded with some real North Sea juice.
Like France's fine wines, which sit at the heart of European cuisine,
the waves on her swell drenched west coast occupy an equally romantic
place in European surf lore. From the Celtic north to the Basque
south, her grand cruz beaches, point and reefs exhibit the variety
and style one would expect from Frances vineyard. The sweltering
semi nude beaches of the southwest offer the champagne of European
summer surf. Moving from the Bordeaux region north wave quality
stays high. Though the essential characteristics include a dense
bouquet of reefs and points. Surfing in Brittany
is a curiously strong and very palatable experience. As for the
channel - well its a slab of kronenberg.
Spain is an incredibly
varied and satisfying surf destination with some of the biggest,
longest and most perfect waves on the planet. Surfing is a highly
sociable experience in line with other aspects of Spanish cultural
life. Naturally animated, colorful and hospitable, the Spanish
have retained a friendly curiosity towards the international surf
tribes who wander through their rich land. If you're prepared
to fit in, Spain offers
an exotic and quintessential European travel experience.
A strange and beautiful nation of the mot obscure European flavor
forms the mainland's western seaboard. That Portugal
is saturated with epic spots should go without saying. Yet the
wider world still has a thing or two to learn about its true surf
potential. This country's cool waters are home to a legendary
year round menu of tasty waves ranging from the squarest reefs
to the most mellow beaches. Combine this with one of Europes most
enchanting coastal cultures and you'll see why it vies heavily
for main course status on Europe's over laden banquet table.
Few surfers would have guessed it, but Italy
actually receives regular waves, sometimes as high as double overhead.
With 8000km of coast (4971mi) there is a remarkable variety of
surf, explaining the growing number of Italian surfers that have
appeared in the 90s. Regular winds can kick up short fetch swells,
from several directions in this sea of no tides and while summer
can have its flat periods, the Mediterranean climate, food, culture
and water temperatures balance out the equation. Winter offers
the best chance of quality waves in the Med, where swells may
be short but they sure can be sweet.
For the past three decades, Morocco's
myriad right-hand points and abundant, hollow beach breaks have
attracted surf travellers the world over. This wave-rich kingdom,
which sits at the frontier of European civilization has become
a natural conclusion to the well-worn European surf trail and
can be its most rewarding stop. An untapped stash of uncrowded
rights in a warm climate with no sharks, no coral and few diseases
create a perfect Northern Hemisphere winter escape. From the verdant,
mountainous north to the harsh, arid deserts of the Saharan south,
Morocco is a trip of vital
intensity.
The Hawaii of the Atlantic is the most commonly used by surfers
to describe the Canary
Islands. Open ocean swells from three directions unload
on volcanic reefs and points with power comparable to just about
anywhere in the world. As with Hawaii the air and water temperature
changes little all year round. Hot sunny days on the beach and
surfing in a shortie are some of the enticing aspects of this
mandatory Atlantic island experience.
The Azores appear from
space as a handful of black and green stones flung into the middle
of the vast Atlantic. In centuries past, sailors used to refer
to this chain as 'the disappearing isles' because of the huge
ocean swells that would obscure them from view. They wink unceasingly
at seasoned surf travellers who can instantly appreciate their
insane possibilities, yet they remain an enigma even for those
whove ridden waves on their lava fringed shores. Richly Portuguese,
each of the nine specks exhibit an immense local variety and together
have retained their integrity as a hard core and relatively unknown
destination.
If your idea of wintertime fun is clawing your way into pitching
mountains of the rawest Atlantic juice, dust off your rhino-chaser
and book a ticket to Madeira.
The island has recently exploded into the European psyche after
years of constant rumors about epic big waves. Surfer Magazine
turned the lights on with its Jardim do Mar story, syndicated
across the world's surf media. Most aware Europeans immediately
knew where it was though few had ventured there. Those that had
been came back with the same consistent comment: 'It's either
huge or its flat!' So the old North Shore mantra seems entirely
apt here: go big or go home!
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