Stormriding: Gulf of Alaska

1 of 17

From barren islands with sheer cliffs plunging into the sea, to vast glaciers grinding and calving off into frigid waters, to primordial old-growth temperate forests wreathed in mist, this northern landscape is never dull. It's also home to a kaleidoscope of wildlife including whales, bears, eagles and king-sized mosquitoes. There are problems to overcome in exploring these remote shores, not least the cold, rain, fog, and fiercely unpredictable weather. Escaping the full brunt of mutant Aleutian depressions, blasting swell and gale force winds into the Gulf, is the greatest challenge. Fortunately, the contorted coastline provides the shelter as bays, channels, estuaries, and fjord-like coves pock the islands and mainland, bending, refracting, and grooming unruly swells into more organized and manageable shapes. Understandably, most surfers will congregate at a handful of easy-access spots. Meanwhile, the intrepid searcher should be rewarded with quality waves in solitude. © 2013 ~Bob D Kemp~

KODIAK ISLAND Kodiak Island is shielded by the Aleutians from W swells and relies on S and E pulses for its surf. A single, short road provides some access to the island's east coast as it skirts the 2,500 sq mi National Wildlife Refuge, which occupies two thirds of the 120-mile long (192km) island. With surfaces ranging from paved and gravel to deeply rutted 4WD track, driving on Kodiak's coast-hugging Chiniak Road is a scenic delight. Much of Kodiak City is in the swell shadow of Woody and Long Island, which definitely have some spots on the north- and east-facing coasts. North of town, near Fort Abercrombie, Mill Bay provides sheltered waves in big NE-E swells. At the end of the road on the north side of Monashka Bay, a rare but perfect wave, peels down a protected sandy cove in NE storm conditions. Another mile-and-a-half (2.5km) hike to the north is Termination Point, where abundant reefbreaks are open to NE-E swells but are plagued by the strong currents of Narrow Strait. © 2013 ~Bob D Kemp~

KODIAK ISLAND continued Driving south from Kodiak City, there are three deep NE-facing bays that need serious E swell to get going, and their protruding points are a long hike from the road. Chiniak Road winds past Cape Chiniak and terminates on the due east-facing coast at Cape Greville, where you'll find cliffs plunging into deep water and very few surfing options. Pasagshak Bay Road leads to a State Recreation Site of the same name where free riverside camping and, of course, awesome salmon fishing can be had in a wilderness area that has great surf potential. The wide, sandy beaches of Narrow Cape have good southerly exposure. Flights to Kodiak Island arrive at the local airport near Kodiak from Anchorage. There is also a ferry service from Homer, located a 100-plus miles (160km) southwest of Anchorage on the Kenai Peninsula. © 2013 ~Stumpkiller~

SOUTHEAST ALASKA Southeast Alaska holds the best potential for surf. Take one look at a map of the fjord-pocked coastline with its hundreds of islands, rivermouths, and headlands, and the potential is obvious. However, roads are virtually non-existent, and huge mountains barricade the coastal fringe in the north and east. Except in the scattered small towns, travel to the SE is via plane and boat, and it's expensive. Alaska Airlines flies from Anchorage to Seattle, stopping (much like a bus) at Cordova, Yakutat, Sitka, Petersburg, Wrangell, and Ketchikan along the way. From each of these locations small planes (usually amphibious De Havilland Beavers) can be hired to cruise the surrounding coastline. Further south, inter-island ferries ply the 'Inside Passage' from Juneau to Bellingham, Washington. South of Yakutat, the Southeast Alaska coastline continues to provide an inexhaustible number of possible surf spots throughout the islands above the Canadian border. Russian-named islands like Chichagof, Kruzof, and Baranof, as well as the Prince of Wales and the outer islands west of Ketchikan, present fertile opportunities for exploration. The historical city of Sitka (on Baranof), the only population center open to the Pacific, is a jumping-off point for outer island forays and some road-accessible surf south of town. © 2013 ~Bob D Kemp~

YAKUTAT Yakutat is the best-known surf destination in SE Alaska, but this former Tlingit village is only serviced once a month in summer by the Alaska Marine Highway, so it's well off the usual tourist trail. Accommodation is limited and expensive, with all mod-cons lodges catering to sport fishermen or Malaspina and Hubbard Glacier sightseers. The other option (most favored by surfers) is to hire a van (expensive) from either of the two rental locations, drive to the forest bordering the beach, and pitch camp, taking all necessary bear precautions. There is only one paved road in Yakutat, and it leads from the airport to the harbor. It's a 7-mile (11km) drive from the harbor out to the main beaches; head west from the town crossroads. Cannon Beach faces SW, is fully exposed to the swell, and is regularly onshore and enormous. Between Ocean Cape and Point Carrew there are more open beachbreaks and a left off Ocean Cape that suffers from horrendous currents. These spots are only worth a check on small summer swells. © 2013 ~F Munoz~

GRAVEYARDS This is the furthest east of a series of three points located inside the estuary itself. Bigger swells wrap around Point Carrew, cleaning themselves up on the way, and by the time they reach Graveyards, they've swung almost 180 © 2013 ~F Munoz~

SITKA According to local Charlie Skultka, the first surfboard landed in Sitka in the '80s, carried by a warm offshoot of the North Pacific Current and may have travelled all the way from Japan. Surfer Mag sent a team in 1993 and Dave Parmenter's cover story heralded Sitka as "The Land Duke Forgot". Located about 95mi (150km) from Juneau on the seaward edge of Alaska's southeast panhandle, Sitka is one of Alaska's oldest and most historic towns, having been home to Native Alaskans, Russian fur traders, and a U.S. military garrison before becoming the capital of Alaska in the mid 19th century. Most of the surf is on offshore islands so local surf shop owner Kevin Griffin runs a taxi service in his 22ft C-Dory 110 Hp to surf the Kruzof Island breaks. © 2013 ~Lucas Johnson~

SHOAL'S REEF Shoals Reef/Wall is the premier wave, about 30min from town. Primarily rights, this offshore lava reef works best on S swells, although W will also break and it handles up to 15ft (5m) in any N wind. Shoals Point is fairly consistent, working on the same conditions, but it gets treacherous in bigger swells when the Wall will be better. Shoals Reef and Point break on grizzled lava rocks so expect some power and sketchy conditions if it gets overhead. Only experienced surfers should apply. © 2013 ~Courtesy Kevin Griffin, Cold Salt~

VANCOUVER ISLAND The only part of British Columbia where people surf in any number is the semi-accessible southern half of Vancouver Island. There are only two roads that lead to the coast, the main one being the Pacific Rim Highway (Highway 4) to the 19-mile (30km) long, SW-facing beaches bounded by Tofino in the north and Ucluelet in the south. This area includes a large slice of the Pacific Rim National Park, which features many rocky outcrops and coves, but the waves are predominantly beachbreaks. Cox Bay is the favored contest beach; it's close to Tofino, which is the nearest thing to a surf town in western Canada. With an extensive southern headland, Cox Bay is sheltered from S winds. Other spots close to town include Chesterman Beach and MacKenzie Beach, which offer less wind protection than Cox Bay. © 2013 ~O'Neill Coldwater Classic~

COX BAY The main Tofino spot is Cox Beach, a crescent beach with tapering walls that line up best in the middle, while each end provides wind protection from the N and S respectively. It's the usual contest site, there's a webcam and plenty of accommodation nearby. © 2013 ~Adam de Wolfe~

VANCOUVER ISLAND The Pacific Rim Highway connects Tofino with Ucluelet, passing through the Long Beach area on the way. Long Beach is the first coastal access point and many people stop there after a long drive from Victoria or the mainland. With almost 6 miles (10km) of gently curving sand, it handles the summer crowds, who choose this beach for its easy access. The central expanse of the bay is named Combers Beach; the southern corner is Wickaninnish Beach, where an interpretive center displays natural and cultural information on the Long Beach unit of the Pacific Rim National Park. An open, SW-facing beach, Long Beach enjoys little protection from the wind, except in the northern reaches, where the more westerly Schooner Cove also holds waves. Most Juan da Fuca Strait spots are winter breaks, that only work when good sized, long period swells arrive, usually accompanied by storms. Historically a logging camp, River Jordan has become a surfing town thanks to long wrapping rights known as The Point, Sewers, and Rock Piles, but it has also developed a reputation for intolerant, aggressive locals. © 2013 ~Westside Surf School~

JORDAN RIVER Despite being somewhat inconsistent, these waves crank when it's on, which is mid-winter, big W-NW swell and a NE wind. The Point at the rivermouth can have very long rides (and some lefts back into the river), down the line speed walls and bowly barrel sections over the sand boulder mix. Sewers named for a defunct sewage pipe, gets really hollow and fast, for experienced surfers only, since localism gets the worst there. © 2013 ~scottserfas.com~

FURTHER INFORMATION Everything about surfing in Alaska Cold Salt Surf Shop - 236 Lincoln Street, Sitka, Alaska ( AK) 99835, United States Phone : 907-966-2653 Vancouver Island surf photos and videos by Adam de Wolfe Tofino surf school Bob D Kemp hunted for Waves in Alaska for a total of 3 and a half years way back in the early 80's when most folk considered this area too wild to handle. These and several more of his photos appear in The Stormrider Surf Guide North America © 2013 ~Douglas Ludwig photography~

‹ ›