Surfing in Hokkaido!

There’s been some nice waves around this summer. Plenty of mixed weather but always good to get in the water. Hokkaido has some great little secret and not so secret spots but either way you’ll usually only share the line up with a few locals. The crew in Hokkaido are relaxed and it’s a far cry from surfing on the Gold Coast where crowds breed competition for waves.

Only a short drive from Niseko there’s a good selection of breaks on either side of the island. Shiraoi is a favourite of mine, we’ve got lucky there the last few times and found right and left handers peeling cleanly with no one out. Tomakomai also has a few good breaks (and beak walls). Sometimes when checking the surf you may need to look past the garbage on the beach (only some) that washes in from the Pacific ocean, better still you can take some home with you and dispose of it properly so some poor marine creature doesn’t try to gobble it down. It’s a critical reminder of where our ‘thrown away’ stuff ends up.

Over summer we also managed to score a few waves down on Honshu around Niigata. Surfing in the sea of Japan in boardies only was a pretty amazing contrast to the start of summer in a 5mm wettie with booties and an ice cream headache!

Blue Single Fin

We all love Yoga.

The drive to the coast

Take some home

Paddle Out

Coastal Grasses

Beaking off the break wall