You’re moving. But you’re also not moving. Mind. Blown.
Yeah, yeah wave pools are all the hype right now. But unless you are friends with Mr. Slater, I mean best friends, you probably aren’t getting an invite anytime soon. Luckily, there are still some options if you find yourself landlocked, bored of the ocean, or just plain yearning for a kick-in-the-pants novelty.
Here’s a list of 6 standing waves (in no particular order) that look worthy of a visit:
1.) Snake River, Wyoming:
Dylan Graves has made it his mission to surf in some of the most unusual places on some of the most unusual waves. In the first episode of his new series “Weird Waves,” Graves surfs the Lunch Counter Wave on the Snake River in Wyoming (funny he doesn’t know the name of it, nor does the talking pizza in the flick). Graves, along with fellow Volcom team riders Andrew Doheny, Wade Goodall and Bryan Iguchi, prove the Snake River is a solid option for surfers visiting or living in Wyoming, making it look super fun.
2.) Bend, Oregon:
If you thought Gerry Lopez left his past life behind when he moved to Bend, Oregon to pursue snowboarding, you were wrong. While Lopez has definitely cut back on the time he spends hunting and chasing the world’s best waves, he still makes sure to get in the water and proves there is no excuse to give up doing what you love! Especially when the mountain town you’re living in hosts a wave like this.
3.) Munich, Germany
The standing wave on the Eisbach River, in Munich, Germany, has gotten a lot of attention in the recent years with both Red Bull and O’Neill flying their surfers and videographers to the wave. But did you know people have been surfing this wave since at least 1972? Pretty impressive when you consider that modern day wetsuits would not have been available to combat the icy temperatures that characterize German surfing.
4.) Quadra Island, Vancouver
We recently shared a video of kayakers surfing the Okisollo Rapids on Quadra Island. There is little evidence of traditional board surfing happening on the Island, but with videos like this, and the fact that surfers have been shredding waves like Skookumchuck on Vancouver Island for years now, it’s only a matter of time.
5.) Severn Bore, England
Doing things with a group is also so hot right now. Every new restaurant has at least one communal table in it and free, group yoga can be found in the parks of major cities everywhere! So, why not opt for group surfing and try out the Severn Bore? Wikipedia defines a bore as “a tidal phenomenon in which the leading edge of the incoming tide forms a wave (or waves) of water that travels up a river or narrow bay against the direction of the river or bay’s current.” There’s also some fun-looking footage coming out of the Turnagain Arm tidal bore in Alaska.
6.) Boise, Idaho
With a cottage shaping industry and a number of Hawaiian and California transplants, Boise, with its robust outdoor culture, has become a surf town. But mostly that’s because of the sick, adjustable wave created on the Boise River. This is the wave that Bend, Oregon was actually modeled after.
There are other great non-ocean waves of course (the Waimea River mouth comes to mind). Surf truly is where you find it.
