Usually when a new surf spot is discovered, everyone’s ears perk up, the alarms are sounded and everyone and their cameraman scrambles to grab a flight to surf and document it. In the case of the latest spot, 620 miles south of Tokyo, Japan, that won’t be possible.
A miniscule island, now named Niijima, has been created as a result of a volcanic eruption on the south end of the Ogasawara island chain. Initially measuring at roughly 660 feet in diameter, the landmass has grown dramatically in size to, as of about a month ago, around 14 acres in area. The islet was born directly next to another islet named Nishinoshima that’s ten times the size of this unnamed mass of volcanic rock. Growth is set to continue as the island is still volcanically active. As the island grows in size and typhoon season, from August to October, slowly moves in, there will be no shortage of swell around the archipelago.
With the continuation of rising sea levels comes a flow of sediment that, if it coincides with this new lump of land, could build it up to a reasonable size. However, with the rising sea levels and the progression of typhoon season, there’s a chance the island could be drowned should a typhoon come in direct contact. Should it keep its head above water, we may have witnessed the birth of the world’s newest collection of reef breaks.
Regardless of the possibilities for surf, the Pacific Ring of Fire’s newest addition has a lifespan that is unknown and dependent on volcanic activity. No new activity means the rock will erode over time. Sustained volcanic activity could signal prosperity for this tiny island that could. The quality of surf around the island isn’t clear yet, but should it stand the test of time, there’s a good chance it will see some waves when summer comes around and typhoons start swirling through the Pacific and the Philippine Sea.
The question is: should this island survive and surf exist around it, will anyone surf it due to the radiation seeping out of Fukushima?
