How far would you go for one wave and one shot? That’s what a recent video from Blue Banana asks. Photo: Ibai Mielgo//Blue Banana
How far would you go to catch a wave nobody has ever ridden before? For Portuguese surfer Eurico Romaguera and Spanish photographer Jorge Abian, the answer was Greenland. As documented in a recent video, the pair embarked on a journey to the frozen island in an attempt to ride and photograph a wave created by the calving of an iceberg during the summer melt.
The project was sponsored by Spanish adventure and clothing brand Blue Banana, as part of its “One Shot” series. The idea for the 2024 edition of the project, called “Parallel Dreams Edition,” is to bring together strangers who had the same concept as each other, even if they didn’t know it before. The first episode, titled “Greenland Dream,” was documented by Spanish filmmakers Nico Pina and Ibai Mielgo.
Though Romaguera and Abian may have shared the same dream, it was one that had been envisioned by few others. Though surfing a calving glacier wave has been done before in Alaska (here’s Ben Gravy doing it last year) the feat has never been accomplished in Greenland. The sport is so foreign to the region, that the locals they encountered had never even seen a surfboard before. “It was a completely new challenge for all of us,” explained Romaguera “We didn’t know if we would be able to achieve it within a limited time and with no idea where to find the wave.”
The crew saddled up for an uncomfortable ride in a far-too-small plane. Photo: Ibai Mielgo//Blue Banana
With that in mind, they embarked on a journey to Ilulissat to make it happen. “We connected with local fishermen, and even they found it extraordinary,” said Abian. “They guided us to potential spots where calving events could create the waves we were seeking, places where ice or land formations could shape the waves caused by the glacier’s collapse.” They began the search from the air, despite the fact that neither photographer or surfer was too keen on small planes or heights. From there, they spotted a potential glacier with a sandy beach in front of it – a prime candidate for an attempt.
After finding a skipper who would take them back to the remote beach, the pair posted up and waited. Even with their careful scouting, it was a long shot – they needed a hunk of ice to fall off at just the right angle to reach the opposite shore and break. When they finally did see the glacier calve, they found the resulting wave unridable.
While not the first glacier wave ridden, this was the first time it had been done in Greenland. Photo: Ibai Mielgo//Blue Banana
Despite the initial setback, they went backf or another run. This time, the floating ice that had stymied them the day before was gone. Once again, chunks started falling from the glacier and they were finally gifted with the first surfable wave of the trip.
Still, they wanted more. On a third visit, a massive section of the glacier broke off and created a wave that was more than just surfable. It was actually good. “We got the shot, the one we risked everything for,” narrates Abian. Though it may have seemed an impossible dream just weeks before, they did it all to get that single, perfect shot. According to Abian, “In the end, the wait, the risk, the effort. It was all worth it”
