Photo: Dylan Graves // YouTube
Persistence is often the surfer’s greatest virtue. When met with unpredictable waves, harsh conditions and the frustrations of one’s own limitations, the only way through is to simply keep on going. This truth is something that Dylan Graves confronted in his latest video, during a trip through the unforgiving waters of Scandinavia.
“NORWAY; less North” is the last episode of Graves’ collaboration with Swedish pro surfer Tim Latte. While their previous travels took them to the far north of Norway, this latest installment began with them heading south (or “less north,” as the title jokes), to take a gamble on a promising forecast in one of Latte’s favorite spots: Lofoten.
Though surfing at its best is a struggle against the Earth itself, the road to Lofoten proved to be even more harsh. As Graves described, in Norway, every surf is a race against light, weather and time. Even after navigating a twisting, meandering, frigid coastline to get to a break, it’s hard to know what you’ll actually encounter when you arrive.
When they arrived to Lofoten, they thought the effort may have all been for naught. As always, though, their persistence was rewarded. “The session surprised us,” summed up Graves. “What looked cold, blown out, and maybe even pointless turned into something quietly fun. Even on those days when you don’t really want to paddle out, is anyone ever bummed once they finally do?
“The same goes for surf trips. As most surfers know, a lot of times you’re not met with the conditions you want, or that you had in your head before you go somewhere, but you’re never bummed on your effort. At the end of every trip or session, commitment seems to be enough.”
