Best to check your wetsuit for holes before this journey. Photo: Kai Lenny//Red Bull//screenshot
For those who can brave the cold, Alaska has thousands of miles of pristine coast and as many un-surfed waves as the heart desires. The long travel and cost of actually getting to these waves make it prohibitive for most surfers. But if you have access to a helicopter, as Kai Lenny did, it’s prime territory for surf exploration.
Lenny linked up with fellow Hawaiian big wave surfer Kohl Christensen to find waves and fresh powder around the immense coastal ranges of Alaska. The crew stumbled upon a cobblestone right that made Lenny giddy to get out of the chopper and into the water. The helicopter crew suspected that the wave had never been surfed before.
“This is one place I’d love to go back,” Lenny said. “So I’d look at this trip as being the beginning of something truly special. I feel like we are only scratching the surface with this place.”
Apparently, the playful wave they found is nothing compared to what the region has to offer.
“With some more swell and the right winds, there are some waves that will blow your mind,” the helicopter crew said.
