SURFING WHERE THE SUN NEVER RISES — TIM LATTE & DYLAN GRAVES IN THE BARENTS SEA

SWEDISH COLD WATER SURFER TIM LATTE JOINED DYLAN GRAVES, CARLOS HERNANDEZ, AND PHOTOGRAPHER MAX EMANUELSON ON A TRIP TO THE BARENTS SEA — THE NORTHERNMOST COAST OF EUROPE, DEEP INSIDE THE ARCTIC CIRCLE. THE RESULT IS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SURF FILMS TO COME OUT OF SCANDINAVIA.

THE CREW TRAVELED TO FINNMARK IN NORTHERN NORWAY DURING THE POLAR NIGHT, WHEN THE SUN NEVER RISES ABOVE THE HORIZON. THEY HAD THREE HOURS OF TWILIGHT EACH DAY TO FIND WAVES, SUIT UP, AND SURF. TEMPERATURES DROPPED TO -15°C. THE WALK TO THE LINEUP MEANT TRUDGING THROUGH DEEP SNOW FOR OVER A KILOMETER. AND THE WAVES — PEELING RIGHTS BREAKING AGAINST A FROZEN COASTLINE — WERE WORTH EVERY STEP.

TIM LATTE IS ONE OF SWEDEN'S MOST EXPERIENCED SURFERS. BORN IN STOCKHOLM, HE LEFT SWEDEN AT 15 TO PURSUE SURFING ABROAD AND COMPETED ON THE WORLD SURF LEAGUE QUALIFYING SERIES, REPRESENTING SWEDEN ON THE NATIONAL SURF TEAM FROM 2006 TO 2018. HE EVENTUALLY RETURNED HOME TO EXPLORE THE COLD WATER WAVES OF THE BALTIC AND NORDIC SEAS — SURFING TORÖ, CHASING SWELLS ALONG THE SWEDISH COASTLINE, AND PROVING THAT WORLD-CLASS SURFING EXISTS IN THESE WATERS.

DYLAN GRAVES, KNOWN FOR HIS YOUTUBE SERIES WHERE HE SURFS THE MOST UNLIKELY PLACES ON EARTH, BROUGHT HIS SIGNATURE ENERGY TO THE ARCTIC. TOGETHER WITH TIM, THEY NAVIGATED SNOWSTORMS, REINDEER CROSSINGS, AND BOARDBAG DISASTERS TO SCORE SOME OF THE CLEANEST WAVES ANY OF THEM HAD EVER SEEN — IN A PLACE WHERE ALMOST NOBODY SURFS.

THE FILM IS A REMINDER THAT SOME OF THE BEST WAVES IN THE WORLD ARE HIDING IN THE COLDEST CORNERS. AND THAT SCANDINAVIAN SURFERS LIKE TIM LATTE HAVE KNOWN THIS ALL ALONG.

VIDEO: DYLAN GRAVES / YOUTUBE