Empty Lineups Where You Wouldn’t Expect

Tristan J. Hicks
2 min readNov 1, 2022

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Image by S. Migaj, Pexels.com

Every surfer’s dream is to paddle out in world-class waves all to themselves. It’s easier said than done, though. “Secret spots” are far from secret now. That is, unless you are willing to go to some extreme measures. Venturing either North or South of the Equator, you will find some of the last true surf frontiers.

Of course, there are some sacrifices for this grand prize. In the pursuit of this dream scenario, you’ll need to pack a wetsuit and maybe some hiking boots. Surfing has become so widespread and popular internationally, the only way to discover empty, glassy waves is to enter some cold waters and be willing to make the inaccessible accessible.

Some have already begun to pave the way for these uncommon surfing destinations. Take, Mick Fanning and Mason Ho’s strike mission North to Alaska with Rip Curl’s The Search.

Or, more recently, Robbie McCormick, Noah Wegrich, and Ian Crane’s trip South to Chile with O’Niell.

Trips like these are becoming increasingly popular alternatives to the mainstream trips to Australia, Hawaii, Indo, etc. With wetsuits getting warmer and compromising less on comfort and performance, this trend will likely continue to increase. And surfers like Mick, Ian, and Mason are setting the example. So, ditch the tropical waves, invest in a wetsuit, and strap on some boots now before these spots become the next crowded lineup.

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Tristan J. Hicks
Tristan J. Hicks

Written by Tristan J. Hicks

I write about surfing, skiing, climbing, or anything outdoors that I may find interesting!

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