Most surfers ride waves generated by storms thousands of miles away.
A much smaller group chases waves created by collapsing glaciers.
In his latest vlog, Blair Conklin heads deep into Alaska’s rugged wilderness in search of one of surfing’s rarest phenomena: glacier tsunami waves. The unusual waves are created when chunks of ice break away from a glacier—a process known as calving—and crash into the water below, sending ripples and surges across nearby fjords.
It’s a fringe form of surfing; very few have ever successfully rode glacier waves. And yet, there are those who go to extremes for the experience. The waves are unpredictable, difficult to access, and often found in some of the harshest environments on Earth.
That, of course, is exactly why Conklin wanted to try it.
Narrating the video, the Laguna Beach, CA native eloquently explains:
“When waves are formed in the ocean, they can travel thousands of miles then release all their energy on the shore. At this particular glacier, it can take 400 years or more for that snowflake to reach the end of the glacier, to where it cracks into the ocean. You’re riding a form of energy that has been stored for hundreds, if not thousands, of years.”
Related: 50-Foot Seas, Ice-Cold Water, and a Bear: Blair Conklin’s Alaska Adventure
The journey took him far from crowded beaches and familiar surf breaks. Surrounded by towering mountains, icy water, and active glaciers, Conklin and his crew navigated Alaska’s remote backcountry searching for a calving event large enough to generate a rideable wave.
They didn’t score the giant glacier tsunami many dream about.
But they did score waves. In fact, this is the second episode documenting the journey into the wilds of Alaska; check out the first one below:
Several times during the trip, massive chunks of ice broke free from the glacier face, sending surges across the water. The resulting waves may have been modest by most standards, but they were more than enough to ride. Conklin managed to surf the rare phenomenon, adding another unusual chapter to a career built around novelty-wave exploration.
The experience also highlighted just how wild glacier surfing can be. Beyond the frigid water, surfers must contend with floating ice, rapidly changing weather, remote locations, and the possibility of much larger calving events occurring without warning.
For most surfers, a session involves checking a forecast and paddling out.
For glacier surfers, it means waiting for a mountain of ice to fall into the ocean.
It’s one of the strangest waves in the world—and one of the rarest. In Alaska, Conklin found exactly what he was looking for.
Related: Massive Iceberg Collapse Creates One of the Biggest Glacier Waves Ever (Video)
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