Exploring Canada’s Cold Water Surf Destinations

Do you like uncrowded lineups with jaw-dropping backdrops? Do you not mind putting on a 5mm wetsuit with a hood, gloves and booties? These dudes sure are down for it all. In Common Ground, Reef follows pro surfers Logan Landry, Michael Darling, Pete Devries and Shannon Brown as they surf Canada from coast to coast.

Starting out in Cow Bay, Nova Scotia, Reef showcases some of the amazing surf that Canada has to offer. Although the waves are unreal and the lineups are empty, there are only a handful of people who would be willing to surf in -20°C with wind chill. 

RELATED: 7 Tips To Make Cold Water Surfing Bearable

Moving from Nova Scotia to British Columbia, the boys make the 6500km trek to Tofino, a well-recognized surf destination on Vancouver Island. Though the air temperature on the west coast is a little less drastic, it’s still very far from tropical, and not to be confused by the rainforests that line the shores. 

These surfers are well-seasoned to cold water–in fact, they prefer it over surfing the tropics. “A 3/2 full suit with booties on is like surfing in trunks”, Pete Devries told Stab Mag. There are plenty of rewards for surfing in cold water, and these dudes are in it to reap the benefits.