Searching for Surf and Safe Passage in the Gulf of Alaska

Conventional wisdom dictates that a passage across the Gulf of Alaska follows a cautious rhythm within a weather window to avoid frequent sub-polar storms and stick to no-nonsense objectives like commercial fishing or scientific research. This often leaving little room for exploration, though. And when you pack a boat full of jonesing surfers sharing a joint obsession over uncharted breaks and frosty tubes known only to local sea lions, you get the opposite—a wave centric escapade seeking what little true wilderness surfing remains within the United States.

Back in March I got a call from adventure photographer James Barkman with news that his skipper Michael Phand from a previous fishing season in Alaska’s Prince Williams Sound just bought a swooning 54’ steel longline salmon seiner called Seaview. Captain Phand was looking for a keen crew of surfers to help bring her across the infamous Gulf of Alaska, a stretch of sea that lay between his home Port in Cordova and his current port in Sitka. Naturally I was interested.

The plan was to spend two weeks with our crew of five pushing 1,000 nautical miles North West along the exposed Alaska coastline ducking in and out of coves looking for waves or shelter from storms, all while dodging icebergs, logs, and the occasional other boat. A voyage ripe with potential for uncrowded breaks of every sort alongside snow covered coastal mountain ranges provisioned by Alaska-sized seafood harvests. Or it could be a complete skunk-fest full of rain and fog-socked views, riddled with tempestuous waters and churned stomachs.

Source: https://www.fieldmag.com/articles/gulf-of-alaska-surf-trip-35mm