When I think back on the numerous quirky surfs I’ve enjoyed in the most unlikely parts of Europe – from Captain Cook’s left at Staithes on the Yorkshire coast, to Capo Mannu in Sardinia in the middle of the Med, to a fun beach break just down the road from the Leaning Tower of Pisa – I have to say that Ukraine doesn’t figure.
Not even in peacetime, although the Crimean Peninsula is said to be warm and appealing in summer.
But, as I reported in this space early last year when the appalling war began, Ukraine has a surviving, if not thriving surf culture, a national surfing federation and a bunch of quite reasonable surf breaks, the best of them located near the southern port of Odesa, the country’s third largest city, tucked into the north-western corner of the short-fetch Black Sea.
The relatively balmy summer climate – air 23 degrees, water 20 – has been attracting seaside holidaymakers for generations, and in the past decade or so, surfers have discovered that when wind and tide are in harmony, Odesa’s Arcadia Beach and its adjacent piers can produce reasonable quality waves.
As SurferToday.com noted: “Located in a small southeast-facing bay, the beach break occasionally morphs into a point break thanks to the several piers built in the area. The Ukrainian holiday and health resort channels low-to-medium-period wind swells, creating average, shoulder-high waves. It is the go-to location for those who want to have fun on a shortboard, longboard, bodyboard, and for beginner surfers.”
But when the surfers of Odesa woke to sounds of missiles and bombs on the morning of 24 February 2022, The Inertia website reflected last week, “it became clear that their world had changed forever. They would now have to live in a state of war. When the local surfers were enjoying their chilly winter sessions in early 2022, little did they know they wouldn’t be able to surf again for well over a year”.
But after testing the waters (so to speak) a couple of times over the summer, Odesa local and president of the Ukrainian Surfing Federation Vasiliy Kordysh and a handful of mates tracked the arrival of an early winter swell last week, decided enough was enough and paddled out.
As The Intertia explained: “While Ukrainians still live with the fear of an attack, the city of Odesa has attempted to give some sense of normalcy back to its citizens. This [past] summer the municipality opened up the city’s shoreline for leisure. Wary of stray sea mines and what the Ukrainian military would think of them riding waves, the surfers were hesitant to return to their local surf spots. But last week when a solid six-foot swell was forecast, five brave souls paddled out at Odesa’s Arcadia Beach.”
Vasiliy told The Inertia that surfing had been banned by the military for fear of missile barrages and stray sea mines, but he had snuck in a session on a longboard at a secret break along the coast during the summer without incident.
“I was thinking it must be fine, but I also understood that when big waves come, mines can possibly be swept in, too. “Actually, during our session a mine washed up on the shore just 30 kilometres away. It reminded us how real that is. It’s still possible. We were a little bit nervous, but we didn’t think much about it.”
So how was the long-awaited session?
“It was amazing. For some moments I felt like the war wasn’t happening. It was like [the war was] a bad dream and everything was like it was before. The waves were good, but as we surfed we could see some Ukrainian warships cruising around in the background. That brings you back to reality. But overall, I was so stoked!”
NWSR Community Surf Awards
After an international campaign of more than six years, the Noosa World Surfing Reserve became the 10th World Surfing Reserve in 2020, covering the world class point and beach breaks from the river mouth to North Sunshine Beach.
Since then, the hard-working voluntary stewardship council has worked tirelessly to promote the NWSR motto of Share. Respect. Preserve. This encapsulates the goal of NWSR to preserve surf zones and their surrounding environments and, by recognising and protecting the key environmental, cultural, economic and community attributes, to ensure that they are around for future generations.
The NWSR Community Surf Awards made their debut in 2021 to recognise the numerous people who contribute to these goals within the local community, and the 2023 edition will be held at The Boiling Pot Brewery, 130A Eumundi-Noosa Rd, Noosaville on Saturday 18 November.
Awards will be presented in the categories of environment, industry innovation, culture, photography and videography, as well as junior and senior male and female Community Surfer of the Year. The big award of the night will again be the NWSR Respect Award, in memory of Bill Wallace.
The car park party and awards presentations kick off at 3pm, with Raw Ordio and DJ Ryskee providing the beats from 5pm. Tickets $30, groms under 16 free. Visit noosaworldsurfingreserve.com.au to get your tickets.
