Welcome to Hel; Surprisingly Pumping Surf in Poland (Video)

Originally posted on SURFER | By Dashel Pierson | Last updated Jan 4, 2025 11:14 PM ET

Waves, generally speaking, need a large body of water to percolate, to grow from wind and storms, then to travel to far away and eventually break once they land on distant coastlines. The Pacific, the Atlantic, the Indian Ocean…these are the main players when it comes to wave-rich waters.

The Baltic Sea, nestled away in the quadrant of Europe, is not a big name in swells.

And yet, they get waves in the Baltic. Particularly in Hel, Poland – a seaside, peninsular resort city in the northern region of the country – there’s a thriving surf scene that embraces the fickle Sea, the harsh conditions, and the rare, surprisingly decent waves. And Dylan Graves paid them a visit.

“Welcome to my surf trip to Hel, Poland,” the weird waves aficionado explained. “A destination with a growing and passionate surfing community. In this episode, I explore the unexpected surf culture of the Hel Peninsula during a winter storm, teaming up with renowned Polish surf photographer Krzysztof Jedrzejak who is a pillar of the Polish surf community. There was puns around every corner, fun waves, great music, welcoming locals and amazing food. I had a Hel time!”

With water temps at 6° C (42.8° F) and air temps at 4° C (39.2° C), Graves and a crew of locals wound up scoring. Head-high waves, rippable sandbar walls, and even a few tubes. Not bad for Poland.

“Here in Poland, surfing has its own flavor,” Graves concludes. “There can sometimes be months in between swells here. So, when there’s sunshine and tubes of any shape and size, you really get to revel in what that means to the community here. There’s something about these diehard surf scenes that helps me stay in touch with why I love surfing so much. I’ve come to realize that surfing is our way to synthesize the best experience we know how to. Together. What’s better than that?”

This article first appeared on SURFER and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: